February 11, 2025

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1883: Part #16 - page 16

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 16 - Original copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)




oapy Smith in Nebraska, Iowa, Denver.

This is page 16, dated July-October 1883, 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 1882-1883.
     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.
     So how did Soapy find all these fairs, races, GAR events, etc? We know he purchased “fair lists” mentioned in one letter, so does he look at the list and write them down in his notebook? Surely some of the dates, etc., have mistakes which would explain why the Denver GAR event had a different published date than listed on page 16.      
     It seems Soapy is not entrenched in Denver yet, still operating as a nomad moving from town to town. 
     This page represents a list of possible future work trips as the dates are not in consecutive order and intertwine with one another. He appears to be just taking notes, but is page 16 a continuation of page 15? On p. 15 at the bottom we see the dates of August 21 – 27. At the top of page 16 we see the month of September. After that the dates go back to July and then jump to October, and back to July. At this time it is not known if he went to any of these towns, except for Denver.
     Page #16 covers his possible journey into Denver, Colorado and further east to Nebraska and Iowa. 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). 
     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.


Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 16 - Enhanced copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy


(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 16 - Negative copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy


(Click image to enlarge)




Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 16 - Deciphered copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy


(Click image to enlarge)

Page 16 - Top
  • Line 1: "Grand Reunion"
  • Line 2: "at Hastings Neb" [Nebraska]
  • Line 3: "in September 1883."
  • Line 4: "Races at Lincoln" [Nebraska]
  • Line 5: "Neb [Nebraska] 3 & 4 July"
  • Line 6: "Pawnee Co [County] Fair" [Nebraska]
  • Line 7: "Neb. [Nebraska] Oct 2. 3. 4 & 5-"
  • Line 8: "Clinton Ia [Iowa] July 4th"
  • Line 9: "Lu Verne [Iowa] M_____" [?]
  • Line 10: "July 4.th"
  • Line 11: "Denver July 21st"
  • Line 12: "Grand Army Republic"
Page 16 - Bottom
  • Line 13: "Fairs that can"
  • Line 14: "be worked"
  • Line 15: "I. E. Laighman"
  • Line 16: "prop" [proprietor]
  • Line 17: "Hamburg" [Iowa]
  • Line 18: "Red Oak" [Iowa]
  • Line 19: "Sioux City" [Iowa]
  • Line 20: "Shenandoah" [Iowa]
  • Line 21: "Races at"
  • Line 22: "Mason City" [Iowa]
  • Line 23: "July 3, 4, 5, & 6"
  • Line 24: "Good"

In looking at the deciphered text above we see that Soapy was planning to operate his swindles at the Grand Army Republic "Grand Reunion" in Nebraska in September 1883. The Hastings Weekly Nebraskan newspaper reveals that the affair was large enough to warrant Soapy attending. 


Hastings Weekly Nebraskan
The Grand Army Republic Reunion
September 6, 1883

The grand parade by states yesterday was grand indeed. We could make no proper estimate of the numbers in rank, but to the naked eye it looked as though the whole Grand Army of the Republic was there assembled. Sheridan avenue from headquarters to the grand pavilion was filled so full of moving squadrons that civilians found it necessary to look for standing room in the alleys, cross avenues and nearest tents. The old vets were supremely happy. 
The Hastings Weekly Nebraskan, September 20, 1883 states that there were over 30,000 civilian attendees and 8,000 veterans, so the event was plenty big for Soapy's liking. There were plenty of dupes to swindle, so it is unlikely that Soapy included vets in his game. Besides, Soapy was very patriotic and sought a military commission later in life so he probably left the old soldiers alone.
     The only mention of crime comes from the Hastings Weekly Gazette-Journal, September 13, 1883 

Bold Thieves
The Grand Army Republic Reunion
September 13, 1883


"If any 'gouging' was done it was by traveling mountebanks"
The "mountebank" is three-card monte, and besides the house burglars ("Bold Thieves"), it is the only crime mentioned at the event that Soapy may have enacted.
     Lines 1-3 are regarding the "Grand Reunion" (Grand Army of the Republic) "at Hastings Neb" [Nebraska] "in September 1883." A Reunion is different from an Encampment as for this event there's only one a year. Reunions seemed to have been localized as opposed to national. Both, though, seemed to have been big events, just the sort to attract Soapy's attention. 
     Lines 4 & 5 is an additional note added, dating two months before the Grand Army Republic Reunion, are horse "races" in Lincoln, Nebraska, July 3 & 4. 
     Lines 6 & 7 show that less than a month after the Reunion, the Pawnee County Fair, Nebraska, takes place October 2-5, 1883. It is not know if Soapy attended.
     Line 8 only mentions "Clinton, Iowa" for July 4. 
     Line 9 & 10 reads "Lu Verne M_____ July 4th." Lu Verne, a very small town in Iowa, laid out in 1880. The third word remains unclear. It seems to be something in Lu Verne on July 4th, but what besides the usual Independence Day events escapes me?
     Lines 11 & 12 deal with the seventeenth Grand Army Republic Reunion held near Denver, but it was held in June 1883, not July 21. Smaller encampments occurred here and there, some recorded and probably some not.
     Lines 13 - 20 deal with "fairs that can be worked." Soapy may have attended, or was planning to, in the Iowa towns of Hamburg, Red Oak, Sioux City and Shenandoah.
     Lines 15-16: It appears that Soapy plans to introduce himself to the “proprietor” I. E. Laighman of the fair(s) in the listed Iowa towns (Hamburg, Red Oak, Sioux City
and Shenandoah), no doubt paying a generous fee for the privilege of opening his game.
     I looked in Newspapers.com for a Laighman in Iowa and then throughout the U.S. in 1883, and turned up nothing. However the name might be spelled, the person (a proprietor of something) probably seemed to Soapy someone to be consulted or to work with, perhaps even a bunko-man Soapy knows in Iowa who could work as a shill? "Prop." usually means proprietor, but could he mean as a "prop" for his prize package soap sell? I also looked in Ancestry.com. for a Laighman. A couple showed, but all women, and no "I. E."
     Lines 21-24 are in regards to horse "races" at Mason City, Iowa, running July 3-6, 1883. Line 24 is a last notation from Soapy, reminding himself that the races and perhaps the fairs, are "good."   






 









Part #18 (not published yet)
Part #19 (not published yet)
Part #20 (not published yet)
Part #21 (not published yet)
Part #22 (not published yet)
Part #23 (not published yet)
Part #24 (not published yet)








"Cards are war, in disguise of a sport."
—Charles Lamb










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January 29, 2025

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1883: Part #15 - page 15



Soapy STAR notebook
Page 15 - Original copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)





OAPY SMITH IN DENVER, WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA.

This is page 15, dated July-September 1883, 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 often times 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 1882-1883.
     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.
     Page 15 appears to be two separate sections, one on the top and the other on the bottom, the bottom portion being upside down. they appear to be separate notes written on different days. the top being prize package soap sales in Denver, Colorado, showing two days of five sales in July (14th and 16th) for a profit of $153.00., the equivalent of $5,237.16 in 2025. It seems Soapy is not entrenched in Denver yet, still operating as a nomad moving from town to town. 
     The bottom section, lines 9 – 20, were written upside down, indicating that the top and bottom sections were not written at the same time, possibly not on the same day. This bottom section represents a list of possible future work trips as the dates are not in consecutive order and intertwine with one another. He appears to be just taking notes. At this time it is not known if he went to any of these towns, except for Denver in the top section.
     Previous pages covered Soapy's operations in the far west, Oregon, Washington Territory, and California in 1882. Page #15 covers his possible journey further east in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Although the writing records the communication of twenty-one-year-old Soapy Smith with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today). 
     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.


Soapy STAR notebook
Page 15 - Enhanced copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy STAR notebook
Page 15 - Negative copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)




Soapy STAR notebook
Page 15 - Deciphered copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)



Page 15 - Top
  • Line 1: "Sales in Denver"
  • Line 2: "July 14" [1883]
  • Line 3: "1 sale $53⁰⁰"
  • Line 4: "2 '[sale] '21⁰⁰"
  • Line 5: "Monday July 16" [1883]
  • Line 6: "1st sale $38⁰⁰"
  • Line 7: "2 '[sale] 20⁰⁰"
  • Line 8: "3 '[sale] 21⁰⁰"
Page 15 - Bottom
  • Line 9: "State Fair Wis" [Wisconsin]"
  • Line 10: "at Madison from"
  • Line 11: "Sept. 10. to 15.-"
  • Line 12: "Chippewa Co Fair"
  • Line 13: "Sept. 11 to 14."
  • Line 14: "Rochester Minn" [Minnesota]
  • Line 15: "Fair Sept. 10 to 15-"
  • Line 16: "Preston Minnesota"
  • Line 17: "fair Sep 25. to 27."
  • Line 18: "Encampment at"
  • Line 19: "Ras?ons, Ros?ons, Pas?ons, Pos?ons, Passons or Rassons?"
  • Line 20: "to Aug 27, 1883."

In looking at the "deciphered copy" above you can see that there is only one issue in deciphering it. Line 19 appears to be the name of a town or county, but from which state or territory? It seems logical that it would be Minnesota as lines 14 through 17 deal with that state, but there is no town or county that looks similar. It looks sort of like "Ras?ons, Ros?ons, Pas?ons, Pos?ons, Passons or Rassons?" It does kind of look like "Roseau" [County] but the population in 1885 was only four settlers. The description of "Encampment at" [line 18] gives a clue. It could be a GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) "Encampment" or conclave, held every year. The one for 1883, the seventeenth, was held near Denver, but it was in June, not August. Smaller encampments occurred here and there, some recorded and probably some not. I could not find one event in 1883 that fit Soapy's dates of "Aug 21 to Aug 27, 1883." This was probably not a big public attended event for Soapy's games of no-chance so it's only a guess on whether he chose to attend and work it. It appears that the location will remain unknown--for now. Maybe you can help?



 









Part #17 (not published yet)
Part #18 (not published yet)
Part #19 (not published yet)
Part #20 (not published yet)
Part #21 (not published yet)
Part #22 (not published yet)
Part #23 (not published yet)
Part #24 (not published yet)








"Poker: the art of civilized bushwhacking."
—Nick Dandalos












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January 12, 2025

"Soapy" Smith arrested in Leadville, Colorado, May 1886

A Busted Honeymoon
Soapy Smith is arrested in Leadville, Colorado
Carbonate Chronicle
May 17, 1886
Courtesy of Colorado Historic Newspapers

(Click image to enlarge)




ew information regarding Soapy Smith in Leadville, Colorado. 

A friend, Don Hendershot, found the above newspaper article. Following is the text of that article.


Carbonate Chronicle
Leadville, Colorado
May 17, 1886
A Busted Honeymoon.
"Soapy" Smith is at loggerheads with valley peelers, and in default of $1,000 bonds was sent to the locky. “Soapy” is the most notorious of the many street fakers who “shouted their bazoo” on the corners in Leadville, and his stand was a veritable bonanza to him. Each day found a new crop of idiots and dupes gathered about his lay-out, and while it found immunity in the peddlers’ license that the ordinance provided, it was the worst and most cold-blooded brace ever presented to an unsuspecting tenderfoot. There are few who are not familiar with the miniature cake of soap that was wrapped in a blue piece of paper and then cast in an open grip sack with scores of blanks to tempt the sucker. By a peculiar legerdermain [sic] “Soapy” fooled the knowing ones, and his profits in a day, at a dollar a grab or a half dozen for five dollars, should have made him independent in his youth. One unfortunate circumstance about “Soapy’s” incarceration at this time is that a short time ago he came to this city, and claiming a hand that had long been reaching for him, packed it away to Denver. The honeymoon is busted higher than a kite by the grand Jury, and the Leadville bride is a widow pro tem.
This is an important find for five reasons.
  1. It is provenance that Soapy operated the prize package soap sell racket in Leadville, which previously had only been mentioned in a newspaper article (1888) that stated Soapy was a regular visitor to Leadville.
         According to Soapy's cousin, Edwin Smith, Soapy settled for a time in Leadville. Older biographies describe how he started his career there, but no documentary evidence puts him there for any length of time. The perception of Jeff’s having lived and worked in Leadville probably stems from a 1920 interview that Edwin gave to The Trail magazine. The following paragraph from that interview addresses Jeff’s shift from hawker of “cheap John” goods to sleight-of-hand games. Edwin writes,
    The change came after he left Round Rock, and Leadville was the lure that carried him away. The license on itinerate merchants killed his business, and the whole country was vibrant with news of the wonderful strikes in Colorado’s great Carbonate camp. So, with a thousand dollars in his pocket, Jeff “hit the road” for the enticing Colorado mountains when about 17 years old. He tried hard to persuade his cousin to accompany him on this venture, volunteering to pay his way, but to no avail. The Trail, 01/1920.
         It is known that Soapy was in Leadville on July 21, 1880 when he and a partner had their photographs taken, but there is very little information currently known of that visit.
         just fifteen days short of two years later (05/02/1888), the Leadville Herald Democrat mentioned Soapy.
    One of the slickest and best known rascals in the whole western country is reported … on his way to Leadville…. The gentleman … —Soapy Smith—is known to many people in Leadville, as he has been here frequently, and always with … a small valise filled with small cakes of soap in little boxes, and a very pretty Mrs. Smith, who travels with him.
    The “very pretty Mrs. Smith” is Soapy's wife Mary. He was married on February 1, 1886, and she is known to have traveled with her husband for a time.
         According to the Los Angeles Daily Herald, January 12, 1896, Soapy was reported swindling people in Leadville in December 1888.
  2. The article mentions the purchase of a [city] peddlers’ license which most of the time protected Soapy from arrest and/or prosecution.

    Sapolio Soap
    With blue label
    Jeff Smith collection

  3. The description of wrapping the soap cakes "in a blue piece of paper," is believed to be the blue advertising band around the Sapolio brand soap, in which he only needed to "insert" the currency prizes under the band, instead of unwrapping the soap packages and rewrapping them, as described in older biographies. Note that I placed quote marks around "insert." I did this because Soapy never actually inserted a cash prize into the soap wrapper. 
  4. It has always been assumed that Soapy operated swindles in Leadville, and this is the earliest provenance I have found of him actually doing so. 
  5. This is the only mention of an arrest in Leadville.




 









Leadville, Colorado
Apr 30, 2010
Apr 04, 2011
Feb 14, 2012
Jun 03, 2013
Apr 23, 2017
Apr 13, 2020
Jul 21, 2021
Apr 14, 2023
Sep 14, 2023










Leadville, Colorado: pages 10, 36-37, 75, 77-78, 116, 123, 134-35, 144, 152, 176, 189, 192, 219, 225, 292, 297, 347, 349, 420, 509, 594.






"The better the gambler, the worse the man."
—Publius Syrus




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November 26, 2024

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1882: Part #14 - page 14

Soapy STAR notebook
Page 14 - Original copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)



OAPY SMITH IN CALIFORNIA
♫ California's the place you outta to be
So he loaded up his grip and moved to Grass Valley ♪

This is page 14, dated 1882, 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. Page 14 is a continuation from page 11, 12 and 13, concluding on page 14, which is what we are visiting today.
     Note that these notebook pages have never been published before! The pages continue to be not only of revealing interest but also of rewarding surprise! It initially seemed that pages 11 through 13 were composed in San Francisco. But as this next page directly continues from page 13, and if this page is the last of the list of places, then probably the list was composed later than in San Francisco. I guess it hardly matters, though, because what's of most interest is where and when the visits occurred. 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. From the end of July until the first week of November, Jeff was on a perpetual motion swindle campaign.
     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and often times 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 of each page, an enhanced copy of each page, a copy in negative, and 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 1882-1883.
     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.
     Rather than plans to go somewhere, this page is an accounting of where Soapy has already gone. Page 13 covered his travels through Oregon, Washington Territory, and California in 1882. This page (#14) covers his journey and work in California. Previous pages contained to do lists, work notes, an itinerary. This page engages in journaling—the recording of past events, perhaps for the purpose of revisiting them, or memorializing them for oneself, like a diary entry. The interesting thing is that, although the writing records the communication of twenty-one-year-old Soapy Smith with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today). 
     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.

Soapy STAR notebook
Page 14 - enhanced copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy STAR notebook
Page 14 - negative copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Below is what I believe to be the correct deciphering of the text, dated 1882. Do you agree, or do you see something else? All comments, suggestions and ideas are welcome! I will update the new information to this post.

Soapy STAR notebook
Page 14 - deciphered copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Page 14
  • Line 1: "19, 20, 21st at"
  • Line 2: "Santa Cruz [California] + [and]"
  • Line 3: "Watsonville [California] 23 + [and] 24"
  • Line 4: "at Hollister [California] 25th"
  • Line 5: "Gilroy [California] 26 to 30th in + [and] 24"
  • Line 6: "Frisco [San Francisco] and Vallejo [California]"
  • Line 7: "Back to Gilroy [California] to"
  • Line 8: "Roses [short for Roseville] on 31st"
What looks like "Roses" I am certain is short for "Roseville." It was a major railroad junction (just called "Junction" early on) for the Central Pacific Railroad. It is said to have been named for the roses that grew in abundance in the area. I determined the cite had to be Roseville by consulting an 1882 railroad map from the Library of Congress. I followed possible routes from Gilroy to Grass Valley and Nevada City, and Roseville is the closest possible name to what Jeff jotted in the notebook. Here is how it's shown on the map, "Rose V."

"Rose V"
1882 railroad map
Courtesy Library of Congress


The earliest naming of Roseville in print was in the 1860s, but how was it referred to by those who lived there or passed through? Maybe as "Roses." It must have been a good locale because Soapy spent 2½ or 3 days there. Coincidentally, this finding was quite a surprise to Art Petersen who has aided me in deciphering Soapy's handwriting, as he lived in Roseville for 8 years, some of them near the noisy railroad yards.
  • Line 9: "till [until] 2nd from there"
  • Line 10: "to Grass Valley [California]"
  • Line 11: "+ [and] Nevada [short for Nevada City]"
This is "Nevada" for "Nevada City," incorporated in 1851. "City" was added in 1864 to distinguish it from the newly-admitted adjoining state to the east. Grass Valley and Nevada City, both 1849 gold rush towns, had rich mines in proximity, some producing ore until 1900. Back then, trains ran to them when the locations had economic vitality.
  • Line 12: "Colfax [and] Red Bluff [California]"
  • Line 13: "Chico [and] Marysville [California]"
  • Line 14: "Sacramento [California], and"
  • Line 15: "From there to"
  • Line 16: "Oakland [California] Nov. 6th"
  • Line 17: "From Oakland [California]"
  • Line 18: "to Santa Rosa [California]"
  • Line 19: "86.86."
The numbers on line 19 suggests that money is being indicated. Could that be a tally of "soap sales" receipts from Santa Rosa? Or could it be a tally of the cost of train fare to all the California locations he visited on the Central Pacific Railroad?

Map of Soapy's California route
1882 Central Pacific railroad route


     Since I had crawled through the 1882 railroad map I was drawn to tracing the locations on a map, which is attached. Of course, the arrows are as the "crow flies." The actual routes, as the 1882 map shows, were curving (though some straight) and involved train changes at places like Colfax and Sacramento (and probably some others) and a ferry ride to Vallejo from San Francisco.



 









Part #17 (not published yet)
Part #18 (not published yet)
Part #19 (not published yet)
Part #20 (not published yet)
Part #21 (not published yet)
Part #22 (not published yet)
Part #23 (not published yet)
Part #24 (not published yet)









"Your best chance to get a Royal Flush
in a casino is in the bathroom."
—V.P. Pappy










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November 21, 2024

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1882: Part #13 - page 13

Soapy STAR notebook
Page 13 - Original copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)




OAPY SMITH'S STAR NOTEBOOK
Part #13 - Page 13

This is page 13, dated 1882, 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. Page 13 is a continuation from page 11 and 12, and concluding on page 14.
     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and often times 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 of each page, an enhanced copy of each page, a copy in negative, and 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 1882-1883.
     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.
     Rather than plans to go somewhere, this page is an accounting of where Soapy has already gone (Oregon, Washington Territory, California) in 1882. Previous pages contained to do lists, work notes, an itinerary. This page engages in journaling—the recording of past events, perhaps for the purpose of revisiting them, or memorializing them for oneself, like a diary entry. The interesting thing is that, although the writing records the communication of twenty-one-year-old Soapy Smith with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today). 
     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.

Soapy STAR notebook
Page 13 - enhanced copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy STAR notebook
Page 13 - negative copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Below is what I believe to be the correct deciphering of the text, dated 1882. Do you agree, or do you see something else? All comments, suggestions and ideas are welcome! I will update the new information to this post.

Soapy STAR notebook
Page 13 - deciphered copy
1882
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Page 13
  • Line 1: "McMinnville [Oregon] from"
  • Line 2: "there to Independence [Oregon]"
  • Line 3: "Corvallis [and] Albany [Oregon]"
  • Line 4: "Eugene to Halsey [Oregon]"
  • Line 5: "up to Sept 10th"
  • Line 6: "Harrisburg [Oregon] Sep 11th"
  • Line 7: "Junction City [Oregon] Sep 12th"
  • Line 8: "back to Halsey [Oregon], from"
  • Line 9: "there to Brownsville [Oregon]"
  • Line 10: "Brownsville to Salem [Oregon]"
  • Line 11: "Salem [Oregon] til [until] Sep 24th"
  • Line 12: "Good fair Salem [Oregon]"
  • Line 13: "to Portland Portland [Oregon]"
  • Line 14: "to Dayton W.T. [Washington Territory]"
  • Line 15: "Waitsburg, Walla [Washington Territory]"
  • Line 16: "Walla [Washington Territory] no good."
  • Line 17: "for me from"
  • Line 18: "Walla Walla to (1882)"
  • Line 19: "Spokane Oct 5th [1882]"
The scratched out figures that appear between lines 17-19 seems to be Soapy trying to remember how much he had made up to that point, which is not "Oct 5th of 82" but "by Sept 18th 1882" of line 20. It could be that he scratched out the numbers and that date because he decided that he had remembered incorrectly and gave up trying to compute how much he took in. The scratched out numbers, though, give a sense of how much he was taking in. The figures appear to be 

200.00
200.00
250.00
650.00

According to Tom's Inflation Calculator, $1 in 1882 equals $32.32 in 2024. So the total of $650 in 1882 would be equivalent to about $21,008 today.
  • Line 20: "by Sep 18th 1882."
  • Line 21: "Cheney [Washington Territory] Oct 6th"
  • Line 22: "7 [th] to Dalles [Oregon] [Oct] 8th"
  • Line 23: "to Portland, Or. [Oregon]"
  • Line 24: "From there 9th to"
  • Line 25: "Dalles, Oregon"
  • Line 26: "Back to Portland [Oregon]"
  • Line 27: "10th and sailed on"
  • Line 28: "15 Oct for"
  • Line 29: "San Francisco [California]"
  • Line 30: "arrived 18th per"
  • Line 31: "Steamship Queen"
  • Line 32: "of the Pacific"
     Soapy is moving from place to place, never spending very long anywhere, but returning to most of the more profitable towns in a hit-and run method, which was very common for most of the confidence men of the wild west. Now with page 13, it appears reasonable to conclude that the writings from page 11 on were filled out in San Francisco or beyond. He's remembering the trip.
     Soapy arrives in San Francisco on October 18th 1882. An old blog post of mine shows that "Jeff R. Smith" registered into the Brooklyn Hotel on October 29-30, 1882. Soapy went to San Francisco at least four times, staying in the same hotel. Soapy remained in town at the Brooklyn, where on November 2 "Jeff R. Smith, Ft Worth" signed the hotel register and again on November 13. Also signing the register on the 13th was "John Taylor, Denver." Could Soapy have stayed in San Francisco for a time and been joined by John Taylor, his old mentor and partner in crime? Note that this time he lists his residence as "New York," and each time he registers he changes his "resident" city. Likely this is for self-protection purposes ("I'm from Denver, I've never been to San Francisco before.").
     The Steamship Queen of the Pacific is a very interesting story in itself. Construction of the 336-foot, iron hulled, commercial passenger cargo steamer was built in Philadelphia  for The Oregon Railway and Navigation Company and the Pacific Coast Steamship Company in 1882. She had three decks, two masts, and could carry 300 passengers.

Queen of the Pacific
San Francisco Chronicle
October 15, 1882


As Soapy noted, he arrived in San Francisco on October 18, 1882, which matched the mention in the San Francisco Chronicle, October 19, 1882. Interesting to note that the trip from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco took 52 hours (four days, four hours).   
 

52 hours from Portland
San Francisco Chronicle
October 19, 1882


The day following Soapy's arrival in San Francisco the captain of the Queen of the Pacific was arrested.

AN ANGRY CAPTAIN
San Francisco Chronicle
October 20, 1882

Below is the contents of the newspaper story.

AN ANGRY CAPTAIN
His Arrest Caused by a Hotel Runner.
E. Alexander, Captain of the Queen of the Pacific, was arrested yesterday by Officer Eagan on a warrant sworn out by C. M. Barnes on a charge of using vulgar language. It seems from the complaint that Barnes was a passenger on the Queen of the Pacific on he down trip, and that while he was soliciting among the cabin passengers he was attacked by the first mate, who handled him very roughly, tearing his coat nearly off of him, the mate claiming that he had no right to solicit in the cabin, as he had only a third-class ticket. Barnes had the first mate arrested on the arrival of the steamer, and in attempting to go on board of the steamer yesterday the Captain called him a dirty loafer, and told him that if he ever came on board the steamer again he would smash his head. Barnes, the complaining witness, is a runner for the Brooklyn Hotel.
Is it a coincidence that Soapy was staying at the Brooklyn Hotel?

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

THE STEAMSHIP QUEEN

     The steamship name, Queen of the Pacific was shortened to Queen in 1890. The same steamship that carried Soapy Smith and his gang back and forth between Skagway, Alaska and Seattle, Washington during the Klondike gold rush (1896-1898), 15-years after he traveled from Portland to Seattle in 1882.
     The Queen played a key role in the founding of Skagway, Alaska, where Soapy would soon control the criminal underworld. On July 26, 1897, just nine days after the steamship Portland arrived in Seattle with its “Stacks of Yellow Metal,” the Queen anchored in deep water near Mooresville (Skagway, Alaska) and asked Captain Moore, the owner of the land, for permission to unload passengers and supplies. The Queen’s Captain Carroll did not know whether his passengers were entering the United States or Canada as the area was claimed by both countries.
     Soapy Smith's second voyage on the Queen [of the Pacific] was in September 1897. Soapy, Jerry J. Daly and Jack Jolly arrived in Skagway, Alaska just a few weeks after it was founded as a trail-route to the gold fields in the Klondike, Canada. The three men worked swindles on the stampeders with great success. Working 19-days of the 23 that they were there, they made about $30,000 dollars. On the 23rd day they boarded the Queen for Seattle.  



 









STAR NOTEBOOK
 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 #14
Part #15
Part #16
Part #17 (not published yet)
Part #18 (not published yet)
Part #19 (not published yet)
Part #20 (not published yet)
Part #21 (not published yet)
Part #22 (not published yet)
Part #23 (not published yet)
Part #24 (not published yet)







"If, after the first twenty minutes, you don't know
who the sucker at the table is, it's you."
—Author Unknown






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