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THE ANNUAL
SOAPY SMITH WAKE
Time of Death July 8, 1898 Friday evening roughly 9:15 pm
  Why we call it a ... WAKE
2Wake
n 1: a watch held over the body of a dead person prior
to burial and sometimes accompanied by festivity.
When the widow of Jefferson
R. Smith III (the wife of Soapy's son) passed away in 1971 she started a family tradition. In her will she requested the
family members, those who wished to attend, come to her home and remember her fondly. An addition to the will requested that
the adults bring alcoholic beverages and drink them in an informal "Irish Wake." This caused a stir with some of
the more conservative members of the family but all respected her last wishes. Although to young to drink Jeff said he remembers
everyone having a nice time; some more than others. Jeff's father, John Randolph Smith, asked that the same be done for
him and it was. When some of the family members went up to Skagway, Alaska the very first time we created the first Soapy
Smith "wake." It has been called a "wake" since 1974. The Magic Castle started up their annual event in
2004 but they prefer the word "party," over the word "wake." On this website and with the Smith family
it will always be known by its original namesake, the Soapy Smith Wake.
The Toast Many
of Soapy's friends, business associates and members of the Soap Gang were very loyal, even decades after Soapy had
been killed. The toast "Here's to Soapy's Ghost" came from one of these old-time members of the
gang who came to visit the widow and family home in St. Louis, Missouri in the 1920s. As a young boy, John Randolph
Smith recalled the visit well. He remembers the bunco man talking and drinking with Soapy's widow into the night.
During a drunken lull of silence in conversation, the old man seemed to be gazing out into space, his mind a million
miles away. Upon regaining his composure he raised his glass and quietly said, "Here's to Soapy's Ghost." The Smith family has been using that phrase since.
There are currently three Wakes held within the United States,
1.) Eagles Hall,
Skagway, Alaska.
2.) Magic Castle, Hollywood, California.
3.) The Tivoli Club (a reproduction of Soapy's saloon
in Denver, Colorado), Whitehorse Ranch movie lot, Landers, California.
If you are unable to physically join us at one of the wakes, please, no matter
where you are on July 8th, at 9:15 p.m., raise your glass and give the toast quoted below. It is the toast used by the Smith
family, started 32 years ago! Relatives and Friends of "Soapy", raise your glass.*
 View Video from this year's Wake
| Jeff and Ashley Smith |
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| "We hope you will join us at the next Wake" |
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| "It's a sure-thing!" |
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| Ashley Smith operates the chuck-a-luck table, 2007 |
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| "UNKNOWN KINDNESS" |
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| An unidentified person decorated Soapy's grave |
Skagway, Alaska is where the Soapy Smith wake originally started. It was 1974 when members
of the Smith family, along with the cast of the Days Of '98 Show (The Soapy Smith Play) started the tradition. The
newspaper in Skagway at the time reported on the event. Champaign was un-corked and consumed.
Before long there was a general need for the revelers to relieve themselves of the bubbly thus began a horrid tradition
that accompanied the Wakes. There were no restrooms, so some "wakers" decided
to go pay their respects to Frank Reid, the man credited with the killing of Soapy. The reporter defined it as the "sprinkling
of Frank." The family and some residents of Skagway thought it was funny back then. The Smith family continued to send
up money to purchase Champaign for the
wake until it was finally banned from
being held at the cemetery.
At one time the Smith family
condoned, and yes, even participated in, "the sprinkling of Frank." The family no longer sanctions or approves
of the activity. One might ask why the Smith family would treat Reid's grave as we did. Let me try to explain. In 1974,
the Smiths had known for many years that who really killed Soapy had been covered up in various ways. Research shows that
Soapy did not die in a fair fight but rather, by definition, was murdered. Over the years we learned the history of the real
Reid. Frank had a not so clean past of his own. We knew that he was not the knight in shining armor that so many historians
have painted him to be. Soapy's family was tired of hearing the same old "good" versus "evil" stories
when it came to Skagway history. The truth is that very few in Skagway of 1897-1898 could be defined as innocent. Most of
the businessmen who were so "against" Soapy after he was killed were so happy that he and his men had been keeping
the money in town, and in their pockets, when Soapy was alive. "Good friends," however, quickly turned into self-professed
"bitter enemies." None of Soapy's friends in Skagway dared stick up for him, and no one can really
blame them. To have stuck up for Soapy after he was killed would mean the loss of everything one owned and a ticket straight
of town. It was only after they had left the city would some of the residents and friends discuss their true feelings about
what had occurred. In 1974, after decades of turmoil over the covered-up murder of their grandfather, the grandchildren's
exasperated resentment came pouring out ... literally. Our revengeful grudge should not have been pointed specifically at
Reid, but he had been put up on such a high pedestal that he was an easy target to aim at. There are several other
targets more deserving. Their names will be discussed in detail in Jeff Smith's upcoming biography on Soapy. Our revenge
will be the truth.
| The very first Soapy Wake, 1974 |
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| The Smith family and the Days of '98 cast at Soapy's grave |
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I am one of the two remaining family members who were present at
the first annual Soapy Wake in 1974. Though but sixteen, I remember that the Smith family knew of no surviving relatives of
Frank Reid. Over the next thirty years, I was introduced to several members of his
family and have come to realize how upset the Reid’s must be with my family and me for the tradition that began over
a generation ago. I know how upset I would be were I to find that people were doing
to Soapy’s grave what we had begun doing to Frank Reid’s in 1974. So it is, without expectation of being forgiven,
that I apologize to the descendants of Frank Reid and express most humbly my deep
regret that the horrid tradition of “sprinkling” his memorial was ever started.
Jeff Smith, President The Soapy Smith Preservation Trust
Grave
of Frank H. Reid
(Not the urinal)
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| The place to be |
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| The famed & plush Magic Castle |
The 5th annual 110th anniversary Soapy Smith Wake at the Magic Castle was an absolute success! Thanks to Whit Haydn and the Magic Castle. Was
there any doubt?
The Wake was held downstairs
of the Magic Castle in the W.C. Fields bar, and it was packed solid with several hundred guests. Dress ranged from three-piece
suits to 19th century costumes. The $5.00 entrance included $100 in Soapy play money for gambling at the gaming tables
which included roulette, craps, 21, chuck-a-luck and faro. The casino was operated by Phil Gessert of Pharobank.com. The
money collected was donated to the Magic Castle's, Dia Vernon Charity Fund. Guests were also invited to purchase numerous
auction items, including a small wood chip off the original grave marker, beautifully displayed in a shadow box. The chip
sold for $60. There were a number of Soapy related souvenirs for sale, including bars of Soapy soap, posters, t-shirts,
tote bags, and playing cards. The guest who won the most "money" at the end of the night was awarded
one of the Soapy grave marker chips in a shadow box. An $60 value, according to this years auction.
| SOAPY MONEY (110th Annv.) |
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| Play money and one of the Soapy buttons |
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| Soapy Smith descendants |
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| Elizabeth Moriarity & Jeanette Smith |
Jeff Smith once again brought the original grave marker and Pete Menyhart
brought a replica of the very first grave marker. Jeff spoke to the crowd on new found information regarding the gunfight
on Juneau Company Wharf. He mingled the rest of the night with interested guests. Every year there was a notable increase
in the size of the crowd, and the knowledge of Soapy.
Two time US champion
pool trick shooter, Chef Anton, wowed the crowd with his humorous and skillful trade. "Professor" Dave
Bourne, from HBO's Deadwood, played his 19th century piano accompanied by a small band playing 19th century music
on period instruments.
| Shay Maxwell creation |
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| Souvenir Soapy faro deck |
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| Beauty and the chip |
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| One of two shadow boxes containing a sliver from the grave marker |
Many guests came in old west clothing
and the costume contest had some very interesting entries. Once again, Jeff was one of the judges, and said this year was
even harder than last to decided who the winners were. Larry Bitterman, of Old Frontier clothing Company donated one of his
finest shirts as a prize. Jeff Smith donated several slivers
that had fallen from the Soapy grave marker, to the event. Whit Haydn placed them in two beautifully decorated shadow boxes,
complete with signatures of authentication. One of the boxes went to the raffle and the other was placed in the auction and
realized a final bid of $60. Not bad for a sliver of wood smaller than half a tooth-pick.
At 9:00 p.m.
Jeff took the stage and spoke on the newest findings regarding the Gunfight on Juneau Wharf and gave a walk-through step-by-step
account of the gunfight using four volunteers. At 9:15 pm, the approximate time of Soapy's death, family members,
Jeff Smith, Elizabeth Moriarity and Jeanette Smith joined together on stage and gave the toast we all had gathered
for. What a night it was.
| The gambling hall was very popular |
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| Jeanette Smith gambles away at the roulette table |
| Dave Bourne band |
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| Beautiful victorian music filled the air |
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| Jeff Smith owns this original marker (2nd) |
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| Marker on display at Wake |
Next years
bash will be even bigger. We plan to turn the whole Magic Castle into a den of thieves competing against each other to take
the prize. People will be able to register as dealers or players. Dealers can run their own faro tables, Monte games,
chuck-a-luck, dice, shell game, fast and loose, coin pitch, etc., and play for each others and for the players' Soapy
money. The player and the dealer with the most Soapy dollars at the end of the evening win the two biggest prizes of the night.
-Whit Haydn
See
hundreds of photographs of the Wakes
taken at the Magic Castle HERE
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| Soapy's ghost still enjoys a good game of faro |
Time
remaining until the next Wake
The Smith family wishes to extend their gratitude to Whit Haydn, Jim Richards, Jeff Brady and
all the people who have organized and supported the Wakes in memory of Jefferson R. Smith.
Thank you!
No images may be used without prior written consent.
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