Jeff Morey, Jefferson Smith and Dad

(Click image to enlarge)
Jefferson Randolph Smith & "Dad"

The above photograph was taken over the weekend at the Harvest Fair in San Bernardino, California. That's the great-great-grandson, Jefferson Randolph Smith on the left and "Dad" on the right. We were planning on being there maybe two hours, but that quickly flew by seven hours later.

Well known Tombstone, Arizona historian Jeff Morey purchased and received my book, of which he said.

Jeff,

You book arrived today and I am most impressed! It is wonderfully presented and a really significant contribution to the field. You have every right to feel proud my friend.

Many Thanks!

Jeff (Morey-that-is)

.

Quick quotes...

(Click image to enlarge)
A shell & pea game in Alaska, circa 1897-1898

Of Soapy Smith—

He is genial and generous, enjoys a fight, pays his debts, gives his last dollar to whoever wants it and steals the first dollar the next man is rash enough to expose to view. ~ Henry James,

San Francisco Call, February 27, 1898.

Should have been "of Soapy Smith"—

He had the calm confidence of a Christian with four aces. ~ Mark Twain.

.

Did Soapy Smith witness the Gunfight at the OK Corral?

(Click image to enlarge)
Did Soapy Smith witness the fight or possible even instigate it?
Photo by James G. Howes (addition of Soapy by Jeff Smith)

I am momentarily overwhelmed with some tasks, including the creation of a book "commercial" for YouTube, a history cruise to Alaska that will arrive in Skagway for the 112 anniversary of Soapy's death, and a very special write-up post regarding new information that states Soapy Smith arrived in Tombstone, Arizona on October 25, 1881 and signed two hotel registers the day prior to the infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral. Was it a coincidence that he was there or was he called in by friends? If so.... which side was he on?

.

Book review #6

Robert K. DeArment, author of such great historical works as Knights of the Green Cloth: The Saga of the Frontier Gamblers, Bat Masterson: The Man and the Legend, Deadly Dozen: Twelve Forgotten Gunfighters of the Old West, Alias Frank Canton, and more, is the gentleman who wrote one of my book back cover reviews. The delivery of his hard cover copy of the book was delayed due to shipping by media mail from Juneau which is taking longer than previously expected. To counter the delay I sent Mr. DeArment a signed soft cover of the book by Priority mail and will do the same when I recieve the hard bound. Upon receiving the book Mr. DeArment wrote me the following.

I have received the softcover copy of your book and am impressed by it. I thank you and look forward to receiving the signed hardbound copy. The wealth of pictures, which I had not seen in the manuscript copy I first read, add a great deal to the text. Your years of study and research have paid dividends. From this point on, any writer or researcher into the history of nineteenth century gamblers or con men must use your book as a primer.

Best wishes for your continued success,

Bob DeArment

Pinch me I must be dreaming...








.

Book review #5

After my new book was published I was nervous as hell about how the public would evaluate it. You have no idea how relieving it is to receive and read every single one thus far. I am ecstatically proud.

Jeff Brady, personal friend and owner of the Skagway News, sent this in today.

Hi Jeff
Just cracked your book, can't put it down - skimmed to the ending of course to see how you diagnosed the shooting (very thorough) and now am into the intros and the Georgia years. I'm impressed much the way Art was with how detailed and backed up your research is, and how you contrast it with the many stories told over the years. Very impressive at first sitting and can't wait to finish it. Congratulations friend Soapy! —Jeff Brady

PS to Art - the check's in the mail!

I'm going to assume the latter comment is another order as he had sold out his copies before receiving them.

.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOAPY SMITH!

.

Auction update (First Bank of Skaguay)

(Click image to enlarge)
The location of Jeff Smith's Parlor Originally the First Bank of Skaguay
Photo by Art Petersen

On October 26, 2009 I posted a story about an eBay auction involving an 1897 signature book for the First Bank of Skaguay. That auction ended on this date with the book selling for $676.00.

.

Quick quotes...

Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters.

~African Proverb

.

Book review #4

(Click image to enlarge)
Alaska-Klondike gold rush

I received a very nice book review from a customer. With all the names listed in my book from previously unpublished letters and documents I anticipated a number of questions about Soapy's probable association with other infamous characters of the old west hence Bill's question regarding Billy Allen and William Allen. It is filed as a future research project.

"... I am nine chapters into "Alias Soapy Smith" and I have to say this is the most detailed biography that I have ever read. I find it fascinating to read all the details and see familiar names. I was wondering if the Billy Allen and William Allen are the same fellow who met with a bullet from Doc Holliday up in Leadville?"

—Bill "Bungalo Bill" Marq

.

Andy Thomas' The End of Soapy Smith

(Click image to enlarge)
The End of Soapy Smith
by Andy Thomas

I am very proud to announce the release of the awaited masterpiece painting by artist Andy Thomas, The End of Soapy Smith. On September 17, 2009 I posted the information regarding the artists plans to paint the Gunfight on Juneau Wharf at his Maze Creek Studio in Carthage, Missouri.

Andy Thomas and I poured over the historical information provided in my book, Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel and my large collection of photographs of the area and the people involved. This historic and monumental portrayal of the shootout between Jefferson Randolph Smith, alias Soapy Smith and Frank Reid is the most authentic portrayal I have ever seen. I said it before and I'll say it again, I can hardly contain my excitement for this painting! The terrible and fateful moments before my great-grandfather's empire in Skagway, Alaska on July 8, 1898 is reduced to history as Soapy Smith's criminal career as well as his life abruptly expires when a bullet pierces, his heart, is magnificently captured by the artist Andy Thomas. The painful agony in Frank Reid's face is felt and the jolting shock of instantaneous battle fully engulfs Soapy's face.

I am extremely proud to be a part of this project and very pleased to see the historic detail the artist chose to include, right down to the known position of all those involved and the illumination of gunfire upon the planks of the wharf directly below the combatants feet. The Irish employee of the newly arrived White Pass and Yukon Railway, Jesse Murphy, begins his advance towards the center of action and makes his own history seconds later by wrestling the rifle away from the wounded Soapy and shoots the unarmed "king of Skagway." At the same moment in the painting Soapy's men in the far background are stunned at the turn of events. W. H. Jackson can be seen to begin a rush to aid his fallen leader. Seconds later he aims his revolver at J. M. Tanner before fleeing the scene with the rest of his cohorts.

(Click image to enlarge)

Juneau Wharf

The historic detail that Mr. Thomas is evident to this historian. The wharf woodwork and railings took some close-up study. I would not be surprised to see the proper plank count. The back ground mountains as well as the frontier structures of 1898 Skagway are matched through the use of numerous period photographs.








(Click image to enlarge)
Jeff Brady as Soapy Smith and Ashley Smith,
the great-great-granddaughter of Soapy begin
the trek towards a reenactment of the gunfight.

The night-time sky appears to have been closely matched from a photograph I supplied the artist, taken at approximately 9:15 p.m. on July 8, 1998, the centennial of the gunfight.

In painting the historic characters Mr. Thomas used period photographs of the men involved. The only one that could not be properly depicted accurately was the Irishman, Jesse Murphy as no known photographs of the man exist. Frank H. Reid and Jefferson Randolph Smith II are nicely rendered, right down to Soapy's Spanish-American ascot tie received as a patriotic gift from an admiring Seattle woman. Comparing photographs clearly reveals the artist did his homework.

(Click image to enlarge)
J. M. Tanner

(Click image to enlarge)
Van Triplett

.

More book reviews...

"Peter Simple"
A three-card monte tosser swindles a hayseed

My publisher send me this nice review from Mel Seibel.

"...I predict it's going to be a really good seller for quite a while. ... I just finished reading it yesterday and found it to be a very interesting read, especially since it (1) filled a virtual vacuum about the real Soapy Smith, (2) provided a lot of general history about the period; and (3) served as a good primer on scams. Old Soapy surely had a very complex personality, a lot of bad mixed in with a lot of good, and I think Jeff did an excellent job of portraying both sides. In the end I felt a tinge of sadness as I read the account of his death--not for the loss of the bad part of him, but for the loss of the good part."

.

Nice reviews...

(Click image to enlarge)
Very early Denver, Colorado

I received some great reviews from two purchasers of my new book. Without further ado here they are.

"Jeff - Just finished ALIAS SOAPY SMITH and I wanted to let you know how well done I thought the book is. The writing is crisp and the research exhaustive. It most certainly is the definitive book on the topic.

The little piece I'm writing will tie a Pinkerton detective named Charlie Siringo into pursuit of a couple of members of the Soap gang. But mine is only a small corner of the larger story you tell so well and I just wanted to share how impressed I was with you. Congratulations!"

-Howard Blum, author of the Edgar Award winning
and New York Times bestseller American Lightning.

"This is a very nice account. Very very impressed by it."

Darryl Beckmann, author of
The Life and Times of Alexander The Man Who Knows: A Personal Scrapbook.

You can see all the reviews on the main website HERE.






.

Quick quotes...

(Click image to enlarge)
Rocky Mountain News
November 15, 1896

The confidence man carefully evaluates every stroller or idler, whom he divides into two classes. First is the man whose loyal face or upright posture reveals a puritanical temperament disdaining involvement in any con game whatsoever. Second is the man, perhaps a farmer or industrial worker, who appears sophisticated enough to recognize an ordinary swindle yet ignorant enough to be fooled by a subtler, more involved swindle, a man whose face and air reveal a certain weakness of temperament, a certain latent unscrupulousness which the pitchman detects on sight.

~Eugene Villiod, Crooks, Con Men and Cheats, 1905.

.

Busy

(Click image to enlarge)
Me showcasing my new book at the Gunfight Behind the Jersey Lilly event

I am busy today packing hard cover books for shipment.

(Click image to enlarge)
Me and some special friends

Yes, very very busy...






.

The First Bank of Skaguay (Alaska)

(Click image to enlarge)
Signature book of the First Bank of Skaguay

Much like the recent Dodge City police docket book found to exist for 1876-1877, I recently came across an equally important book for the history of Skagway, Alaska. The book is dated December 1897, just five months after the founding of the camp.

(Click image to enlarge)

Frank H. Reid's name appears in the book

The seller states that there are over 250 names of early residents and stampeders inside its pages, including that of Frank H. Reid, the man mistakenly credited with killing Soapy Smith. The book measures 14" x 8-1/2" and has no missing pages. As the history of early Skagway is sketchy this book is extremily important. Hopefully the city or Park Service will bid on this item. You can find the auction on eBay but hurry as it ends November 2, 2009. Bidding starts at $200.

(Click image to enlarge)
Some of the 250 signatures

.