ArizonaRealCountry.com 41 October 2018 Jefferson "Soapy" Smith continued from page 39 Marshal who had gone to one of Smith's dens to serve a warrant on one of Smith's "employees", a bartender whom a miner named Stewart had claimed cheated him of his gold. Shooting down the Marshal, the bartender fled into the outback, Smith refusing to turn him over or tell of his whereabouts. About the same time, his minions brazenly and publicly cheated another miner of his fortune, and an aroused citizenry decided enough was enough. They formed this "Committee of 101" and demanded justice and the "cleaning-up" of Skagway. An ill-tempered man named Frank Reid, a one-time Oregon surveyor who had moved up to Alaska to seek his fortune and who was one of the leaders of this law enforcing "Committee of 101", openly confronted the con man on after the July 4, 1898, Independence Day celebrations in Skagway. He demanded that Smith return the miner's earnings to him. He gave Smith till 4 p.m. that afternoon of July 8, 1898, to return the stolen gold to Stewart or he would come back and personally arrest him. At first, Smith considered returning the gold but as 4 p.m. approached, drinking quite heavily, he summoned up his courage and angrily demurred. When Reid went to Soapy's Jeff's Place saloon and demanded the return of the loot, an aroused Smith tried to bring his Winchester down on Reid's arm. Reid then attempted to open fire but his Colt misfired, so Soapy shot first, his bullet smashing Reid's groin. Reid fired back, first hitting Soapy in the arm, then as both men kept firing on each other, Reid's shots hit home, and Soapy Smith lay dead on the floor, thus ending the two-decade crime spree of Jefferson “Soapy” Smith. The aroused citizenry, accompanied by the new U.S. Marshal who had succeeded the murdered Marshal Rowan were soon able to disarm the rest of Smith's crew and send them packing. Frank Reid sadly died of his wounds a couple of days later, mourned by all good citizens in Skagway as a law-abiding savior. Of course - just in case you were wondering - in Stewart's "The Far Country", his character survived, though grievously wounded before shooting down Judge Gannon aka Soapy Smith. Royal North-West Mounted Police Inspector Zachary Taylor Wood, grandson of U.S. President Zachary Taylor, Nephew of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and son of notorious Confederate Sea Captain John Taylor Wood who fled with his family to Canada after Appomattox. Raised in Canada, Zachary Wood joined the Mounties and almost alone faced down Soapy Smith and his gang while delivering a shipment of Gold to Skagway during the Klondike Gold Rush. Bob Ford was able to escape the vengeance of Jesse James' friends and admirers for over a decade until his luck ran out in Creede, Colorado. In opening up a saloon he sparked the jealousy of his one-time friend, Jefferson "Soapy" Smith, who at first had his drinking place burned down, then when Ford reopened a tent saloon, he sent in his own hired assassin, former lawman Ed O'Kelley to gun Ford down. Inset: Frank Reid, the hot- tempered ex-surveyor who was brave and brazen enough to face down Soapy Smith. His gun misfired, so Smith was able to shoot him before he killed the gang leader. Reid, in great pain from his wounds died several days after killing Soapy Smith. Top: The autopsy of Soapy Smith.