From Trouble

Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith operated this building officially as a saloon for about three months in 1898, but unofficially it also served as a gambling den, city hall, and headquarters for his mafia-style gang. Stories about Soapy Smith portray him in conflicting ways, making it hard to separate fact from legend: he is remembered as a scoundrel, a friend, a good Samaritan, and a father. He and his gang conned and robbed gold-rich stampeders returning from the Klondike, though some said he also donated to the community and even gave money to build a church. In July 1898, after some of his men swindled the wrong victim, the town rallied against him, and Jeff Smith was ultimately killed in a shootout. "Brave" Frank Reid got credit for shooting him, but Reid later died from gunshot wounds, and local doctors performed an autopsy on Soapy, finding that he had received three gunshot wounds.

Skagway, Alaska · United States