The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-19
HOTEL AND CORRIDOR.
saeoscoeSso>ss>aceo

Seven or eight years ago-more per-
haps-a boy left here to go to college
in the east. He spent all his early boy
hood days in this city, living just south
of the old Continental. There wasn't
resident of the city at that time who
didn't know him, and every one of
those folks who used to look upon him
as friend will be glad to see old
Billy Thompson, who reached this
city yesterday.
Willard D. got in on the train from
California, and will visit at the home
of Henry w. Lawrence for about ten
days.
After going to several eastern col
leges, Billy went to the University
of California, and after a four years
course has graduated with high hon
ors. He has distinguished himself at
Berkeley as a scholar, a sprinter, an
amateur actor, social favorite, big
fraternity man and a good fellow, not
to mention his work in the cadet corps.
Billy" was queer lad when a
youngster. He was the terror of all
little boys and small domestic animals
for miles around. He invariably sport
ed a black eye, the result of a daily
scrap" at st. Marks school, but not
withstanding his little tricks, Willie
was a bright boy, and in one week
won two gold medals, one in school and
the other for bringing the greatest
number of sparrow heads to a certain
firm that had offered the premium.
He was unequaled when 1T came to
getting into mischief, and some of his
minor episodes are related below.
One of his favorite pastimes was to
lock the writer up in a very dark
barn in the morning before going to
school, tell him there were "buggers''
in the loft and leave him bowling there
until lunch time.
After killing several hundred spar
rows in two or three weeks, he cut
their heads off for the medal and then
had the bodies in quite a large box.
He placed a good sized can of powder
in the center, attached fuse, nailed
the box up and invited the writer to
touch off the fuse, which he did and
ran. The powder went off almost in
stantly. covering everything and every
body with the different parts of the
sparrows' anatomies. There used to be
tin chimneys on top of the brick ones
at the Continental, and "Billy" manag-
ed things so that the chimneys became
stuffed. The hotel people had a dread
full time, and complained to Billy's
mother. Consequently Willard got
spanked, but the next day he got out
his shot gun, climbed on the roof of
his home, and battered down every tin
chimney in about five minutes
Miles Varian was at Orchard
Lake, Michigan, with him, and
tells an interesting little story
He said Old Billy was called
Crazy Bilr' there. One day he work
ed for about three hours until he got a
big cartridge inserted in a gas Jet
of one Of the fellows rooms. The man
came in. lit the gas; the cartridge blew
an awful hole through one of the walls,
and Bill was court martialed. During
his absence he has greatly changed
having become quite handsome. He will
go to Chicago and probably take up the
law, but he loves Salt Lake and SAYS
it may not be long before he is back
to stay in Zion.
Cullen arrivals yesterday were AL
bert Yoxa1l, Russell, Kan; A. C. Cleve-
land, Nevada; W. C. Badger, South Da-
kota; ]. Q. Packard, Eureka, and B.
F. Ward, Plymouth, Mass.
Those registering at the Knutsford
yesterday were: c. II. Gray, Chicago;
]. Albertson, Miss Taylor and Miss
Belts, England; P. P. Shelly, Seattle;
Wesley Austin, St. Louis; ]. G. Mich
ans. Cincinnati; M. R. Ingham, Salem,
n. Y: H. H. Rolaff, Ogden; w. r. Bu-
senbark, New York; H. V. Croll, Den
yer; N. G. Challis, Chicago, and w. G.
Allen, Chicago.