Born in Newnan, Georgia, on November 2, 1860, Smith came from a well-off and educated family background. His great-grandfather owned a renowned plantation in the area, and his father practiced law. However, like many Southern families, their wealth declined after the Civil War. In 1876, the family moved to Round Rock, Texas, where Smith, at 18, witnessed the demise of outlaw Sam Bass two years later. From there, he journeyed to Fort Worth, beginning his career as a bunko artist. Swiftly gathering a group of fellow tricksters, he earned the title “King of the Frontier Con Men” as they traveled between towns, executing various short cons like the shell game and three-card monte to deceive unsuspecting locals.

In the late 1870s, Smith concocted his “Prize Package Soap Sell” scam, drawing crowds and earning the nickname “Soapy.” The scheme involved presenting ordinary soap bars, some wrapped with paper money ranging from one dollar to a hundred. A confederate in the crowd would pretend to find a high-value bill upon purchase, inciting others to buy more bars. Despite its fraudulent nature, the swindle brought Smith immense wealth over the next two decades. Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith II became one of the most notorious con men of the 1800s, orchestrating fraudulent activities across the American West for years. Collaborating with accomplices like Texas Jack Vermillion and “Big Ed” Burns, Smith’s influence stretched from Texas to Colorado and Alaska.

On July 8, 1898, in Skagway, Smith met his end in a shootout, allegedly with either Frank Reid or Jesse Murphy, an employee of White Pass. Reid or Murphy shot Smith dead on the spot, but not before Smith had badly wounded him. Reid died 12 days later. The following day, Reverend Sinclair presided over Soapy’s funeral, burying him in the Gold Rush Cemetery. Despite attempts to apprehend members of the “Soapy gang,” few faced significant prison time due to insufficient evidence or witnesses.

Following the lively atmosphere of Smith’s demise, subsequent years in Skagway saw a decline in such excitement, replaced by a more subdued ambiance characterized by the presence of “fancy girls” and gold merchants lining the streets.

“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

Photos courtesy of Litsite Alaska, Leadville.com, Petty Coats & Pistols, True West Magazine, The Minnesota Museum and The U.S. National Park Service.