The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-07
SAW "sOAPY" SMITH KILLED.
A Chicago Man Tells How skaguay Was
Rid of a Desperate.

"sa va
Henry Rydstrom. formerly a Chicago
man. but now a citizen Of Skaguay.
Alaska. was an eyewitness Of the fight
In which the notorious "Soapy" Smith
was killed in that place on July 5 by
City Surveyor Reed. He stood, in fact.
where the desperate almost fell against
him when Reed shot him.. Mr.. Ryd-
strom has been in Skaguay since last
January and has seen the rapid growth
OF the place from simply a group OF
tents. constantly being put up and con-
SANITY taken away as the migrating
herds Of humanity came and went.
From the start "Soapy" Smiths reign
has been supreme. He had a gang OF %
toughs, all as desperate as himself and
all completely under his control. Like
the able leader in villainy he was, he
had his crew we'll distributed among
the municipal officers and in all places
| where they could be used TO best fur
Their his schemes and to best afford
protection TO himself and the gang.
Boss" Tweed never in his palmiest day
had such a perfectly and systematically
organized band of robbers. There were
always three of them in the city coun-
/ Gil. his first lieutenant was the deputy
city marshal and his second officer was
the editor OF the one daily paper In
town. The Others were disposed to the
best advantage possible.
Smith was a genius and a general in
his line. His place was among the nigh
officials, where he acted as adviser and
director in all the affairs of the city.
He could easily have been the mayor
had he chosen, but that would not suit
his purpose half so well as being in the
position he occupied. His hand was
never actually seen in any or the VII
Iainies perpetrated and II was known
hnv,r ,,-alaoc a tacx 81 would nave been
to try and fasten any of the crimes
upon him
But everyone knew ne was the leader
of the gang just the same. 'Soapy,
however, was an admirable strategist
and often laid plans for bold robberies
that completely deceived the good and
honest citizens and invariably proved
successful. One of these schemes,
which was carried through with mas
terly generalship, will serve to Illus
trate the ability OF the man as a leader
and a campaign planner. There was a
Canadian minister in town who was
anxious to raise enough money to build
a church for his congregation. II was
"Soapy' Smith who put him in the
right way to accomplish his purpose.
He advised the minister TO make a per-
scnal canvass of the town and solicit
subscriptions from the prominent bust
ness men. To show his genuine interest
in the matter he at once put down his
name and really gave up $3.50 in casf
|, toward the project. This liberal DO
; nation a a marked effect upon the
"other" good citizens.
t They all subscribed literally, n the
{ minister was gratihed to find that in g
very short time he had raised severa
thousand dollars. But that money
, never was used to build a church. TIL
, minister had no sooner completed hi
4 work and had the money in his posses
- tAaf hn VKvnG az Nl1i1 and TOhhpf
r % the whole sum-. 1t is certain tina
"Soapy" had his $3.50 duly returned t
d him and with a liberal interest added
I while the rest of the gang. to the SAM
9 certainty, profted individually, accord
n ing TO their rank in "Soapy's" army o
To- robbers.
But such was this mans power tina
g no one dared openly denounce him. ]
4 was bad enough to know that he sys
tcmatically plundered from the stfanS
ers who CHANGED to land in Skagua
with GOLD dust, but it was worse whe
his scheming brain devised plans to re
n his fellow citizens and set his band I
u carry them out. And yet MS reign con
., tinued. though Skaguay had grown I
=. be a city of 5000 business men. ii
:, was at the height of his power Jus
= previous to mis- being killed. On tn
- Fourth of July Skaguay had resolve
:, TO be patriotic and a general celebra
-, ton was inaugurated. One of the fea
~ lures was a grand parade, and in tn
"a "Soapy" was the leader. But even the
matters were shaping themselves
bring about his destruction.
About the LIST Of July a miner ha
come into town from the north wit
N some $4,000 in gold. one of the gang SUI
'p ceeded in getting him in town and toe
~ him to one of the dens where the rol
a. berries were committed. 1t was Smith
IN policy never TO use extreme measur,
III ,-I,y, 10 could he avoided although
~ murder or two cut no figure with the
-. villains. The ordinary plan was to &
:; the victim drunk and draw him into
"a shelf game, and thus relieve him
IN his money in a Legitimate manner.
this way the miner was robbed OF h
SO, 900. He, however, made a vigoro'
kick and an effort was made 10 indu
. "Soapy" to give up the spells. But IN
I'm "Soapy'' would not do, and the refus
pa led TO his tragic end. For the first tin
since his reign began he was public
IN denounced. There were open and pi
H. vate meetings held and measures we
in the way of adoption to depose I
,n boss" .
80 on July s a large number Of the CT
M gems had c~ongregated on the wharf al
rIv the city surveyor was just calling up
the people TO take some decisive scti
and drive Smith and his gang out
town. when n desperate himself a
III paared upon the scene. Winchester
hand. He deliberately shot Reed, W
lg. fell to the ground. but, wounded a
.oy dying as he was. he pulled his pts
m- and she Smith in the head, Kill
~ him instantly.
re- Mr.. Rystrom Is In Chicago buyi
zen laundry machinery for a plant ne
tends starting in Skaguay. He Is We
enthusiastic over the prospects OF I
city's growth and Its future. He d.
,so not imagine the place can ever be
large city. but that II will be an impo
az ant one as an Quitting point for q
m venturers in the north he has no dou
lch There are, ne says no" auou' e'oVV y
and pie in business, ana, while there
the many tents. there are also many fra
buildings and some OF the stores ha