A con man ruled an entire town until its people finally decided enough was enough.

The Man Behind the Name

Jefferson Randolph Smith had a name that related to his methods of earning money. As he was called Soapy, he received this title from a previous scheme where he sold bars of soap. In this activity he implied that certain bars held paper currency, which changed a deceptive act into a public display. By the summer of 1898, he was a person who caused others to feel intense alarm in Skagway, Alaska.

A Boomtown Under His Grip

Skagway was a town that grew rapidly and contained many people who searched for gold and traveled toward the Klondike. And the control of Smith extended into the areas for betting, games with cards that were not fair and places that sold alcohol where people stole property. Because the local officers of the law lacked the power to prevent his actions, many individuals who lived there felt unable to escape. To many arrivals the loss of gold happened through deception almost immediately when they reached the town.

When a miner who was returning from the gold fields lost a bag of gold dust valued at approximately $2,600 to $2,700 through theft, the inhabitants of the town decided to resist. On that account citizens who felt resentment came together as the Committee of 101. On the evening of July 8, 1898, they gathered at Juneau Wharf so that they could arrange a reaction. Frank H. Reid is a man who had tasks as a surveyor and an engineer for the city in Skagway and he was one of the individuals who stood at the entrance to provide protection.

Gunfire at the Wharf

Soapy Smith walked to the wharf with a rifle because he seemed to plan to stop the meeting. It is reported in various ways what occurred next but the outcome is certain. For instance shots were fired, Soapy Smith died at the location from a bullet wound and Reid received a wound in his groin. As a result of his injuries, Reid lived for 12 days and died on July 20, 1898.

By this act of shooting, the power of Soapy Smith in Skagway reached its conclusion and it became an influential part of the history of the town. In the present time, the narrative is the primary subject for historical tours and it maintains an interest in the Gold Rush period for tourists. And Frank Reid is remembered because he blocked the path of Soapy Smith during that night in the summer.