The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-02
CHAPTER IN THE LIFE
OF SALTWATER BILL.
Miss Stanley. Who Accompanied Him
to Dawson. Says That He Is Alb
sOlutely PenuileAS,

''Swiftwater Eill' is a false alarm. This
is the opinion entertained by Miss Myrtle
Stanley. one Of the San Francisco concert
hall singers and ballet dancers who short
time ago thought Bill Gates was both the
richest and fastest man in Alaska. II
is now very evident that saltwater Bill
Is not hero III the eyes OF al women. as
Miss Stanley declares that there is only
one member of her sex in Dawson who
WI consent 10 recognize him. She says
that she was inveiglei into going TO Alaska
by pictures of golden streets in Dawson. as
painted by saltwater Bill" and a prom
Use % 81 900 month 10 sing and darce in
his concert hall. She told a Post-Intelli-
gencer reporter at the Hotel Brunswick
after her arrival on the Discovery that
when she and the four other girls arrived
al Dawson they discovered that the con-
cert hail which Gates claimed to own
had been closed up and that he was penni-
less Gates was then deserted by the
people he deceived, So Miss Stanley says
and even Lillian Ia More. che sister OF
the woman he married in San Francisco
branded him as a scoundrel.
Miss Stanley declares that Gates will
never again have the price to replace the
silk tile and creased trousers he wore be
fore going TO Alaska, and that she Is will
ing to give odds that he will eventually
be obliged TO return TO his former occupa-
returns to San Francisco, Miss Stanley
says a rope will take the place of the h!gh
'ollar he We're while there, when engaged
in enticing innocent girls away from the
home fireside. She claims to have a
father. three brothers. several big cousins
and number of friends who will jor
forces in riding Gates on rail and the
strngins him 10 a telegraph poe should
ne ever go TO San Francisco again. Sht
also said;
saltwater Bill came TO San Francisco
we'd at the Palace hotel like nabob, Dor
owed $4,000 from DR.. Wolfe. induced Us
iris 10 sign contract to work in his
lance hall at $1,000 a month. and then We
al started for Dawson. At Lake Bennett
1alf Of his outfit was coniiscated because
he didn't have enough money to pay the
.Gty and after raising ,Oe0 on his min
ng property at Dawson, which he was
t3rced to do to pay DR.. Wolfe. he was
Foke At Lake Bennett he even had the
tudacity to compel us To sign contrac,
- pay him $1,000 4 month after we arrived
Il Dawson. but the contract was worthless
sc afterward learned. and gave him tn
old shoulder. At Dawson Gates owned
at which he leased to his partner, JaCI
smith. and while the latter was sick Gate.
sold IL and Smith was compelled to move 81
building he had erected off the property
Gates afterward bought a piano witt
money he borrowed. and tried 70 start
concert hall on a small scale, but his cred
tors seized the instrument. and Swiftwa
ter BIZ is now roaming the streets with
aut i cent in his pocket. Since Gates wa
aandoned by his wife's sister he has an
founced that he was going to marry Maud
liHehan. the only woman in Dawson who
VIII speak TO him
Miss Stanley states that she worked thc
lew weeks she was In Dawson at the Pa.
yilion, concert hall. and that she arrived
in Seattle with 8. so in dust and nuggets
Concert hall performers receive $500 pc,
week, she says, and the commission given
on sales OF liquor Is equal 10 half that
amount Miss Stanley claims that she
married a Yukon river captain while in
Alaska. and that ne would soon join her
in San Francisco. She ala not fail 10 men
ton the fact that Gates hired a pilot to
take him through the White Horse rapids
and that even then he exhibited great COW
ardice and was dreadfully afraid OF filling
a watery grave.
Thus ends another chapter in the life of
the man who has the reputation OF being
the fastest man in Alaska.