Soapy Smith – Bunko Man of the Old West
"A gambler is one who teaches and illustrates the folly of avarice; he is a non-ordained preacher on the vagaries of fortune and how to make doubt a certainty. He is one who, in his amusements, eliminates the element of chance; chance is merely the minister in his workshop of luck; money has no value except to back a good hand." – Jefferson R. Smith
The late 19th-century American West was a crucible of opportunity, attracting prospectors, entrepreneurs, and those seeking a fresh start. However, the allure of quick riches and lawless landscapes also drew individuals with a penchant for deception and exploitation. Among these figures, Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II stands out as one of the most notorious con men of the era. His name became synonymous with elaborate swindles, crooked gambling, and a carefully cultivated image that blurred the lines between villainy and civic responsibility. This is the story of Soapy Smith, a master of manipulation who carved out a criminal empire across the frontier.
Early Life and Introduction to the Con:
Born on November 2, 1860, in Newnan, Georgia, Jefferson Randolph Smith’s early life was far removed from the world of bunko schemes and frontier saloons. He hailed from a well-to-do family; his great-grandfather owned a sprawling plantation, and his father practiced law. However, the Civil War irrevocably altered the family’s fortunes, leaving them financially strained. In 1876, the Smiths relocated to Round Rock, Texas, seeking a new beginning. It was in this rough-and-tumble environment that the young Jefferson witnessed the shooting of outlaw Sam Bass two years later, an event that likely contributed to his growing fascination with the darker side of frontier life.
Sometime after, Smith drifted to Fort Worth, where he began his ascent as a "bunko artist," a term used to describe confidence men and swindlers. He quickly recognized the power of collaboration and assembled a tight-knit group of like-minded rogues. These men became the foundation of his criminal enterprise, enabling him to perpetrate increasingly elaborate scams. As his reputation grew, Soapy Smith earned the moniker "King of the Frontier Con Men," a title that reflected his dominance in the world of deception. His gang moved from town to town, preying on unsuspecting citizens with "short cons" like the shell game, three-card monte, and other quick swindles.
The Prize Package Soap Sell and the Birth of a Nickname:
In the late 1870s, Smith devised the "Prize Package Soap Sell," a scheme that would become his signature con and earn him the lasting nickname "Soapy." The setup was simple yet effective: Smith would position himself on a busy street corner with a "Keiser" (a suitcase on a tripod stand) filled with ordinary bars of soap wrapped in plain paper. As curious onlookers gathered, he would begin wrapping some of the soap bars with paper money, ranging from a single dollar to a seemingly extravagant hundred-dollar bill. He would then re-wrap these "prize" soaps in the same plain paper and mix them with the rest, offering them for sale at prices ranging from $1 to $5 per bar.
To further entice the crowd, Soapy Smith employed "shills," accomplices planted in the audience. These shills would eagerly purchase a bar of soap and dramatically reveal a hundred-dollar bill hidden inside, fueling the crowd’s desire to strike it rich. Eager to test their luck, the crowd would eagerly purchase their own bars, only to find nothing but a cheap, five-cent cake of soap. This audacious yet simple con proved incredibly lucrative, and Smith continued to utilize it with great success for the next two decades, solidifying his reputation and cementing his infamous nickname.
Denver: Building a Criminal Empire:
By 1879, Soapy Smith and his gang had moved to Denver, Colorado, a city with a burgeoning economy and a relatively lenient attitude towards gambling. This environment provided the perfect opportunity for Smith to expand his operations beyond "short cons" and venture into more elaborate schemes, including fake stock exchanges and lottery offices. He and his men continued their smaller games, as Denver had a wide-open policy towards gambling, making for the perfect setting for their deceitful games. As the money continued to roll in for Soapy, he began to organize many of the men operating in Denver into such a stronghold that he proclaimed himself the boss of Denver’s underworld crime empire.
To ensure the smooth operation of his scams, Smith cultivated a network of influence, providing kickbacks to saloon owners and placing city officials on his payroll. He also strategically avoided targeting local residents, focusing instead on travelers passing through, minimizing local resentment. Furthermore, he fostered loyalty among his gang members by offering assistance to those in need and securing their release from jail whenever possible. He made charitable donations to churches and the city’s poor, and he made his saloons available to ministers for Sunday services, further "endearing" himself to the locals.
Much of Soapy‘s Denver "action" took place in his popular Tivoli Saloon and Gambling Hall, where over the door a sign read: “Caveat Emptor,” which means “Let the Buyer Beware” in Latin. Interestingly, the famed Bat Masterson worked as a dealer at the Tivoli for a time.
During this time, Soapy was joined by his younger brother, Bascomb, who operated a cigar store, which was a front for crooked card games and other swindles. The gang was also running a fake stock exchange, lottery shops, and bogus diamond auctions.
For several years, Smith settled down, making Denver his home. Though Denver newspapers published that he was in complete control of the criminal and gambling underworld in their city and rightly accused him of being in cahoots with city politicians, including the police chief, his operations continued to prosper.
Though his primary operations were in Denver, Soapy also expanded, and in 1885, he was working with another con artist in Leadville, Colorado. Partnering with a con who went only by the name of Old Man Taylor, the two operated a successful shell game upon the many unsuspecting miners.
In 1891, Soapy talked his otherwise law-abiding brother-in-law from Texas into joining his criminal empire in Denver. William “Cap” Light, who served as a deputy marshal in Belton, Texas, changed his colors when he joined Smith. Light was with Soapy when the gang “attacked” the Glasson Detective Agency. Allegedly the agency had attempted to force a confession from a pretty young girl, and upon hearing about it, Smith and his men raided their offices with pistols in hand. This further led to Soapy’s reputation as a hero with many of the locals.
Creede and the Petrified Man:
However, the tides began to turn in 1892. Public sentiment in Denver shifted, with growing demands for anti-gambling and saloon reforms. Smith also faced increasing competition from rival gangs, such as the Blonger Brothers, and his own drinking and temperamental behavior made it difficult for his political allies to continue protecting him. Moreover, his notoriety had grown to the point where authorities could no longer ignore his activities.
Seeing opportunity in the booming mining camp of Creede, Colorado, Soapy and his gang moved their empire. He soon opened the Orleans Club gambling hall and saloon, which operated much like his Tivoli Club in Denver, but without the restrictions imposed in the larger city.
At his new club, Soapy Smith briefly displayed a petrified man for a price of 10¢. The “petrified man,” affectionately called “McGinty,” was also a hoax, as it was nothing more than cement over skeletal remains. However, the oddity brought customers into the saloon and made a small profit. But the objective was that once they were inside, the “dupes” would take advantage of the crooked card games. In the meantime, he had convinced his brother-in-law, William “Cap” Light, to accept a position as a deputy marshal in the camp. Once he had wielded his influence, he claimed himself as the “camp boss.” As such, he protected his friends and associates and expelled violent troublemakers. Again, he also endeared himself to the camp by using his money to build churches and help the poor.
But, Creede’s boomtown days would not last, and Smith soon returned to Denver. The gambling reforms had relaxed once again in the city, and Soapy took up operations at the Tivoli, which had never closed.
The Denver City Hall War:
The election of Davis H. "Bloody Bridles" Waite as governor of Colorado in 1893 marked a significant challenge to Smith’s operations. Waite, a staunch advocate for social reform, immediately targeted corruption within the state, including the rampant criminal activity in Denver.
In March 1894, Waite attempted to remove three members of the fire and police board, whom he believed were the main instigators of corruption within city hall. This action ignited a political firestorm, as the city officials refused to relinquish their positions. The ensuing conflict, known as the Denver City Hall War, pitted Governor Waite and his state militia against the corrupt city government, backed by a "special police force" comprised of some 200 unsavory "deputies," led by none other than Soapy Smith, who was now dubbed “Colonel Smith.”
The armed standoff between the two sides brought Denver to the brink of civil war, with armed men facing off in the streets. However, a compromise was eventually reached, and the matter was submitted to the State Supreme Court. The court ultimately ruled in favor of Governor Waite, leading to the removal of the corrupt officials and the implementation of new policies aimed at cleaning up the city.
These reforms led to the outlawing of gambling in Denver and a crackdown on other illicit activities, forcing Soapy Smith to take his operations "underground." Soon, he and his brother, Bascomb, were charged with the attempted murder of a saloon manager. Bascomb was arrested and jailed, but Soapy managed to escape, and, a wanted man in Colorado, he soon wandered westward. The Blonger Brothers then took control of the Denver underworld.
Skagway and a Violent End:
When the Klondike Gold Rush began in 1897, Soapy Smith saw new opportunities and soon made his new home in Skagway, Alaska. Like other mining camps, it didn’t take him long to claim himself as “boss” of the town, which he ran with an iron hand. Working from his saloon named Jeff Smith’s Parlor, Soapy’s cons began once again in earnest. His saloon soon became known as the “real city hall,” even though Skagway had an official one. But, some of the Skagway citizens were not so impressed with Soapy, whose heavy drinking and black temper had begun to get entirely out of hand.
Soon, several Skagway citizens had had enough of the man, and a vigilante group, who called themselves the “Committee of 101,” threatened to drive Smith and his gang out of town. However, Soapy retaliated by forming his own group that he said had more than 300 members. Hoping to force the vigilantes into submission, it worked.
When the Spanish American War began in 1898, Smith formed his voluntary militia with the approval of the U.S. War Department. Called the Skagway Military Company, Soapy became its captain, strengthening his control of the town.
In the meantime, the vigilante group did not like what they were seeing, and when Soapy‘s gang took some $2,600 in gold from a Klondike miner in an illegal Three-card Monte game, the vigilantes re-emerged and demanded that Soapy give him back his gold. Soapy, of course, refused, claiming that the miner had lost the gold “fairly” in a sporting game. The next night, on July 8, 1898, the vigilantes organized a meeting in Skagway, Alaska. Hearing of the meeting, Soapy decided to attend, arriving with a Winchester rifle draped over his shoulder. When he was barred from entering the meeting, he argued with one of four guards, a man named Frank Reid, who was blocking his way.
A gunfight erupted, and when the smoke cleared, both men lay dead. Soapy’s last words were reportedly: “My God, don’t shoot!” Later, it was found that another one of the guards had shot Smith. Three other members of Soapy’s gang who were involved in “robbing” the miner received jail sentences. The rest of the gang soon drifted apart.
Soapy Smith was buried just outside the city cemetery. His grave and his saloon, which have since been moved from their original location, can still be seen in Skagway.
Jeff Smith’s Parlour, Skagway, Alaska, 1898
Legacy:
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II lived a relatively short life, cut short by a hail of bullets at the age of 37. His story serves as a compelling illustration of the darker aspects of the American West, where ambition, greed, and deception often thrived alongside the ideals of opportunity and progress. He remains a captivating figure in Western lore, a reminder of the complex and often contradictory nature of frontier society.
"I consider bunco steering more honorable than the life led by the average politician." – Soapy Smith