The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-28
WILD GOOSE BILL,
Interesting sketch of His Strange
Career

| Career
SPOKANE, Jan. 27.-The news announc-
ing the death of "WIld Goose BilI' was
read with deep interest in all parts of this
country. He was one of the best known
characters in this part of the American
union, and his name is familiar to all the
pioneers of the northwest. The Spokesman
Reriel0 gives an interesting sketch of his
| career:
The name of Wild Goose Bill will 20
down in the history of Washington beside
| that OF Okanogan Smith, his old friend
and boon companion and associate in
many respects, notably their taste in
selecting wives. Their life i'm
| Washington was contemporaneous, and
| the nature of their ventures was similar.
| Both were quaint types of the frontier
| Okanogan Smith died more than year
| ago, and now that Wild Goose Bill has
passed away there will be many a tear in
the eyes of the old-timers who knew them.
Rough as they were, they were fairly idol
lied by the miners they had grubstaked
and the unfortunate ones they had fed
and clothed when broke.
Bills name was W. Ii. Condor. In later
years he took pride in his odd soubri-
quet, because it associated him with the
past, and he reveled in the memory of
days gone by, but away back in the EOS
1t cost the life of man who dared 20 call
him by 1t to his face. The story of how 1t
attached 10 him is an incident of SO.
condor was a new arrival from Ken
lucky then. He had bought a packers
outfit and was freighting over the long
road from Fort Waila Walla to Fort Col
vile. One day a rancher IN the sparselv
settled country between was startled bv
several shots. He ran out into the brush
to find Condor standing on the bank of n
little stream, n smoking gun i'm his hand.
hey! what are you doing there ?'' he
yelled.
Keep your mouth shut. you ID
fool, and I'll bag the whole flock" tho |
hunter retorted angrily.
mot If | can help it, the rancher oh. |
served, with rising temper. "My wife /
brought the eggs that them geese were 1
hatched from all the way from Illinois" |
The rancher's wife was so angry at the
destruction of half a dozen of her no,
that she refused to extend
the usual courtesy of western ranchers to
the hunter. and he was compelled to sIeen
IN the brush that night for want of shelter
and TO accept lunch from the husband.
who relented when he saw the Joke.
wild Goose BIlr' was Condon's name
iioiAl AudA hdF Oh. anu III VIII 10 written .
in history that way, for few knew him as
William Condor.
Bill was 6S years old when he died. He
had lived in Washington ever since 1S-G.
He was married AT least twice. the first
lime to Lop-Eared Julia. a buxom su,aN,
)f the Coucr d Alencs, and last 10 prin-
Tess julia. sister of Chief Swepkin of TIC
ribe of san Puell. The san Puells live
Up IN the Okaaosan RIVER country and arc
distinguished by the fac; that they bay,
lever accepted 4 cent in money nor n
'ound Of provisions from the government.
md have refused assistance, m any tori,
lie had two sons by his last wife. both Of
whom are now in stevens county. and
mere were couple OF girls. but the.
liln't count with Condor when ne eurrI.
rated his posterity. lie was proud OF !
'rinccss Julia. aud occasionally BROUGHT ,
cr 10 Spokane with him. Once. four ,
ears ago, hc and i- little girls so- ,
burned az the Comm rra. hotel. where .
reporter visited them. They were true .
indians. D.saainins the chairs around ,be
Dom. they We're seated ON mat IN IA,
enter Of the floor.
Il arm going o. leave yoI d moment .
ondoa sad iu the middle Of tle CONVEX
alton. There's = man down stairs