Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-02-01
a TYPE OF The FRONTIER.
Condor Was a Pioneer With II Life Full
of Excitement

of Excitement
The name of Wild Goose Bill will go
down in the history of Washington be-
: side that of Okanogan Smith his old
friend and boon companion and associ-
ate in many enterprises. The men were
alike in many respects, notably theii
taste in selecting wives. Their life In
Washington was cotemporaneous, and
the nature of their ventures was sim
liar. Both were quaint types of the
frontier. Okanogan Smith died NOR.
than year ago, and now that Wild
Goose Bill has passed away there will
be many tear in the eyes of the old
timers who knew them. Rough as they
were, they We're fairly idolized by the
miners they had grubstaked and the
unfortunate ones they had fed and
clothed when broke.
Bits name was w. II. Condon In
later years he took IA pride in his odd
soubriquet, because il associated him
with the past. and he reveled in the
memory of days gone by. but away back
in the COS it cost the life of a man who
dared to call him by it to his face. The
story of how ii attached to him is an
| incident of so.
/ condor was new arrival from Ken.
lucky then. He had bought a packers
outfit and was freighting over the long
road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort
Colville. One day rancher in the
sparsely settled country between was
startled by several shots. He ran out
into the-brush to find Condor standing
on the bank of a little stream, a smok-
ing gun in his hand.
Hey! what are you doing there?' he
yelled
Keep your mouth shut, you id
fool. and I'll bag the whole flock" the
hunter retorted angrily.
mot If I can help it," the rancher OBJ
served. with rising temper. MY wife
brought the eggs that them geese were
Matched from all the way from Illinois"
The rancher's wife was so angry at
the destruction of half a dozen of her
pet thoroughbreds that she refused to
extend the usual courtesy of western
nanchers to the hunter. and he was
compelled to sleep in the brush that
night for want of shelter, and to accept
a lunch from the husband, who relented
when he saw the joke.
wild Goose Bill'' was Condon's name
from that day on, and 1t will be written
In history that way. for few knew him
as William Condor.
HERE SINCE 1856
Bill was 6S years old when he died
He had lived in Washington ever since
1856 He was married at least twice
the first timed to Lop-Eared Julia, a
buXom squaw of the Occur d'Alenes,
and last to Princess Julia, sister of
CHIEF Swepkin of the tribe of San
Puell. The San Puells live up in the
Okanogan river country, and are dis
tinguished by the fact that they have
never accepted a cent in money nor "A
pound of provisions from the govern
ment. and have refused assistance in
any form. He had two sons by his last
wife. both of whom are now in Stevens
county. and there were couple of girls,
but they didn't count with Condor
when he enumerated his posterity. He
was proud of Princess Julia, and occa-
sionally brought her to Spokane with
him. Once, four years ago. he and his
little girls sojourned at the Commercial
hotel where "A reporter visited them
They We're true Indians. Disdaning the
chairs around the room. they were
seated on a mat in the center of the
floor.
II am going to leave you a moment"
Condor said in the middle of the con
]
| want to see. l confide in you. Don I
elope with Julia while I'm gone"
1t will never be known whether Con-
don was joking in his quiet, dry way,
or felt that he was reposing great deal
of trust in his visitor Julia was any
thing but beautiful, but he was proud
of her.
ON THE COLUMBIA.
A q,
Major Gwydir last night, wild Goose
Bill went up to the present site of his
ferry on the Columbia, below Wilbur.
He and his boys, then half grown. put
in the ferry some time later. and ac-
complished the phenomenal feat of
building road from Grand coulee to
the river and on the opposite side from
the ferry, across the reservation to his
bridge on the Okanogan river 1t is
% miles from the coulee to the ferry
and So miles further to the bridge. He
built the bridge. too. and all without
outside assistance. That turned travel
his way. of course. and he made some
money. But he never charged a poor
man cent to go across. His ferry. his
table, and his stable were always free
to needy emigrants and other poor pco-
pie who passed by.
PRETTY WELL FIXED
He took up land and grew to be
pretty well fixed. The townsite of Will
bur was his property at first. He lived
there close on TO S5 years, and the In
dams thought heap more of him than
they did of Uncle Sam. His word was
their law. He was a radical republi-
can and Okanogan Smith was just as
strong democrat, but they We're fast
friends. Smith was elected TO the state
legislature. Bin was rendered several
nominations, and had chance to run
for the territorial legislature in early
days. but he persistently refused He
was strong silver man and was pub
lie spirited to a high degree.
wild Goose Bill's killing record was
Is Indians and one white man. but he
was a peaceable man, and after the in
cident with the fellow who first put