Soapy Smith's Soap Box: William Deutsch, Alias "Henry Dutch," Tivoli Club manager, property owner

August 15, 2021

William Deutsch, Alias "Henry Dutch," Tivoli Club manager, property owner

William Deutsch
Palace Theater's Tivoli gambling den
Denver Republican
June 13, 1882

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illiam Deutsch

Alias "Henry Dutch"

(Much of the information comes from the book Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel)

Tivoli Beer Hall
Managed by William Deutsch

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William "Henry Dutch" Deutsch was a Denver business property owner and business manager in the 1880s-90s. His early story is currently unknown, everything known thus far beginning in 1881-82, when he managed Ed "Big Ed" Chase’s Palace Theatre’s saloon and gaming annex, the Tivoli Beer Hall.(1) For ejecting a John Burns from the Theatre in March 1881, Deutsch is arrested for assault and battery.(2) The Denver Republican for June 13, 1882 (see top of post) states that Deutsch left (or is fired) the Beer Hall, opening the Lyceum Vaudeville Theater in South Pueblo, Colorado, while the Rocky Mountain News writes on June 3, 1883 that he is proprietor of the Tivoli Variety Theatre in Pueblo. At the same time the News states that he is the proprietor of the Tivoli Beer Hall in Denver.(3) In 1887-1888 he is listed in the city directory as proprietor of the Alhambra Beer Hall at 1321 Seventeenth Street(4) and as its manager in 1889.(5)

The Deutsch Block
Tivoli Club at far left

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Deutsch obtains property in Denver on Seventeenth and Holladay streets (later named Market) in 1886.(6) He builds the Deutsch Block, where in February 1888 he receives permission to open a saloon at that location. The north corner of that Block houses Soapy Smith's and Ed Chase’s Tivoli Club.
In city directories for 1890-91 and 1893-95, Deutsch is listed as proprietor of the Tivoli Club,(7) but it is Soapy who controls it. In June 1892 the Rocky Mountain News mentions him as proprietor.(8) The city directory in 1897 lists the Tivoli Sample Room at the same location.(9) Soapy left in 1895-96 so the Tivoli is under Deutsch's control now.

Tivoli Sample Room
"WM. DEUTSCH, PROP."
Courtesy, Geri Murphy collection

A business card lists his name for the “Tivoli Sample Room” located on the “corner 17th and Market streets.”(10) A “sample room” was a step above a saloon in class, some of which served only wines.

Whiskey flask
for William Deutsch
Courtesy of the Jerry Hazalet collection

Deutsch’s name also appears on a personalized glass whiskey flask, the label reading, “Fine Old Monogram whiskey, Bottled expressly for Wm. Deutsch, Tivoli Seventeenth and Market Street, Denver Colo.”(11)

"Tivoli"
Denver map
1908
Note "TIVOLI" circled in red

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It is believed that William Deutsch kept Soapy's Tivoli saloon going until at least 1908, according to a Denver map. At some point he opened a hotel in the Deutsch building as well.

SOURCES:
(1) Rocky Mountain News 03/06/1881
(2) Rocky Mountain News 03/12/1881
(3) Rocky Mountain News 03/06/1883.
(4) Denver City Directory 1887 and 1888.
(5) Denver City Directory 1889.
(6) Rocky Mountain News 8/12/1886
(7) Denver City Directory 1890-1891, 1893-1895.
(8) Rocky Mountain News 06/19/1892.
(9) Denver City Directory 1897.
(10) Tivoli Sample Room business card, Geri Murphy col.
(11) Whiskey bottle, Jerry Hazalet col.