The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-17
How "Soapy" Smith Net His
Doom at Skagway.
heWAs LOOKING EoRTRouRLE.
j. II. stewart .none" Cat Of IS 600
in broad DayiiEht-A CttxcnS
Meeting Called smith Under
takes tn Dispense IL sinxie-Hand-
ed-Surveyer Frank Reid bars
the Way and Sheoting Follows.

Denying law and authority; threatening
to whip the town sinSle-naaded. and o.
his way to break up a meeting OF angry
citizens gathered together 10 devise ways
and means OF Kidding SkAsway OF gang
OF sare-thing gamblers. "Soapy smith.
GAMBLER and slre-shing man. died In his
boots. shot through the heart by Skagway
City Surveyor Frank II. Reid. on the even
ing OF Friday, July ).
Reid FELL with tho dead gambler on the
rough boards OF Juneau wharf. for he hA1
been seriously wounded with bullet from
Smiths Winchester. Smiths gang OK sam
b!ers started on a mad race for the hills.
as they saw their leader fail. Accompany
ing them was Deputy United States Mar
shal Taylor, who has long been suspected
OF mix;ns up with the gang. The meet
ing on the wharf that Smith had started
10 break up adjourned immediately. one
hundred deputy nsarshals armed with
WInchesters pa,rolled the streets during
the night, fearing the gamblers would put
the torch 10 the town. Others scarrisd at
by Sunday night twenty-scven gamblers
were in jail Parties OF deputies were chas-
Ing others over the trail or guarding the
boats about To leave for Puget sound. On
Sunday Il gambler named Bowers. VINO
was the r!ngleadcr In the trouble on Fyi-
day, was captured at Canyon City. Mon-
day he Was tried. He attempted TO es-
cape by jumping through a window. ana
on ~ crowd
mos; .Iynclsed. Capt. Yeatman and a COM
pany OF United States troops arrived from
Dyea In time to prevent the hanging. They
proclaimed martial law. but later in the
day turned the town over to the United
States marshals Such In brief 10 the story
of the most sensational tragedy in the
checkered history OF Alaska
An Excited Town.
Skagway was In a state of excitement
almost the entire day Friday. A number
OF klondikers arrived over the trails from
Dawson with their sacks Of dust 1t was
great opportunity for the confidence
men tina. have SO long been Skasway's
pest and regret. Among them was ]. ID.
| Stewart, a young man who had saved .
| considerable sum after hard work In the
| interior. and had made hss way out from
| Five Finger rapids over the Dalton trail.
| Stewart wanted 10 sell his gold dust. He
| met man named Bowers and a saloon
| keeper who told him they knew or a man
| who would pay more for II than he could
| got at Seattle banks. He WAS taken to .
| little shack on Skagway's most notorious
| street the ALLEY" In the rear Of ''Soapy''
| Smiths saloon, on Holly avenue. Tho pre-
| tended gold dust purchaser came in with
| another man, and Stewart produced hls
| sack, which contained 81 100 in dust and
| $500 In money. The robbers did not stand
| on ceremony. but took the sack by force
| and made their escape.
| Stewart naturally made great howl"
| around town. Skagway IL DESTROYS OF hav-
| ing AZ much Dawson treasure as possible
| come through that way. and the citizens
| took hold OF the matter earnestly. Tho rob-
| berry In daylight was holder and more dar-
| ing than the gang had ever before at
tempted. A number Of prominent citizens,
| confident that Smiths men had done tina
| work. quietly went TO the leader and said
! that the money must he returned or there
| would be trouble. Smith agreed 10 see
| that the money was returned by o'clock
| Friday afternoon, IL the matter was kept
out OF the papers.
Looking for Trouble.
| During the afternoon ae commences
| drinking, and was soon ready for trouble
| In any shape or form. When warned that
| there would be a demonstration, he 10 saic
| 10 have replied:
by -----, trouble is what am look
Ing for
Feeling against the sure thing men In
/ creased until al . O'Clock a meeting was
| called at Sylvester hall. The crowd was
! too large however and an adjournment
/ was taken TO the juneau wharf. where
| several hundred citizens gathered at .
I 4
! The object or the meeting was 10 tx On
| plan for Kidding ths city of objections
| be characters Thomas Whitton. Of the
| Golden North hotel, Sksgway, was chosen
| chairman. A guard deta! composed OF
| Frank II. Reid. Jesse Murphy 4. VI. Tam
/ ner ard - LaBders. was seat TO the
| entrance OF the dock to keep or objec-
| tionable characters.
| Smith heard Of the oseeting UP town ana
aald he would ga down sengiehan -
/ Etop II. lie made his men stay back and
| armed with a Winchester started down TO
| the wharf. Reid was the first man he met.
| He walked up 10 him and with an oath
asked what he was doing there. a, the
| ZANE time striking him with the barrel %
| the gun. Reid grabbed The gun and push.
| 81 Il downward. As ne lid so. "Sospy"
pulled the trigger. The bali passed through
&
| through tae bower part OF the right hip.
Reid pulled hls revolver and fred a shoA
/ striking Smith In the leg. Again ths crack
! % Smiths rife was heard and Reid felt .
bullet plump into MS leg. Then came tbs
sho: from Ms r. vover that pierced Smiths
/ heart. The fight was ended.
] The meeting on the doek came 70 a sid
l den termination. Reid, who was believed
I 80 Re fnoriAAy wounded vas taken 20 DR..
Noors's office. and uurn5er Of physicians
made hassy examination fassr In tho
/ u gnI ae WAS removed TO he Blssaot Rowe
/ hospital. where All operation Was perrc-~~
/ ed which gives him an excellent show for
life.
Irnu1sGlats ly after tb@ shooting she sids
streets and alleys we're used as aSenueD
/ o, fight by the frightened n<a wao had
/ By q few moments before boosted os ;hetv
strength under Smiths leadership with
+ him dead they lost their nerve ana hurried
| snis. the hliis Asssr them came many dep
/ MY rnsrzhais hss'iiy Ssorp ia By Capt. J.
Il THrper He has been appointed ~
L.