Soapy Smith
Jefferson Randolph Smith (* 1860 in Georgia , † July 8, 1898 in Skagway , Alaska ), called Soapy Smith , was an American businessman, con artist and bandit .
Smith earned his fortune and nickname in Denver , Colorado , selling bars of soap, allegedly including one with a hidden $ 100 bill. After unsuccessful election rigging, he was expelled from the city.
In August 1897 Smith went from the silver fields at Creede , Colorado to Skagway , Alaska at the base of White Pass . While most of the men looked for gold in the cold rivers, Soapy Smith ran a telegraph office there , the only connection with the outside world and the relatives of the prospectors. A telegram was $ 5. Business stalled when someone found out that the cable to Seattle ended in snow after a few hundred yards.
To the sorrow of the people, Soapy Smith and his gunslingers still held the town of Skagway tightly in their hands. On July 8, 1898, the surveyor Frank H. Reid opposed him at the docks. Smith shot Reid with a Winchester , Reid shot back with his Smith & Wesson . Soapy Smith was struck in the heart and died instantly. Frank Reid died on July 20th from gunshot wounds after his hip was crushed by a bullet.
Both graves can still be found today in Skagway's Gold Rush Cemetery . The grave of Frank H. Reid is one of the main attractions of the historic cemetery.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Smith, Soapy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Smith, Jefferson Randolph (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | american businessman |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1860 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Georgia |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 8, 1898 |
| Place of death | Skagway , Alaska |