Show men en of t the he aunt bunted ed by captain G elliott nightingale copyright SOAPY SMITH CHANGES CHANCES HIS MIND A A m MORE ORE notorious political racketeer never lived than soapy 0 smith for years he and his gangsters did just as they please up and down the west coast and when soapy decided to hit for the yukon during the historically famous gold rush he took most ot of his gang of ruffians cut throats and robbers with him almost overnight soapy gained complete control of skagway Sk agway and soon the town was wide open multiplied by ten Skag ways streets became battlefields where provoked and unprovoked gunfights occurred daily as some of Soa pys ruffians robbed and plundered outgoing well heeled goldrus hers and incoming ers alike at night raucous voices singing lewd and filthy songs were augmented by cries of murder from the street might was right in every sense of the word meanwhile all sorts of gyp artists card sharps confidence men and shell game crooks robbed and plundered right and left keeping out of trouble because soapy the big boss had arranged the police and judic judiciary i I 1 a ry to suit himself soapy and his lieutenants planned and executed hundreds of robberies and swindling schemes growing richer and more powerful the while then came news the northwest mounted police were about to escort about in notes and gold from lake bennet post to victoria british columbia via the port at skaga skagway Sk agway ay surely this was too juicy a plum for soapy and his gang to miss miss moreover up to this time both soapy and his henchmen had balked at any job that might make them step into canadian territory even the reputedly daring soapy entertained a healthy respect for the men of the mounted here was a job they could pull right on american soil where by rights the men of the mounted had no business and so soapy and his brain trust sat down an and d schemed planned and arranged for every emergency this was to be the job of the decade soapy organized an army of well armed men engaged boats and planted scouts here and there the comm commissioner missioner iss ioner of the yukon territory bade goodby good by and good luck to three men of the mounted inspector wood and two constables their load consisted of their own personal kits and the after many anxious miles during which the three men of the mounted followed the skagway trail and nodded the time 0 day with furtive eyed rascals who were evidently Soa pys scouts inspector wood and his men arrived at dyea where they immediately boarded a waiting rowboat and were soon rowing out across the bay halfway across several well armed men in a rather large ro rowboat W manned by half a dozen stout muscled oarsmen oarsman oars men did their best to intimidate the northwest mounted and made several attempts to bring the two boats into a collision inspector wood handling the steering oar warned the ruffians to keep their distance or he would fire upon them and thus arguing b back ack and forth the two boa boats ts finally crosse crossed d the bay without any shootings or upon arrival at the wharf however inspector wood and his men received a rough and tumble reception from almost a hundred ruffians lined up and ready for the big robbery As the men of the mounted stepped to the wharf carrying their they were tripped and jostled and pushed about hither and yon as they tried to make their way toward a small steamer that lay alongside awaiting their coming kicked and pushed and tripped and otherwise held up and delayed things began to look really serious the great robbery was imminent and then just when it seemed that the men of the mounted were about to be smothered by the mob the captain aboard the steamer tooted the vessels horn and instantly a score of armed members of the royal naval reserve were over the side and down among Soa pys gang in no time the men of the mounted and their were snatched from the mob and were aboard the steamer soapy smith surrounded by at least a score of his most trusted gunmen had witnessed the whole show from the deck of a tug that was treading water nearby although he had seen his best plans plana go haywire he was still smiling or sneering when he opened up conversation with inspector woo wood d like ter have yer stay 0 round skagway a day er two specter said soapy its a mighty nice town have anything any ting yer want name it an its how bout it thank you mr smith the inspector replica rep replied liea coolly but I 1 must be about my business id advise you to keep oil off canadian territory ry in the future as you have done so very well in the past good afternoon sir |