The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-27
NO LYxcHrxss YET.
Ramors Witheat Foundation
ssoapy- smith and vs.. Tricks


A esrresoondenf q the Post-Enrslis-
Esncsf Alaska news syndicate writes as
foligws from SEsgEfsy, Alaska. OCTOBER -
From tine 20 time reports Of alleged
lvnchfnTs ar sksguay, Tyea and az the
a4kea have found shefr way into the news
papers. These reports have besn contra
cseted time ard again. bit judging b. the
vide circulation that trey have obtained,
rot 20 much purpose. ore report was 20
tire effect that q man. caught in the act
% STEALING. had been FIRST shot and then
hanged or tho SKA quay trail. his body
being subsequently, baried beneath pile
- rocks BY some raEssrs-by. who could
rot stand the stencil eFnanatiug from the
decaylrg corpse." Aaofaer was 20 the ef-
feet that mar had been hanged on the
ryea frail fer a similar offsrse- TIE
most gigantic De. however. was that which
recountea, with great circumstantialty.
the hanging OF tao men al or near Lake
Eenaett According 70 the mendacAous
ehronicier % the grueSorne tale, the vic
tins Of the vixilantss offered 70 make res
;ffatiOn-Eive all their goods In return for
the sparinx % their lives. This offer was
spuraed but they were given a chance
% make a speech and even write letter
% the newspapers. stiu another report
stated that Russian Finn had been
iynchsd. also for stealing on the Skaguay
trail
Il ought not 10 BE- necessary 20 say that
al OF these alleged iynchings proceeded
from the pure inventions OF sensational
auidauncs. There have been no lynchings
this year either on the skaggay or Dyea
trails, AZ the lakes or elsewhere IN the
country. There has been no open talk OF
lynchlag until fsw days ago when three
men alleged 20 have been caught in the
act. were threatened with the rope. They
were Jailed Instead.
No more orderly coneourse OF men ever
poured into a country than that which
started for the Yukon region during the
past summer. Sone thieving has been
done. k'is,frue. but no; nearly 50 much as
might have been expected under the cir
eumstancss. Several men reported that
their tents had been robbed OF various
sums OF money. the largest amount being
$50. investigation OF many OF the alleged
tobheries has revealed the fact that these
men were the victims OF misplaced conf
dence. They believed that they could beat
the owner of three small shells and a
smaller pea. or course they failed, and
then they reported that thieves had rob-
bed their tents.
The swindlers with their shell games
operated on various parts Of the trail and
+ 9 fact well known that they reaped a
harvest their victims often being men
who by education and experience should
ductive pleadings OF a confidence man.
Soapy'' Smith. of Denver. who recently
figured In a cutting affray in Seattle. was
one Of these gentry. He piled his shell
game on the trait. not In the town. and
the tendsrfoot and the unsophlsticated
were his plumber. A little Scotch doctor
paid $40 for his experience with the
smooth "SOapy' one day on the trail And
there were others. who were old enough
TO know better. who contributed TO
"Soapys'' already Fat wallet. Everything
was fish that came 10 the Denver conf
aence mans net. Cappers. with packs
strapped TO their backs. would pause be-
side the little table and gaze YEARLY at the
little pea. Then they would bet SO gold
gold piece and, of course. win. This was
enough TO trap the ordinary sucker" and
n nearly always did. ''Soapy' Smith Is
credited with relieving the would-be klon-
dikers OF several thousand dollars. When
the picking grew thin he left for new
fields.
ssattle afternoon paper. Of October 2.
contains an article which states that there
are 100 hungry and desperate men at
skaguay and Dyea. and that there Is grave
danger that they viii take possession OF
the Pacific coast steamers. returning to
these ports, IN order 10 reach civlliza-
tion.'' "A gentleman recently from the
north" is given as the authority for the
statement concerning this alarming con-
ditlon Of affairs here. This story also
Is a pure invention. The number OF
broke" men is few. and there IS none hun
cry or starving, and the steamships which
reach this port are as safe from mob vio-
ienee as II they were tied Up at their docks
in Seattle.