April 3, 2025

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1884, early Denver: Part #19 - page 19

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 19 - Original copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)




oapy Smith begins an empire in Denver.
Operating the prize package soap sell racket in 1884.

This is page 19, the continuation of page 18, and dated April 14 - May 5, 1884, 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.
     These notebook pages have never been published before! They continue to be of revealing interest. The picture that the pages draw is of young 22 year-old Jefferson pursuing "soap sales" over a very wide spread of territory and in a very tenacious, even driven, way.
     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and sometimes 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. My long time friend, and publisher, Art Petersen, has been a great help in deciphering and adding additional information.
     I will include the original copy, an enhanced copy, and a negative copy of each page. Also included will be 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 1882-1884.
     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.
     In one noticeable respect, page 18 and 19 are different from most of the other pages seen so far, as it is notes taken after the fact. Page 18 and 19 are also different as they are descriptions of his early operations and the beginnings of his criminal empire in Denver. From my research I know that Charles L. "Doc" Baggs and "Big Ed" Chase are the two main bunko bosses in Denver, and Soapy is not yet fully entrenched in Denver at this time, but this page is the beginning stage of his empire there.
     Although the communication of twenty-one-year-old Soapy Smith is with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today).
     The bulk of page 19 is a list of sales (soap) in Denver. 2/3 down the page begins more notes on future trips in Colorado and New Mexico. Below that is a list of names and monetary figures. Are these men early gang members?      
     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 19 - Enhanced copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 19 - Negative copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 19 - Deciphered copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


     Page 19 contains quite a bit of interesting information about the successful start of Soapy's career in Denver.
     For consideration of page 19, I looked back to page 18 and how Soapy tracked his sales data. He began selling in Denver on March 28, a Friday. He worked Saturday the 29th. No dates are listed for the 30th, 31st, or the 1st. The next date to appear is April 2, and dates continue on this page to the 12th. Between the 2nd and the 12th, one date does not appear, the 6th, which was a Sunday. A conclusion to be drawn is that Soapy was filling in lines of the notebook a day at a time. When he did not work, he recorded no date.
     Page 19 is different. It continues from April 12th on page 18 with April 14, skipping the 13th, a Sunday, so apparently not a work day for Soapy's swindles. He later changed that policy, working every day that he had the opportunity, including Sunday's and holidays. Then, as evidence shows, he listed the next 17 dates ahead of time and filled in each day's data. For the month of May, however, he changed back to the day by day method of recording as used on page 18. May 4, a Sunday, is not listed because in the day by day method, he had nothing to record for that day. 

Page 19
  • Line 1: "2 Sales $55.00 Apr. [April] 14th [1884]"
  • Line 2: "2 Sales $51.00 Apr [April] 15th." 
  • Line 3: "1 Sale $31.00 Apr [April] 16."
  • Line 4: "0 ' ' [Sale] 0000 ' ' [April] 17."
  • Line 5: "0 ' ' [Sale] 0000 ' ' [April] 18th"
  • Line 6: "0 ' ' [Sale] 0000 ' ' [April] 19th"
  • Line 7: "0 ' ' [Sale] 0000 ' ' [April] 20th"
  • Line 8: "0 ' ' [Sale] 0000 ' ' [April] 21st"
  • Line 9: "0 ' ' [Sale] 000 ' ' [April] 22nd"
  • Line 10: "0 ' ' [Sale] 000 ' ' [April] 23rd"
  • Line 11: "0 ' ' [Sale] 000 ' ' [April] 24th"
  • Line 12: "0 ' ' [Sale] 0000 ' ' [April] 25th"
Notes: From April 17 to 25 (lines 4 to 12), 9 days, the notebook shows Soapy did not work, or, at least did not make any money from his street swindles. For those days, he entered zeros next to those already listed dates. Why he ceased working during this period could be for any number of reasons. Had he been arrested and incarcerated? No record shows (so far) that happening. Was he ill? Was he working somewhere, in a saloon gambling house, or other establishment? Nothing (yet) shows evidence for these possibilities. 
  • Line 13: "2 Sales $74.00 [April] 26th"
  • Line 14: "0 [Sales] 00 [April] 27.th"
  • Line 15: "1 Sale $65.00 [April] 28.th"
  • Line 16: "1 Sale [$]30.00 [April] 29.th"
  • Line 17: "1 Sale [$]22.00 [April] 30.th"
  • Line 18: "May 1.st 1884"
  • Line 19: "3 Sales $114.00"
  • Line 20: "2 ' ' [Sales] 2.d May. $70.00"
  • Line 21: "3 Sales 3 May. $110.00"
  • Line 22: "1 Sale 5th May. $35.00"
  • Line 23: "Fair at Albuquerque [New Mexico]"
  • Line 24: "1st week October [1884]"
  • Line 25: "Order to Dick Clark"

Albuquerque Morning Democrat
September 30, 1884

There will no doubt be an influx of confidence men and thieves into Albuquerque during fair week, and the action of Chief Richmond, in ordering them out of town as soon as he discovers them, is highly commendable.

     The Albuquerque Fair ran six days, from October 6-11. I don't see Soapy as recording that he went to the October Albuquerque fair in April, or that he went back to that page 6 months later to make the notation. I see him as recording an order he placed on "Apr 22" in preparation to go to the fair 6 months later. Why did he decide the October fair would be a good investment of his money and time? The local police chief was expecting the likes of Soapy Smith. My guess is that while on an April train trip from Denver, he learned about the territorial fair, perhaps from someone named Dick Clark. He might have gone to Albuquerque to check out New Mexico's largest community. The order with Clark was made on the 22nd, about in the middle of his absence from Denver, giving plenty of time to reach Albuquerque, spend a night or two there and meet the Dick Clark person with whom he placed an order (for something) related to the future fair.
  • Line 26: "12874 22.d Apr. [April]"
     The last portion of page 19 is devoted to two other matters, and these help to explain the 9 days of zeros. The first matter is a note about attending the "Fair at Albuquerque, / 1st week October." Indeed that's when that fair occurred, October 6-11, 1884. In preparation, he made note of having placed an order for something with Dick Clark on "22 Apr." That date is among the 9 days over which he made no "Sales." A number appears beside this notation, 12874 which is apparently in connection with it. Could it be the monetary figure: $128.74?Or perhaps an order number? That this information about the fair and an order is a unit is shown by a line that half encircles these data points. The numbers do not seem to be a money figure. With so large a figure, surely Soapy would have used a dollar figure (as he so often does) if the numbers stood for dollars. Even when there's no cents to compute, Soapy signifies no cents with zeros. Neither appear with the number.
  • Line 27: "Races at Trinidad." [likely Colorado]
Notes: The scenario I laid out began with a hypothesis, that the 9-day absence was based on some event, possibly a train trip south as other events (arrest, sickness) don't account for other evidence on the page. From that idea, I developed a theory that included the evidence—the "Races at Trinidad" and (showing he was there for them) the names under that heading, one of which is a known horse, Jumbo, and the Albuquerque fair and order notation. While the evidence does not make this proposed trip a fact, such as having a train ticket or the racing bet ticket stubs would do, still the circumstantial evidence accumulates in favor of being in southern locations. What different theory might account for all the evidence? One for me doesn't come to mind. Of course, though, it's worth looking for one.

Railroad map, 1884


     The evidence does not add up to the fact that a trip was taken, but it does make for a strong working theory of what the evidence could mean. I know I seem pretty sure about it, but I'm not one to insist on a theory. All this is submitted in the spirit of inquiry over what the evidence might mean, not what it does mean. That he attended races in Trinidad at some time during the period of April 17 to 25 is not just possible but probable. Two communities in the U.S. are named Trinidad. The small one on the coast of northern California, named in the 16th century by the Spanish, is 1,377 miles to the west. The other Trinidad is 195 miles south of Denver, which in 1884 could be reached by rail on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad. A visit to the California Trinidad would be a round-trip of two to three weeks. A journey that included the Colorado Trinidad, however, would be a round trip journey of 5 to 6 days, and if the trip included Albuquerque, 251 miles south of Trinidad, that would make for a trip of 7 to 9 days. If Jeff traveled during the 9 days he did not work in Denver, and was in Trinidad, he journeyed to the one south of Denver, not to the west in California.
     Such a trip probably was not expressly to Trinidad but to explore southern Colorado and to reconnoiter the 30 communities along the rail line to Trinidad near the border with New Mexico. The major ones are Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Rocky Ford, La Junta, and Trinidad. Beyond Trinidad to the south along the same railroad lay another 29 communities ending with Albuquerque. That Soapy was looking toward this largest community in New Mexico or near there or perhaps visiting there on or about 22 April is told by his notation about the territorial fair and his order for something that appears to be in connection with the fair.
  • Line 28: "Irish Jim $9.50"
Notes: Who is "Irish Jim?" A friend? An acquaintance? A new member of the growing soap gang? Perhaps the name of a horse Soapy wagered on? 
  • Line 29: "Gates $12.50"
Notes: Who is Gates? Did Soapy pay, or receive $12.50 from Gates? Perhaps the name of a horse Soapy wagered on?
  • Line 30: "Jumbo $4.00"
Notes: Jumbo was a race horse. Below are three newspaper clippings regarding Jumbo.

Jumbo
Albuquerque Evening Democrat
September 29, 1884


Jumbo at the Territorial Fair
Albuquerque Evening Democrat
October 10, 1884


Jumbo wins
Albuquerque Evening Democrat
October 13, 1884


  • Line 31: "Otto $5.00"
Notes: Name of race horse Soapy wagered on?
  • Line 32: "Cambell $5.00"
Notes: Wager on race horse?
  • Line 33: "Mart $3.00"
Notes: Wager on race horse?
  • Line 34: "Sumaiba $5.00"
Notes: Wager on race horse?

     As for a stop in Trinidad, that is told by his note about "Races in Trinidad." His attending horse races there is shown by the seven names listed under "Races": Irish Jim, Gates, Jumbo, Otto, Cambell, Mart, and Sumaiba. A dollar figure appears beside each name. If these are horses, the figures could be the amounts wagered and/or the amounts won on the races. At least one of the names is known to belong to a horse, Jumbo. He was recorded in the Albuquerque news prior to and during the fair in October as a plain-looking local horse made notable by his exceedingly fast speed once he got underway. A search for the other names did not reveal that they were horses, but as Jumbo turned up three times in 1884 as well as in Soapy's notes under "Races" strongly suggests the names under "Races" in his notebook are those of horses.
     If the figures beside the names were losses, probably Soapy the accountant would indicate so, such as the bet lost he recorded on notebook page 18. It seems unlikely Soapy could win so little if he had picked 7 first-place winners. Rather, the amounts seem more likely to be winnings from small parimutuel bets, that is, a bet that his horse would be among the three top winners. In parimutuel betting, winning tickets split the amounts lost by betters on horses below the top three. Developed in France in 1869, the practice was popular in Europe and the U.S.
     Soapy might have spent at least two days in Trinidad. To have 7 winners (win, place, or show) all in one day seems unlikely as 7 races do not seem possible in one afternoon. Over two afternoons, though, 7 wins could be possible.

24 DAYS OF SELLING PRIZE PACKAGE SOAP

From page 18 through page 19, 39 days passed. Of those, Soapy worked 24 days, held 38 sales, and took in $1,080.50 (or $36,207.56 in today's money). Soapy was making a success of his professional calling, "Sales," and it allowed him to take time off from selling for a train trip to explore communities to the south. The trip could have taken 3 days travel to Albuquerque, 1 day there, 1 day back to Trinidad, 2 days in Trinidad, and about 2 to return to Denver. That adds up to 9 days of not "selling" in Denver, which resumed on Saturday 26 April 1884, producing $74 or in today's dollars, $2,479.74 for that day's work.


24 Days of selling prize package soap
$1,080.50

(Click image to enlarge)



 









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)









"Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters."
—African Proverb




Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

March 11, 2025

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1884, Denver: Part #18 - page 18

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 18 - Original copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)



oapy Smith in Denver.
Operating the prize package soap sell racket in 1884.

This is page 18, the continuation of page 17, and dated March 28 - April 12, 1884, 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.
     These notebook pages have never been published before! They continue to be of revealing interest. The picture that the pages draw is of young 22 year-old Jefferson pursuing "soap sales" over a very wide spread of territory and in a very tenacious, even driven, way.
     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and sometimes 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. My long time friend, and publisher, Art Petersen, has been a great help in deciphering and adding additional information.
     I will include the original copy, an enhanced copy, and a negative copy of each page. Also included will be 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 1882-1884.
     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.
     In one noticeable respect, page 18 is different from most of the other pages seen so far, as it is notes taken after the fact. Page 18 is also different as it is a description of his operations in Denver, and only Denver. From my research I know that Soapy is not yet entrenched in Denver at this time, but this page may be the very beginning stages of that entrenchment.
     Although the communication of twenty-one-year-old Soapy Smith is with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today).
     The first half of page 18 seems to be expense notes, and the second half begins to list income (which continues on p19).      
     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 18 - Enhanced copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 18 - Negative copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)



Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 18 - Deciphered copy
1884
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Page 18
  • Line 1: "Clothes from March 28 to [1884]"
  • Line 2: "Apr [April] 27. [$]75.00" 
Notes: Soapy paid $75 for clothes in the span of one month, between March 28 - April 27, 1884.
  • Line 3: "Board &. [$]75.00"
Notes: room and board, likely a hotel, for the same one month period, March 28 - April 27, 1884.
  • Line 4A: "incidental [$]70.00"
Notes: It's common to build "incidental[s]" into a budget.
  • Line 4B:"Paid RB [room and board] clerk [$]140.00"
Notes: Why is this different from Line 3? Was it another town, another hotel? Listed is $75.00 and then $140.00 as "Paid RB clerk." Instead of cost for board being listed twice, probably the 75 for "Board" is part of the $140 figure. That would make sense except that 75 + 70 = 145. Perhaps what's happening is that Soapy figures 70 may be what "incidental[s]" will come to, but in paying in advance for his stay, he paid the RB estimate of 75 but only 65 for "incidental[s]." If these came to more, he could pay upon checking out, OR, if he didn't use all the incidentals money, a refund would be due.
  • Line 5: "March 28th 1884"
  • Line 6: "ticket [$]5.00"
Notes: Train or stagecoach ticket?
  • Line 7: "License [$]10.00"
Notes: Likely a Denver city street vendors license. it is known that in other cities, Soapy did purchase "licenses" to engage in "sales." Ironically, following city ordinances often protected Soapy from legal problems.
  • Line 8: "lost [$]5.00 on bet."
Notes: Oh to know the details! This second "March 28th 1884" date may be a heading for expenses that day, including a notation for how much he has left ($114) after expenses "to open" his Denver sales campaign. The March 28 expenses list a license for $10 and $5 lost on a bet. These expenses seem clear, but two others are not—the "ticket" for $5 and the room also for $5. What was the ticket for—entrance to something, a train ticket? Or might the "ticket" be a printed sign of some kind that he could set up, or cards (as in business cards) for some purpose.  
  • Line 9: "room [$]5.00"
Notes: room and board for one night? He already paid for room and board, so what could another room be for—to conduct sales in, or a storeroom for storing sales good? Then there's the amount of $5, which is quite a bit ($167.55) for a room, unless it were over time, such as for a month. 
  • Line 10: "had [$]114.00 to open"
Notes: To open what? His street game? The prize package soap sell racket?
  • Line 11: "Commenced"
  • Line 12: "to sell in Denver"
Notes: He 'started' or 'begun" his game(s) in Denver, Colorado. 
  • Line 13: "4th time on Friday"
  • Line 14: "March 28th 1884"
Notes: March 28, 1884 is a Friday, but what does "4th time" refer to? Four sales, or four attempts? Perhaps it refers to prior visits since 1882-1883, as he was traveling the West for quite a while.
  • Line 15: "1. Sale $20.00 March 28th"
Notes: Line 13 implies it was the "4th time," however, line 15 reads only one sale?
  • Line 16: "2 Sales [$]55.00 ' ' [March] 29th [1884]"
Notes: Two sales for a total of $55 on March 29, 1884. He then took Sunday through Tuesday off, and began again on Wednesday, April 2nd, earning the largest amount of sales recorded on page 18, $74.50 ($2,645.50 in today's dollars).
  • Line 17: "2 Sales $74.50 Apr 2nd"
Notes: Two sales for a total of $74.50 on April 2, 1884.
  • Line 18: "2 ' ' [Sales] $28.00 ' ' [April] 3rd"
Notes: Two sales for a total of $28 on April 3, 1884.
  • Line 19: "2 ' ' [Sales] $39.00 ' ' [April] 4th"
Notes: Two sales for a total of $39 on April 4, 1884.
  • Line 20: "2 ' ' [Sales] $36.00 Apr 5th"
Notes: Two sales for a total of $36 on April 5, 1884.
  • Line 21: "2 ' ' [Sales] $45.00 Apr [April] 7th"
Notes: Two sales for a total of $45 on April 7, 1884.
  • Line 22: "2 Sales $32.00 Apr [April] 8th"
Notes: Two sales for a total of $32 on April 8, 1884.
  • Line 23: "1 Sale $28.00 ' ' [April] 9th"
Notes: One sale for $28 on April 9, 1884.
  • Line 24: "1 ' ' [Sale] $33.00 [April] 10th"
Notes: One sale for $33 on April 10, 1884.
  • Line 25: "1 Sale $14.00 ' ' [April] 11th"
Notes: One sale for $14 on April 11, 1884.
  • Line 26: "1 ' ' [Sale] $19.00 [April] 12th"
Notes: One sale for $19 on April 12, 1884.

     In Seattle in July 1882, over several days, Soapy took in $112 ($3,702,84 in today's dollars). "Several days" may be estimated to be three, so for the first three days of sales in Denver, Jeff took in $149.50 ($5,308.75) for an increase over Seattle sales of $37.50 ($1,331.63), or a 34% increase.
     Soapy's total income recorded on page 18 through April 12 (taking Sunday the 6th off) for 12 days' work through April 12, 1884, is $423.50 ($14,191.49). Soapy's skill at "selling" has apparently improved. Additionally, instead of moving from place to place, he's discovered a way to conduct his selling in one city without having to move from place to place. In this regard, if Jeff was working on 17th Street, the main thoroughfare from the train station, he had a steady stream of new customers all day every day.
     The Denver sales continue on notebook page #19



 



 









Part #17
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)







"If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday. "
—Pearl Buck
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

March 6, 2025

"Ice Box" Murphy: Another Soapy Smith gang member who didn't exist.


(Click image to enlarge)




ce Box Murphy

Did He Exist?

Anyone reading my book, Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel, and this blog, might have wondered why I have not included the history of the soap gang member, “Ice Box” Murphy. The early biographies introduced me to Murphy, whose story was also included in most of the later biographies and articles. Today, many writers repeat the same old fabrications. Wait, “fabrications?” Since I started researching “Soapy’s” history in 1985 I have never found a single source or newspaper article proving that “Ice Box” Murphy existed outside the old bios.

In my book, Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel, 2009, I wrote
Early biographers had access to scant factual information about members of Jeff’s soap gang. Invented yarns and exaggerations where no known facts were available made their stories more interesting. Some of the men said to have worked for Jeff, such as “Ice Box” Murphy, are possibly complete fabrications as not a single separate accounting of their existence could be found.
It was in the book, The Reign of Soapy Smith: Monarch of Misrule, by William R. Collier and Edwin V. Westrate, 1935, where I first read about "Ice Box" Murphy, describing the story of how he got his name (pp. 32-33).
     “Ice Box” Murphy, box-car tripper, amateur yegg, and one-time running mate of ‘A No. 1,’ the world-famed hobo, was taken on by Soapy as a booster. Ambitious to be a great safe blower, Murphy’s career in that field was irreparably ruined by the fatal blunder which earned him his sobriquet early in his efforts.
     His small stature secured him membership in a gang which took him along on a ‘job’ whose objective was to empty the safe of a wholesale butcher shop. The diminutive Murphy was boosted through the transom. Sent in with ‘soup,’ putty, fuse drills, and blanket, he operated alone in the darkness. Some fifteen minutes elapsed before he unlocked the door from the inside and rejoined his pals. A minute later, the building was shaken by a muffled explosion. The yeggs rushed in-to discover that Murphy had blown the steel refrigerator instead of the safe!
     In every direction the floor was strewn with shattered steaks, chops, frankfurters, hams, cutlets, and sides of beef. There was no time to correct the error, and Murphy, in disgrace, was banished forever by the blasting brotherhood. He was never allowed to forget his faux pas, and the name, ‘Ice Box,’ was fastened on him in derision. To Smith, however, he had his uses, and he was kept as a member of the soap gang.
In the book, Soapy Smith: King of the Frontier Con Men, by Frank G. Robertson and Beth K. Harris, 1961, the authors repeated the same story, and did not add anything new on Murphy.
Ice Box Murphy came by his name because in a burglary he crawled into a building to blow open a safe, but confused the safe with a large old-fashioned walk-in refrigerator. Instead of money, he blew steaks, roasts, and mutton chops all over the room.
Since that time, authors have repeated the same story, unable to add anything new. I don't particularly believe that there was an "Ice Box" Murphy but as William Wright said in 1888, "The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence," so I will continue to keep an open mind and open eyes.



 










"Ice Box" Murphy: page 73.






"The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."
—William Wright, 1888



Posted by at No comments:

February 27, 2025

Soapy Smith's "STAR" notebook, 1883: Part #17 - page 17

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 17 - Original copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy
(Click image to enlarge)




oapy Smith in San Francisco, Ohio, South Dakota, Kentucky.
Cheap John scam, Knight's Conclave, Cotton Exposition and horse races.

     This is page 17, dated July-August 1883, 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.
     These notebook pages have never been published before! They continue to be of revealing interest. The picture that the pages draw is of young 22 year-old Jefferson pursuing "soap sales" over a very wide spread of territory and in a very tenacious, even driven, way.
     The notebook(s) are in Soapy's handwriting, and sometimes 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. My long time friend, and publisher, Art Petersen, has been a great help in deciphering and adding additional information.
     I will include the original copy, an enhanced copy, and a negative copy of each page. Also included will be 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.
     It seems Soapy is not entrenched in Denver yet, still operating as a nomad moving from town to town.
     In one noticeable respect, page 17 is different from the other pages seen so far. In contrast, page 17 is uncommonly clear. The lead of the pencil must have been sharp and the notepad on a hard surface for the letters and words to be so dark and impressed so legibly. Other pages often seem written on with a dull pencil, and the words seem a bit shaken and jagged, as if made with the notebook in hand, perhaps while aboard the swaying car of a moving train or stagecoach. Alcohol may also play a part in the bad handwriting seen thus far.
     Page 17 continues listing places to consider visiting, that is, to list options to consider. The places are far flung (e.g., Louisville, KY; New London, OH; San Francisco, CA) and getting from place to place in 1883 would take days. Because of the distances, rather than an itinerary, they seem more suited to be individual options from which to choose. covers his possible journey to San Francisco, Ohio, South Dakota and Kentucky, operating the cheap John swindle while attending a Knight's Conclave, the Cotton Exposition and horse races. Although the communication of twenty-one-year-old Soapy Smith is with himself, the writing also communicates with us about him 142 years later (and potentially far beyond today).
     Below are my attempts to attempts to make the writing easier to see and decipher.

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 17 - Enhanced copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)

Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 17 - Negative copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy
(Click image to enlarge)



Soapy Smith STAR Notebook
Page 17 - Deciphered copy
1883
Courtesy of Geri Murphy

(Click image to enlarge)


Page 17
  • Line 1: "Goods to Handle"
  • Line 2: "Tin ware for California" 
  • Line 3: "Crockery for every"
  • Line 4: "place New London [Ohio]"
  • Line 5: "Ohio."
  • Line 6: "'Occurrences'"
  • Line 7: "Knights Conclave"
  • Line 8: "San Francisco Aug."
  • Line 9: "Cotton Exposition"
  • Line 10: "Louisville [Kentucky] Aug."
  • Line 11: "Races at Mitchell"
  • Line 12: "Dakota [South Dakota] July 3, and 4."
  • Line 13: "Over" [continues on page 18]

  • Lines 1-4, we see that Soapy was planning to operate his swindles in California (San Francisco?), interestingly enough, it appears that Soapy was preparing to run a "cheap John" operation. I knew he started using the cheap John in Round Rock, Texas, likely out of the back of a wagon, but I always figured that once he got into the short cons (shell and pea con, three-card monte and the soap sell) he gave up the cheap John con. Was he still doing it in 1883? I thought that perhaps this might be an older dated page (1878-1881).
The cheap John swindle is the forerunner of today's Jam auction. Below is the definition of "cheap John" from my book, Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel.
A cheap John operation is the predecessor of the jam auction, which Jeff would later operate in Denver. An operator sells, usually under high pressure, practically worthless merchandise at a fraction of its value in order to excite and confuse the audience. Sometimes the items are said to be valuable manufacturers’ promotional items. First, small, practically worthless items are given away to everyone, then unexpectedly slightly more valuable items are sold to bidders for almost nothing. The procedure is conducted in a way that confuses buyers about whether they are putting up money "as a good faith gesture" that they will get back or whether they are tendering payment. When buyers are thoroughly confused, the cheap John adds the final wrinkle: the sale of almost worthless (but apparently valuable) merchandise for what seem like outrageous "bargain" prices. 
A modern day Jam Auction
Courtesy of The Real Hustle
(Click image to enlarge)

The cheap John may also be an option for Soapy. It would be natural to continue listing that kind of selling as an option. But sales of that kind surely couldn't match what Soapy found he could earn in a day or an afternoon or an hour auctioning off money-wrapped soap. Additionally, it's hard to imagine Soapy lugging around suitcases of tin ware and crockery all across the West, as opposed to an easily portable box of little cuts of soap, a small commodity for which he could build up demand in minutes. Known is that Soapy continued to sell cheap John goods, but probably not when he was on the road. Later when operating solely in a city, an auction house would be a fitting location for sales of that kind, handled for Soapy by operators, and perhaps Soapy himself on occasion.

  • Lines 4-5, show a plan to operate in New London, Ohio.

  • Lines 6, are under the heading of "Occurrences," which are more plans to visit and operate.
  • Lines 7-8, at the Knights [Triennial] Conclave in San Francisco, Cal., August 20–25, 1883. It was the first Triennial Conclave held west of St. Louis.

Grand parade of the Knights Templar
Triennial Conclave
San Francisco, Cal.
August 20, 1883
(Click image to enlarge)

  • Lines 9-10, Soapy plans to operate at The Cotton Exposition, formally called The Southern Exposition, in Louisville, Kentucky. The Southern Exposition was a series of world's fairs held in Louisville, Kentucky from August 1, 1883 to 1887. The exposition showcased the South's products, including cotton, and featured a working farm and horticultural garden.

The Southern Exposition
Also known as The Cotton Exposition
Louisville, Kentucky
(Click image to enlarge)

  • Lines 11-12, horse races in Mitchell, South Dakota, July 3-4.
  • Line 13, "Over" [continues on page 18]








 









Part #18
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)












"Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong."
—Thomas Jefferson










Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)