100 years ago in Thurston County: Investigators checking if body found in shallow grave is Spokane woman married to suspected serial killer polygamist

Police in Thurston County were investigating the possibility that a body found in a shallow grave near Olympia months ago was that of Bertha Goodnich of Spokane – one of the many wives of “Bluebeard” Huirt.

Huirt was held in Los Angeles on suspicion of being involved in an attempted bank robbery. They also believed he had as many as 25 wives, at least three of whom were from Spokane.

Goodnich married “Bluebeard” in Yakima, when he was using one of his many aliases. Her relatives had not heard from her since receiving a typewritten letter some months ago which said she was intending to emigrate to Australia. Her relatives thought it odd that even her signature was typewritten.

A Spokane dentist was called on to help identify another body of a missing person, in Martinez, California. He determined the body was not that of Goodnich.

Meanwhile, two of his other Spokane wives, Kathryn Wombacher and Elizabeth Williamson, were in Los Angeles helping with the police investigation. They got together to compare notes, and both said they noticed he never called them by their first names.

“He probably didn’t attempt to call any of his wives by their first names,” Wombacher said. “He might have got them mixed and made no end of trouble for himself.”

Police said they found many papers among Huirt’s effects, which he used in attempts to gain possession of his wives’ property.

Meanwhile, Huirt was in custody, shackled to a hospital bed, after he attempted to kill himself after his arrest. Police hoped to question him soon.

Police were now looking for at least eight other wives of “Bluebeard,” who were also missing.