The adventure of Scotty’s erstwhile rescuers — is misadventure a better description? — was about to turn strange. Or, rather, it continued to be… Strange. The cast of characters, never small, had at last settled into the core group of antagonists. Most of the names you will remember from previous episodes. Except one: Robert Cogswell. A “friend” of Steve Goodenow through their Honolulu law enforcement connections, Cogswell was a Honolulu Police detective. Given that, Goodenow expected a friendly face and, equally important, a friendly hand. That was not to be. Cogswell had his orders.
(copyright Anchorage Daily News, used with permission)
Sunday, March 20, 1978
Village Hotel, Ponape, Marshall Islands
Steve Goodenow
“Well… I am stuck here on Ponape. How I got to Ponape is a very interesting story. I am sitting on the veranda type affair, there is a thatched roof over me which extends about 75 feet. I am overlooking several smaller islands, a rugged mountain range. It’s about 4:30 pm. It has to be one of the most beautiful settings I have ever seen. There are parrots, multi-colored birds, bananas, coconut trees, every kind of jungle vegetation imaginable within an easy reach of where I sit.
Jean Sullivan and Mike Weight, her attorney, are sitting out in a separate viewing area that is detached from the main hut. It sticks out over a cliff-like arrangement and is on top of poles. Scotty Mackay, the subject of this entire investigation, is sitting with an older family who have come here as tourists. I wish I could say the same, but I didn’t come here as a tourist, neither did Jean Sullivan, Mike Weight or Scotty Mackay. We came here as captives of the State, under house arrest for lack of a better word. We came here because we were forced off an Air Micronesia flight.”
(courtesy Pacific Collection, UManoa-Hawaii)
Not So Strange
The recovery of Scotty Mackay was not, in fact, strange. It was, rather, the culmination of an exhaustive effort to find him amid a sprawling series of atolls and islands. The instincts of the local police were noteworthy. I am particularly fond of Felix Cabrera’s encyclopedic memory of Rodger Cotting’s favorite haunts. Small island stuff, indeed. But at this point, the story belongs to… Steve Goodenow. He kept extensive records (of course: he wanted to get paid). We start by returning to his perspective on Scotty’s rescue and retrieval. And then we’ll climb on board for the excruciating twists and turns that follow.
Saturday, March 19, 1978
From: Steve Goodenow
Re: Neil S. Mackay, et al
“On Saturday we decided that we would attempt to contact the Truk Islander, a tramp steamer that was operating in the area of Likiep. Within a half an hour, we received a message that Scotty Mackay had been picked up and that he was on his way back to the Island of Ebei which is located just off Kwajalein and a short taxi boat ride away. Immediately we made reservations to fly from Majuro to Guam, stopping at Kwajalein. Felix [Cabrera] telephoned the police on Kwajalein and requested their assistance in picking the boy up from Ebei (Ebeye) and having him transported to the airport. We also called Goodenow’s friend, Bob Cogswell, on Ponape, telling him that, on the Continental Flight that was due to come in, the people aboard might need some assistance.
(courtesy Pacific Collection, UManoa-Hawaii)
“On that evening, at about 5:00 o’clock, I decided to call Brook Hart. It took me an hour and a half to get through… I eventually did contact Honolulu and found out that [Neil Mackay attorney] Mike Weight and Jean Sullivan and an affidavit would be on its way…
“The following morning, the greeting party that met Air Mic Flight 601 at the Majuro airport contained the cast of characters except one: George Allen. All the others were present. Rodger Cotting and Chuck Sullivan were seen conversing with Jean Sullivan and Mike Weight. Weight played a tape recording to Rodger Cotting which, according to Weight, was from Neil S. Mackay — recorded in Honolulu.
“George Allen had been noted at the Majuro Airport seeing his wife off on an Air Nauru flight that was bound for Nauru and Ponape. Allen made no mention of what laid ahead. Although it made sense after we had arrived in Ponape, it seemed funny at the time that Allen was not at the Airport to see Sullivan and Weight arrive. Allen had told Goodenow that he would be at the airport and see the next flight.”
DeBrum’s Hidden Agenda
Also at the Majuro Airport and preparing to board Flight 601 was Tony DeBrum. “DeBrum said he was simply traveling and perhaps going to Tokyo. The real motive for his trip,” Goodenow noted, “was learned in Kwajalein.”
“Ramon, Jean Sullivan, Mike Weight and I boarded the Air Mic flight at approximately 11:20 a.m. and departed for Kwajalein and our pickup of Scotty Mackay.”
Transfer at Kwajalein
“After arriving at Kwajalein, we got off the plane. Jean Sullivan thought she saw Scotty standing outside but he was actually inside in the company of two police officers. At this point, Tony DeBrum proceeded to serve Goodenow and Ramon Villagomez with High Court papers. Realizing an attempt might be made then and there to stop us, I quickly corralled Mike, Jean and Scotty and had them rush out toward the plane, avoiding security. Security saw us, but really couldn’t do anything and all four clambered aboard.
All “civilian” and boat transfers emanate from Ebeye Island
Goodenow then got off the plane to maintain surveillance to see if anybody might be attempting to pick up Scotty. This of course startled the crew. The Kwajalein security requested that Goodenow recheck through but they allowed Weight, Sullivan, Villagomez and Scotty to remain aboard. Back aboard the plane, Ramon, Mike and Goodenow checked strategy.
“We had received papers regarding the matter of the abatement of the Hefner order [1]. We knew that when we arrived at Ponape, there would be a new series of papers being issued. What those papers would say we did not know. It was with some apprehension that we glided toward Ponape. The decision was made that Goodenow would go off the plane and attempt to take service of papers. If somebody was going to be apprehended, it would be Goodenow and he would have to spend the time there, with Ramon coming back to bail me out when the next plane came down. Hopefully, Scotty, Sullivan, Weight and Villagomez could proceed to Guam.”
(Courtesy Pacific Collection, UManoa-Hawaii)
Surprise!
“We all got the surprise of our life in Ponape. No only was Cogswell there, but Cogswell in force with the police chief from Truk and the Ponape Police Chief. All three were from Honolulu. It should be noted that Cogswell is a friend of both Weight and Goodenow.
“When the plane stopped in Ponape, the boarding ramp came down but no one was allowed off the plane. Goodenow decided to make his way, thinking that someone might be waiting for him. Goodenow met Bob Cogswell who told him that he was to bring Scotty Mackay and anyone else travelling with him and immediately leave the plane. Goodenow asked him under what grounds, and Cogswell said that Judge Brown was waiting at the airport and had ordered Goodenow, as well as Scotty, off the plane. Trying to make argument with Bob seemed useless.”
“Bob [Cogswell] then accompanied Goodenow back to where Scotty, Jean and Michael Weight were standing and told Goodenow point blank that if he did not take Scotty and get off the plane, Cogswell would take Scotty off the plane and that Goodenow, as well as those traveling with him, would be forced off the plane. The papers Goodenow had in his possession did not give him any indication as to what grounds they had for removing us from the plane, only that there was a hearing scheduled March 22, on the Island of Majuro.
“There was no order requiring me to stay in Ponape. Obviously, [George] Allen had been in communication with Brown. We did not know the extent of it until finally we all left the plane. It was felt we might be able to persuade Brown that there was no need to have any further papers signed or issued because we were taking the boy back to his father and then on to Alaska.
“Judge Brown reviewed all the papers. The attorneys made all the arguments, but Brown decided there should be a hearing in Majuro and that the hearing would go on on Tuesday as scheduled. We were all to leave the plane and make our own reservations. [2]”
The Plot Thickens
Steve Goodenow: “It should be noted that landing shortly after the Air Mic flight was the Air Nauru flight from Majuro/Nauru. Aboard this flight was Susan Allen, wife of George Allen. She apparently had brought more papers for Judge Brown to review. She was noted speaking with the judge at the Ponape Airport.” [3]
As it turns out, the Allen’s and the Brown’s were not just friendly… They were friends. Like cocktails and dinner type friends. Small world? Nope. Strange world.
[1] Abatement is a fancy legal term for stopping or suspending an (allegedly) binding legal decision. In this case, that decision was Judge Hefner’s Order handing over temporary custody of Scotty to Steve Goodenow, thus enabling him to return the boy to Alaska.
[2] The Village Hotel is now closed. Note, too, that the island has reverted to its historic name, Pohnpei.
[3] Nothing particularly wrong with friendly relationships between legal professionals, but it’s worth noting here because of the great distance between Ponape (Browns) and Majuro (Allens). There was no such thing as a leisurely stroll between those two places. The nautical distance from Majuro to Ponape (Pohnpei) is approximately 777 to 779 nautical miles (about 1,440 to 1,458 kilometers or 896 to 905 miles). Imagine saying to yourself, “I think we’ll just catch a plane and make a quick visit to the Browns for cocktails.”
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