Soapy Smith meets Capt. of Detectives John Fitzgerald, Tacoma, Washington.

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he Captain advised Soapy that it would be in the best interest of his health if he were to vacate Tacoma no sooner than yesterday.

D. H. M. Meyers writes

     My Great-Grandfather, John Fitzgerald, was Captain of Detectives in Tacoma, WA. during the 1890's and early1900's. According to my grandmother, Catherine McGeough (nee Fitzgerald), who was a girl at the time, Soapy Smith made a stop in Tacoma while on his was to Skagway [Alaska]. At some point during his visit there he was confronted by Capt. Fitzgerald, who was known to one and all in Tacoma simply as "The Captain." The Captain advised Soapy that it would be in the best interest of his health if he were to vacate Tacoma no sooner than yesterday. Soapy, apparently being no one's fool, took The Captain's advice to heart and immediately left Tacoma for better climes (probably to Seattle where the steamships left for Alaska). In a nutshell, my great grandfather, according to my grandmother, ran Soapy Smith out of town. As stated, this is all anecdotal - stories my grandmother told me many, many years ago in the 1950's when I was just a dumb kid and didn't have sense enough to press for details. I wish I had! I had no idea, at the time, that Soapy Smith was, or would become, a historically significant character. I do recall that grandma McGeough did make mention of the "soap bar scam" and have always assumed that this was the reason for his confrontation with "The Captain." Who knows? Grandma also acknowledged the fact that Soapy had a "gang," but not while he was in Tacoma. As an aside; I have a solid gold, six point badge that was, according to the engraving on the backside, presented to "The Captain" by his fellow detectives on December 25th, 1901.

Mr. Meyers wrote to me,

     Jeff, I would assume, by your name and photo, that you are "related." I have no way of verifying any of the stories that my Grandmother told me. Unfortunately I was quite young when they were told to me and didn't have the sense, or curiosity, to press for details. Damn my youth! I have, however, done a bit of research into the history of my Great-Grandfather, Capt. John Fitzgerald. Apparently he was one tough little Irishman who didn't back down from anyone. He was quite well respected in Tacoma because he was, in his day, "relatively honest." My only other "Soapy" story comes again, from my Grandmother. She told me that sometime in the very early 1900's a man came to call, socially, on "The Captain." Grandma was somewhat taken aback by the man's appearance because, according to her, he looked like some one had "hit him in the face with an axe." After his departure she asked her father who the man was and he told her that he was once part of "Soapy Smith's gang." Wish that there was more that I could tell you but that is pretty much the extent of Grandmother's "Soapy Smith" tales.

Was it THE Soapy Smith that Captain John Fitzgerald warned to leave Tacoma?

     History records that Soapy operated in Spokane and Seattle, Washington, but it is not known if he went to Tacoma. As Tacoma was an important port, and just 34 miles from Seattle, it seems likely that he did, but perhaps never got caught or arrested. However, another "Soapy" Smith did get arrested in Tacoma.

     A Skagway, Alaska member of the Soap Gang, named Harry Green was aboard a steamer heading for Seattle with a number of fellow confidence crooks. They found out that a newspapers reporter was onboard too, so they concocted a joke on the newsman. Each member of the gang pretended to be someone else, and Harry Green made the mistake of choosing to be "Soapy Smith." When the real Soapy discovered the deception he did not find it very humorous. Soapy wrote and sent a threatening letter to the Green, of which Green replied on April 12, 1898, the day he checked into the Hotel Northern, signing the register “Jeff Smith."

Mr. Smith:
     Your letter of the 28th just received by chance. I happened to drop in to Seattle today.
     When I left Skaguay on the 21st Mar, I left on the boat Ning-Chaw, and there was no one on that boat but a lot of your friends, such fellows as Luther Woods, Johnnie Miller, Bill Toregdy, and Big Down, a lot of Arizona and Texas friends of yours and mine. This talk that was made to the reporter was made all through a josh, they named on the boat to the reporter. Luther Woods’ name was supposed to be Jerry Daily, my name was supposed to be Jeff Smith’s brother. Big Down [was] supposed to be Harry Green, Roberts’ partner. They asked for Harry Green on the boat running from Victoria to Seattle. They referred the reporter to Big Down that was supposed to be Harry Green, the man that come back from fish creek, with a lot of gold nuggets, a wealthy man. Now you can see the crowd on that boat was doing it more for a josh on the reporter than anything else. You have never known me to be a knocker on no body living. I don’t like to have the name of being a knocker. I am not making any apology to anybody if I would of done it. You know I don’t like a reporter or policeman any how. The reporter in Victoria had it that Soapy Smith’s gang got run out of Skaguay and we were supposed to be the gang…. In regards to making it pretty warm for me when I return [to Skaguay], I never intended to go back when I left…, and if I ever happen to get back, I’ll not hide from nobody. I have not done it yet, and I never will. There is as good a blood in me as there is in anybody there. You will find me at Seattle or Spokane any time. I am sorry I have to write this kind of a letter because I have a lot of friends amongst you fellows, such as Agerman Daily and all others that I know. I don’t want them to think for one moment that I was to fault for any josh like that. No more news.

Remain yours, Harry Green.

Harry Green used Jeff’s name again in Tacoma, on May 1, 1898, when the newspaper there mistakenly reported “Soapy” Smith arrested there.

TACOMA, May 2.— Eight tough gamblers from Seattle came over to the campground of the First regiment of Washington volunteers yesterday, and attempted to open up a nutshell and other flimflam games. The commanding officer was advised of their presence, and at once sent a detail to drive them off the premises. Two of the gamblers drew revolvers, but they were overpowered before they had time to use them and placed in the guard house … until civil officers could be summoned.

     The prisoners were taken to the county jail, where four of them gave bail in the sum of $500. The other four are still in jail. It is understood that “Soapy” Smith, of Skagway, was at the head of the gang.

The real Soapy in Skagway was furious. Not known is if he ever made it “warm” for Green for stealing his name and damaging it. With opportunity, doubtless he would have.
     So, did Captain John Fitzgerald warn Soapy Smith out of Tacoma, or did he warn Harry Green, believing it was Soapy Smith? Perhaps both, but with a span of time in between? 

Harry Green: pages 497-98.

"I do not know just how many men “Soapy” had killed, but I understood there were a good many notches on the butt of his revolver."

—Saunders Norvell, Forty Years of Hardware, 1924

JUNE 21

1788: The Constitution goes into effect when New Hampshire becomes the ninth state to ratify it.

1834: Cyrus McCormick patents a practical mechanical reaper for farming, which allows farmers to double their crop size.

1859: Andrew Lanergan receives the first rocket patent.

1867: Two soldiers are killed in a fight with Indians near Fort Wallace, Kansas.

1876: Aboard the steamship Far West Lieutenant Colonel George Custer meets with General Alfred Terry to discuss strategy against the Indians in Montana Territory.

1878: Charles Earl “Black Bart” Bowles robs the LaPorte-Oroville stage three miles from Forbestown, California. At the conclusion of the robbery he leaves behind an unusual calling card: a poem.

1887: Leavenworth, Kansas burns, causing $200,000 worth of damage.