Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1883-84, St. Louis, San Francisco, Soapy arrested: Pages #22-23

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 22 - Original copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

oapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1883-84, St. Louis, San Francisco, Soapy arrested: Pages #22-23

     This post is on page 22 and 23 of the "STAR" notebook. I am combining these two pages as they only account for a total of seven lines. They are not appearing to be a continuation of earlier pages, but appear to be notes Soapy made as two separate, stand-alone notations. Page 22 is not dated. Page 23 is dated twice, December 31, 1883 and January 2, 1884.

     This is the continuation of deciphering Soapy Smith's "star" notebook from the Geri Murphy collection. A complete introduction to this notebook can be seen on page 1. These notebook pages have never been published before! They continue to be of revealing interest. The picture that these pages draw is of young 23 year-old Jefferson pursuing "soap sales" over a very wide spread of territory and in a very tenacious, even driven, way.

     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and sometimes pretty hard to decipher. A large part of this series of posts is to transcribe the pages, one-at-a-time, and receive help from readers on identifying words I am having trouble with, as well as correcting any of my deciphered words. My long time friend, and publisher, Art Petersen, has been a great help in deciphering and adding additional information.

     I will include the original copy, an enhanced copy, and a negative copy of each page. Also included will be a copy with typed out text, as tools to aid in deciphering the notes.

PAGE 22:

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 22 - Enhanced copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

 (Click image to enlarge)

    

     There are a total of 24 pages. This means that there may be upwards of 24 individuals posts for this one notebook. Links to the past and future pages (pages 1, 2, 3, etc.) are added at the bottom of each post for ease of research. When completed there will be a sourced partial record of Soapy's activities and whereabouts for 1882-1884.

     Important to note that the pages of the notebook do not appear to be in chronological order, with Soapy making additional notes on a town and topic several pages later.

     Although the communication of twenty-three-year-old Jefferson Randolph Smith II is with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today).

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 22 - Negative copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 22 - Deciphered copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

     The date of this notation is unknown, though it is probably not too far from the dates noted in page 20-21 (1883-1884).

• Line 1: "W. O. Monroe:" I could not find anything in the St. Louis newspapers on “W. O. Monroe,” but I did find a "William E. Monroe" in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat regarding his marriage to "Miss Ella E. Owens." I do not know if this is the same Monroe as is listed in Soapy's notebook. 

Was Monroe an associate or friend of Soapy's? Perhaps someone Soapy wanted to meet up with? Could Monroe been an early gang member? Or was he a victim of Soapy's swindles? Maybe a potential target to swindle? He could have been a resident of St. Louis, living at the St. James Hotel, which was common in the 19th century. It is also likely that if he was a visitor to St. Louis, then he could have been a victim.

• Line 2: "St. James Hotel:"
• Line 3: "St. Louis Mo.:" Of note is the fact that St. Louis is not mentioned elsewhere in the STAR notebook, so was Soapy's visit a spur of the moment trip? Was "W. O. Monroe" a target of Soapy's before, or perhaps after, his arrival?

St. James Hotel
St. Louis, Missouri
1880s

(Click image to enlarge)

PAGE 23:

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 23 - Original copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 23 - Enhanced copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 23 - Negative copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 23 - Deciphered copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

• Line 1: "Dec 31st 1883:" According to Star notebook page #6, Soapy, in his own handwriting, was operating in Tombstone, Arizona between December 17, 1883 and December 22, 1883. Four days later, on December 26, 1883, Soapy paid $4 for a vendor’s license in Phoenix, Arizona. According to a blog post (December 26, 2009) and the San Francisco Chronicle (December 30, 1883) Soapy arrived in San Francisco on December 30, 1883.
  
  

Jeff Smith, Texas
San Francisco Chronicle
December 30, 1883

(Click image to enlarge)

Note that "Jeff" is listed from "Texas." It was common for Soapy and other bunko men to list places they had not been in a while, if ever. This kept him from being sent back to towns where he was wanted for swindling victims. Soapy also did not list his birth place, to keep family ignorant of his crimes. The following day he wrote “Dec 31st 1883" on this notebook page.

     One day later, New Year’s Day, January 1, 1884, Soapy is arrested in San Francisco for operating the “soap racket.” The Daily Evening Bulletin (San Francisco), January 3, 1884 describes the events.

Jeff Smith’s “Soap Racket.”

     A sharp young man, Jeff Smith by name, who has been working the “soap racket,” as it is called, to large crowds on the street corners in the business part of the city for several weeks, was obligated to suspend operations at the corner of California and Front streets this morning at the request of Detectives Ross, Whittaker and Colby. They compelled him to fold up his camp-stool, strap his valise and go with them to the city prison, where he was charged on the register with conducting a lottery game. He appeared a trifle disturbed at the interruption, for it is not probable that he will gull simple countrymen for some time to come. For some time past complaints have come to the police regarding certain swindling soap vendors, whose plan of operations have been … about the same as Moses’ plaint to the Vicar of Wakefield after his return from the fair. Smith it seems has been in the habit of setting up his stock by opening his valise containing small packages of soap wherever he thought he could attract a crowd. His soap sold for fifty cents a package or three for one dollar, but the attraction was that he rolled greenbacks, one dollar and five dollars, in the packages before the eyes of the crowd, but by skillful manipulation the purchasers never obtained a lucky package. About a month ago another vendor was arrested, but allowed to go on his promising to leave the city. Smith was arrested at the ocean beach on New Year’s day, but as he also promised to leave, was allowed to go. 

The following day, January 4, 1884, the San Francisco Chronicle published their own version of Soapy's operations and arrest.

San Francisco Chronicle
January 4, 1884

(Click image to enlarge)

A Soap-Vending Swindle.

Jeff Smith was arrested yesterday by Detectives Ross, Colby and Whittaker and charged with conducting a lottery game. Smith is a vendor of soap and has been making himself conspicuous of late by offering that article for sale on street corners at 50 cents a package or three packages for $1. But the great attraction was that he rolled one and five-dollar greenbacks in certain of the packages, before the eyes of all present, but by some skillful manipulation the lucky packages never fell to any of the purchasers. He was arrested on the beach, New Year's Day, but allowed to go upon promising to leave the city. It is the intention of the police authorities to suppress this system of swindling, if possible, as many people have of late been victimized. 

Note that in 1883-84 Soapy was selling his prize package soap for 50 cents. Later, he would be charging $1 each. 

     On the same day, the San Francisco Examiner also published what they knew of Soapy's operations and arrest.

     

Smith's Antiquated Swindle.
San Francisco Examiner
January 4, 1884

(Click image to enlarge)

Smith's Antiquated Swindle.

Jeff Smith, the greenback soap seller, was arrested yesterday morning by Detective Whittaker and officer Colby for conducting a lottery game at the junction of California and Market streets. The detective was forced to obtain the assistance of the other officer for the reason that "spotters" were on the outskirts of the crowd to warn the cheat of the approach of the police. Smith's soap, which is about the size of a postage stamp, is sold by him for 50 cents a package or three for $1, but the attraction is in the greenbacks rolled in the packages before the eyes of the crowd. Smith's dexterous manipulation of the packages resulted always in the purchaser receiving nothing but the soap, the "cappers" being the only successful players at the game. With this very antiquated swindle Smith gathered in the pocket-money of pleasure-seekers on the ocean beach New Year's Day. He was arrested then and allowed to go on a promise that he would leave San Francisco.

According to the newspapers, Soapy had been in San Francisco for several weeks, operating his "soap racket." This would match his signing the hotel register at the American Exchange hotel on October 31, 1883 (Daily Alta California and the San Francisco Chronicle)

San Francisco Chronical
October 31, 1883
Hotel Arrivals
"Jeff Smith"

(Click image to enlarge)

"Jeff Smith, do," "Do" being the abbreviation for "ditto," a duplicated term, in this case, of "Guernvl," short for Guerneville (California). As Guerneville is 75 miles north of San Francisco it is possible that he was there. 

PAGE 23 WILLCONTINUE ON PAGE 24

Visit the Soapy Smith Soap Box blog

 

Notebook pages
April 24, 2017
Part #1
Part #2
Part #3
Part #4
Part #5 
Part #6
Part #7
Part #8
Part #9 
Part #10
Part #11
Part #12
Part #13
Part #14 
Part #15
Part #16 

Part #17
Part #18

Part #19
Part #20
Part #21

Part #24 (not published yet)

"He made fortune after fortune and spent it all in riotous living and in good deeds, for it must be ever said of "Soapy" that no hungry man ever asked aid of him and was refused."

——San Francisco Examiner, February 25, 1898

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1884, Texas, California: Page #21

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 21 - Original copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

oapy Smith's early trips in Texas, Arizona, California, and the men he met.

Operating the prize package soap sell racket in 1884.

This is page 21, which appears to be a continuation of pages 19-20, which ends listing cities in Texas, and page 21 continues in Texas. If this is accurate then page 21 dates May-June 1884. 

     This is the continuation of deciphering Soapy Smith's "star" notebook from the Geri Murphy collection. A complete introduction to this notebook can be seen on page 1. These notebook pages have never been published before! They continue to be of revealing interest. The picture that the pages draw is of young 24 year-old Jefferson pursuing "soap sales" over a very wide spread of territory and in a very tenacious, even driven, way.

     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and sometimes pretty hard to decipher. A large part of this series of posts is to transcribe the pages, one-at-a-time, and receive help from readers on identifying words I am having trouble with, as well as correcting any of my deciphered words. My long time friend, and publisher, Art Petersen, has been a great help in deciphering and adding additional information.
     I will include the original copy, an enhanced copy, and a negative copy of each page. Also included will be a copy with typed out text, as tools to aid in deciphering the notes.

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 21 - Enhanced copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

     There are a total of 24 pages. This means that there may be upwards of 24 individuals posts for this one notebook. Links to the past and future pages (pages 1, 2, 3, etc.) will be added at the bottom of each post for ease of research. When completed there will be a sourced partial record of Soapy's activities and whereabouts for 1882-1884.

     Important to note that the pages of the notebook do not appear to be in chronological order, with Soapy making additional notes on a town and topic several pages later.

     Although the communication of twenty-four-year-old Jefferson Randolph Smith II is with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today).

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 21 - Negative copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

I am questioning, of course, what the list means. There's few clues that Soapy went to these locations, thus it’s hard to make definitive decisions regarding which towns Soapy actually went to, or not. I cannot find any real reason why Soapy went to some of these, some not having much of a population, money resources or a railroad.

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 21 - Deciphered copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

• Line 1: "Marshall Longview" refers to the Longview–Marshall Combined Statistical Area today, covering four counties in Northeast Texas (see map #1). Longview, one of the largest cities in the early state of Texas, was a train town, which helped it become a regional trading center and a major stop for the Texas and Pacific Railroad. 
• Line 2: Palestine, Texas was a railroad town, as was Tyler, Texas (see map #1).
• Line 3: Ft. Worth and Denison, Texas: Ft Worth, a railroad-cow town, was where Soapy is first known to have started with a gang of swindlers. Denison, a railroad town (see map #1).
• Line 4: Sherman and Pilot Point, Texas: 1880 the first train rolled through Pilot Point over the newly constructed line of the Texas and Pacific Railroad (see map #1).
• Line 5: Denton and Wichita Springs Falls, Texas: Denton has a railroad. Wichita Springs Falls has the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad (see map #1).
• Line 6: Henrietta, Texas, has the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad. Abilene, Texas Established by cattlemen as a stock shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railroad (see map #1).
• Line 7: Colorado City, Texas: Had a train station (see map #1).

Railroad map #1
Texas
1891

(Click image to enlarge)

• Line 8: Although there is a town in Texas named "El Paso," I believe that the "El Paso" in Soapy's notes is the one in New Mexico, as "Lordsburg," being listed, is in New Mexico, both boomed as a commercial centers, being along the route of the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Texas and Pacific, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroads as early as 1881. 

Railroad map #2
Arizona and New Mexico
1884

(Click image to enlarge)

• Line 9: Dealing with towns in Arizona, “Poenix” is most likely “Phoenix.” There is no railroad to Phoenix at this time. Map #2 from 1884 shows the Southern Pacific Railroad on the path towards Phoenix, but likely stopping in the town of Maricopa, where a stagecoach could be taken the remaining distance to Phoenix. The same lack of rails is also the case for one location in Arizona, as well as one in California. In Arizona, Santan is in Pinal County. At that time, there was no town of any kind. The settlement was named "Santa Ana" by its Akimel O'odham inhabitants in 1857, and pronounced "Santaana." Line 10: has “Cal.” [California], so could “Santaana” be “Santa Ana, California?” "Cal.," appearing in the next line under "Santaana" makes the California location of Santa Ana likely. One can reach there from the east by the Southern Pacific Railroad, and from there by rail to Wilmington, which also appears on line #10.
• Line 10: has “Cal.” [California], so could Line 9 actually read “Santana” as in “Santa Ana?” Also lists Wilmington [California], a neighborhood in the South Bay and Harbor region of Los Angeles, California. The Southern Pacific Railroad goes from Wilmington north to Los Angeles (see map #3).
• Line 11: Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, California. A branch line of the Southern Pacific Railroad runs to Santa Barbara. From there, no tracks yet connected (per an 1889 Railroad map) with the California Southern Railroad line up to San Luis Obispo (see map #3).

Railroad map #3
California
1889

(Click image to enlarge)

     Such features, as seen in this page of the notebook, suggest a hypothesis, that Soapy was laying out a prospective itinerary. Some places like Fort Worth he knew—as he had visited there in the late 1870s, and presumably because he lists debts there. Many other places, though, are small and somewhat out of the way, like Denison, Sherman, and Pilot Point. But they are along rail lines and might have been considered places to stop over and perhaps operate some soap sales. He previously made such stops in little towns as well as big ones in Washington, Oregon, California and elsewhere. Additionally, possibly he had heard of these locations from others in the swindle 'profesh,' as places, that they could be worth his while.

     Looking at some maps, I tried laying out the theory to see if there were some coherence. The cities and towns named in the notebook are highlighted on the maps, with drawn arrows from one place to another according to the order in which they appear in the notebook. What's revealed is a continuous progression west until California. There the progression leads steadily north to San Francisco.

     The zig zag westerly direction in Texas (see map #1) corresponds to existing train lines. One can imagine Soapy making his list in the notebook while sitting at a table with a map spread upon on it, tracing with a finger from town to town.

     The theory has some flaws. The progression of places as listed in the notebook don't always fit with connections along the railroad lines (the lines I draw do not try to follow the railroad tracks), and then there are the missing railroads to Phoenix and from Santa Barbara to the San Luis Obispo line. On the other hand, the places without rails are on the list for some reason, perhaps because of what he has heard or was told, that, for example, there's a passable road. He was likely prepared to take stage coaches or other means of transport to those places.

     Soapy also could be considered an explorer for new sales territory. This fits with the hypothesis. The extent and distances he travelled to reach out-of-the-way Nevada City in California is an example. Another was from Seattle up Cook Inlet to Sunrise in 1896, a journey of some 1500 miles.

• Line 12: Santa Clara and Redwood City, California.
• Line 13: San Francisco. Soapy had travelled to San Francisco several times between 1881-1882. He was there on February 22, 1884.
• Line 14: “tinware for" [California] so was Soapy still doing the Cheap John scam? This would have required quite a bit of luggage?
• Line 15: "California."
• Line 16: “List of debt in"
• Line 17: "Fort Worth.”
• Line 18: "C. Dixon" Could this be "Sid Dixon," later associated with the soap gang? The first mention of "C. B. Dixon" is shown in the Fort Worth Daily Gazette, dated February 3, 1883. Dixon contributed funds to a charity. It is not known if this is the same "Dixon" Soapy knew, as information is lacking, including the first name, the last name, and alias'. For an unknown reason Soapy owed Dixon $25.   

Fort Worth Daily Gazette
February 3, 1883

     Also noted in same newspaper above are the names Jake Johnson, his wife, and John Morris. The latter is believed to be John H. "Fatty Gray" Morris of the Denver soap gang. It is known that Soapy met and worked with Morris in Ft. Worth. However, there is another "John Morris" in Fort Worth, so I can verify that this is "Fatty Gray." 

• Line 19: Jake Johnson, of whom Soapy owed $140 to, is mentioned ten times in Fort Worth newspaper between 1883-1887. There is a confidence man named Johnson who worked with Soapy in Denver (page 178 and 180 Alias Soapy Smith), but the name may be an alias. In 1883 Jake was appointed on the board of directors of the Fort Worth Driving Park Association, a nice title for a horse race track. In 1885 Jake becomes the manager of the race establishment. Within a year, Jake won four raffles (January 3, 1883, January 30, 1883, December 23, 1883, and January 15, 1884). Were these rigged or was Mr. Johnson just lucky? In late January 1884 Johnson gave Jim Courtright a gold watch. Timothy Isaiah Courtright (c. 1845 – February 8, 1887), also known as "Longhair Jim" and "Big Jim" Courtright, was a deputy sheriff in Fort Worth, Texas from 1876 to 1879. In 1887, he was killed in a shootout with gambler and gunfighter Luke Short. Before his death, "people feared Courtright's reputation as a gunman, and he reduced Ft. Worth's murder rate by more than half, while reportedly extracting protection money from town business owners.”

     In late December 1884 Jake Johnson becomes a senior partner with famous gambler Luke Short and Alex Reddick in proprietorship of The White Elephant, saloon and billiard hall in Fort Worth.

The White Elephant
Fort Worth Daily Gazette
December 21, 1884

     On February 8, 1887 gambler Luke Short shot and killed Jim Courtright. Courtright felt he was being disrespected at the White Elephant by Luke Short, so partner Jake Johnson, a friend to both men, called the two men together to try and iron out their differences, just outside of the White Elephant. Short and Courtright began to argue, and Courtright drew his gun. The initial account was that Short was faster on the draw, killing Courtright, but in examining Courtright's revolver, a policeman testified that the pistol jammed. Jake Johnson was the only eyewitness to the shootout. It is not known what became of Jake Johnson as he is not found in the newspapers of Fort Worth again. Could he have gone to Denver and joined up with Soapy? 

     I am left to wonder why Soapy owed Jake $140. Soapy was attracted to "the races," and we know Jake managed a race track and horses. Soapy was a gambler who bucked the tiger and played the ponies. He could win big and lose big, and so far as is known, he wasn't one to welch on a gambling debt. The $140 ($4,975.60 today) he marked as owed is evidence of that.

• Line 20: Soapy owed $10 to Gus Jones, but Soapy scratched out the note. Did he pay Gus? Did he know Gus? Gus is mentioned on page 20 of this notebook as well.
• Line 21: monetary amount, scratched out $175.00. Scratched out because he scratched out the $10 he owed to Gus Jones.
• Line 22: monetary amount of $165.00 owed in debts.

Visit the Soapy Smith Soap Box blog

 

Notebook pages
April 24, 2017
Part #1
Part #2
Part #3
Part #4
Part #5 
Part #6
Part #7
Part #8
Part #9 
Part #10
Part #11
Part #12
Part #13
Part #14 
Part #15
Part #16 

Part #17
Part #18

Part #19
Part #20
Part #22 (not published yet)

Part #23 (not published yet)
Part #24 (not published yet)

"He never missed an opportunity to separate the gullible from ready cash. Neither did he ever miss an opportunity to preach and practice the gospel of kindliness and compassion."

——The Reign of Soapy Smith, 1935

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1884, Denver: Page #20

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 20 - Original copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

oapy Smith's early empire growth in Denver.

Operating the prize package soap sell racket in 1884.

This is page 20, the continuation of page 19, and dated May 6 - May 29, 1884, as well as the continuation of pages 18-19, the beginning of Soapy Smith's criminal empire building in Denver, Colorado. 

     It is the continuation of deciphering Soapy Smith's "star" notebook from the Geri Murphy's collection. A complete introduction to this notebook can be seen on page 1.

These notebook pages have never been published before! They continue to be of revealing interest. The picture that the pages draw is of young 22 year-old Jefferson pursuing "soap sales" over a very wide spread of territory and in a very tenacious, even driven, way.
     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and sometimes pretty hard to decipher. A large part of this series of posts is to transcribe the pages, one-at-a-time, and receive help from readers on identifying words I am having trouble with, as well as correcting any of my deciphered words. My long time friend, and publisher, Art Petersen, has been a great help in deciphering and adding additional information.
     I will include the original copy, an enhanced copy, and a negative copy of each page. Also included will be a copy with typed out text, as tools to aid in deciphering the notes.
     There are a total of 24 pages. This means that there may be upwards of 24 individuals posts for this one notebook. Links to the past and future pages (pages 1, 2, 3, etc.) will be added at the bottom of each post for ease of research. When completed there will be a sourced partial record of Soapy's activities and whereabouts for 1882-1884.

     Important to note that the pages of the notebook do not appear to be in chronological order, with Soapy making additional notes on a town and topic several pages later.

     Pages 18-20 are very important as they are descriptions of Soapy's early beginnings of his criminal empire in Denver. From my research I know that Charles L. "Doc" Baggs and "Big Ed" Chase are the two main bunko bosses in Denver, and Soapy is not yet fully entrenched in the Denver underworld at this time.

     Although the communication of twenty-one-year-old Soapy Smith is with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today).

     The bulk of page 20 is a list of sales (soap) in Denver, along with a few plans for future work trips.      

     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 20 - Enhanced copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 20 - Negative copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 20 - Deciphered copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Page 20

• Line 1: "May 6th two sales $71.00" [1884]

• Line 2: "May 7th two sales $75.00" 

• Line 3: "May 8th 000 00.00"

• Line 4: " ' ' [May] 9 000" [scratched out]

• Line 5: "May 10 two sales [$]43.00"

• Line 6: "May 11 Sunday 0000"

• Line 7: "May 12 two sales [$]2800"

• Line 8: " ' ' [May] 13 00 0000"

• Line 9: "May 14 one sale [$]2600"

• Line 10: "May 15 one sale [$]2000"

• Line 11: "May 16th 000 0000"

• Line 12: "May 18 two sales $7600"

• Line 13: "May 19 one sale [$]7400"

• Line 14: "Race Trinidad [Colorado] June 2d [2nd]"

• Line 15: "C. Gus Jones."

• Line 16: "Ft. Worth"

• Line 17: "Tex" [Texas]

• Line 18: "C. Gus Jones"

• Line 19: "Racs [races] 27. 28 and 29 May"

• Line 20: "at Cheyenne" [Wyoming]

     One hundred and forty-one years ago, Soapy Smith was enjoying considerable "sales" success on Denver street corners with the prize package soap sell racket. On Tuesday May 6, for two sales, he made $71, the equivalent of making $2,523.54 in 2025 dollars. On Monday, May 19, in just one sale he obtained $74 (equivalent to $2,630.17). Over the 14 days he operated, May 6 – 19, he worked 8 days and took in $413 (equivalent to $14,679.20), about $51.63 ($1,835.08) per work day, which was an enormous amount in 1884. Even better is taking into consideration that each sale probably didn't last longer than 30 minutes, thus in the 8 days he performed a total of 13 sales for a total of 6.5 hours, meaning that Soapy was making about $63.54 per hour! That's good money today, but that $63.54 is equivalent of $2,258.39 per hour in 2025 dollars! Guess he could afford to take the 5 days off that he did (lines 3, 4, 6, 8 and 11). 

     Note that his days off are not really consecutive (May 8, 9, 11, 13 and 16). Perhaps he also took days off because he felt he should, or had to. Several possible reasons come to mind, such as to allow sore losers time to move on, to allow the market to refresh with new customers, and to reduce exposure that could attract the constabulary, or even a policeman's threat of arrest, or the complaint by one of his victims.

     One must wonder who Jones from lines 15 and 18 might be. A supplier of goods in Fort Worth? A friend? A Ft Worth confidence man Soapy knows, or perhaps a victim seeking the return of his losses? I looked for a "C. Gus Jones" in Texas during this period and found one Gus Jones, a Black machinist and family man.

Union Pacific Railroad map
1883
Courtesy of Library of Congress

Click image to enlarge

     The final comments are in regards to the races in Cheyenne, Wyoming on May 27-29, 1884. A Cheyenne newspaper tells of races in May but of their not being well attended because of the weather. The same paper reported ongoing lightning, heavy rain, and flooding. Going to Cheyenne from Denver was about a one-day journey on the Union Pacific Railroad. The 1883 Union Pacific map above shows an established route that ran about 110 miles north to Cheyenne, less than half the distance to Trinidad. The distance makes Cheyenne as likely a place to take in races as Trinidad. If Soapy went to Cheyenne for those three days of races as he apparently considered doing, he was likely disappointed by the weather.

The Democratic Leader
Cheyenne, Wyoming
May 29, 1884

Click image to enlarge

The Democratic Leader
Cheyenne, Wyoming
May 29, 1884

Click image to enlarge

Visit the Soapy Smith Soap Box blog

 

Notebook pages
April 24, 2017
Part #1
Part #2
Part #3
Part #4
Part #5 
Part #6
Part #7
Part #8
Part #9 
Part #10
Part #11
Part #12
Part #13
Part #14 
Part #15
Part #16 

Part #17
Part #18

Part #19
Part #21 
Part #22 (not published yet)

Part #23 (not published yet)
Part #24 (not published yet)

"Neither gunman nor ruffian, but always a lawless marauder, he was the Robin Hood of the frontier. Continually at odds with the law, which pursued him in endless exasperation, he was, frequently, the law’s best friend."

—The Reign of Soapy Smith, 1935