October 19, 2024

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1882-1883: Part #9 - page 9

Soapy Smith's "star" notebook
Page 9 - original copy
1882-1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)




OAPY SMITH'S "STAR" NOTEBOOK
Part #9 - page 9

This is part #9 - page 9, 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.
     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. 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.

Soapy Smith's "star" notebook
Page 9 - enhanced
1882-1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy Smith's "star" notebook
Page 9 - negative
1882-1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Below is what I believe to be the correct deciphering of the text, dated 1882-1883. 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 Smith's "star" notebook
Page 9 - deciphered
1882-1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Page 9 (bottom).
  • Line 1: "grocers" (or "gracias")

    Art Petersen writes,

    Why gracias, Spanish for thank you? Not sure, but the letters seem to form the word. Coming just above the next names could be Soapy wanted to remind himself to thank them for something. As a transplant to Texas in 1876-77, gracias would have been a familiar term. 
  • Line 2: "Langfeldt" ("Langfleat," Langfeat") and Meyers"

    Art Petersen writes,

    a search for "Langfeldt and Meyers" in the 1880s failed. However, a Langfeldt and Co did business during this time in Japan as a seller of alcohol spirits (found ad in The Japan Times). Another possibility: Newspapers of the 1880s regularly listed sailings to and from Yokohama, the large Japanese port. And the names of some passengers appeared. The notebook names could be of Yokohama passengers that Soapy knew (& perhaps wanted to thank for some reason). 

  • Line 3: "Yokohama"
  • Line 4: "Japan" 
  • Line 5: "Thank you" (or "Thermals")

    Art Petersen writes,

    My nomination for the 1st word in line 5 is thermals or thermal underwear. The letters seem to be thanamals, not a word. But since most of page 9 lists what appears to be a packing list or inventory of clothes and since thermals are clothes, the proposed word would have a relationship. The lines taken together seem to be a note to self to pack or to acquire the thermals he once showed to Prof. Scott. The first word in line 6 seems to be showed if the last letter is seen not as an a but a d. Soapy does show he tended not to put a line above the body of a d at least on this page as shown in his writing drawers on line 12.

  • Line 6: "Show" ("Showed" or "Shower") to (for) Prof."
Art Petersen, who has been aiding me in deciphering Soapy's handwriting, asks, "Could these three lines be 'Thank you shower to/for Prof. Scott?' A 'shower' seems improbable today, but in 1893 or so, it seems to have had a more general sense. Here's how the historical section of the Oxford English dictionary has it:
1893-
Chiefly, North American, Australian, and New Zealand. A party to which guests bring gifts, usually of a particular kind, for a bride-to-be, or (in later use also) an expectant mother; (more generally) any party or event centred around the giving of gifts. Also in plural: the gifts presented on such an occasion (now rare).
  • Line 7: "Scott."
  • Line 8: "Aug 31st"
  • Line 9: "2 white shirts"
  • Line 10: "1 n ' ' "
  • Line 11: "4 collars"
  • Line 12: "1 tab"
  • Line 13: "1 drawers"

Interpretation: Page 1, page 2, page 4, page 5 of this notebook shows Soapy's plans for traveling through Oregon and Washington Territory, making and changing plans before successfully venturing there, several times. Here on page 9 he makes notes of what appears to be an order from Japan, a note of thanks to Professor Scott and a list of personal clothing items. Were the latter being ordered from Yokohama, Japan? Nearly a decade later (December 27, 1894), the Boulder Daily Camera and the Summit County Journal (December 29, 1894), reported that Soapy and gang members John Bowers and W. H. Jackson, are headed to Yokohama, Japan for "pleasure and sight-seeing." Most likely is that Soapy never actually went to Japan, but that it was a newspaper ploy to fool the authorities and his enemies that he was not in the states. 

* Special thanks to Art Petersen for his aid in deciphering, and his opinions of the context.
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)







"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





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