Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

142 HISTORY OF THE BANKexploits of the gang headed by the notorious thug known as"Soapy Smith," who for a long time operated unchecked, withheadquarters at Skagway. It was obvious that the large boxof bank-notes in the cabin with its countersunk screws and theseals of the bank, although never left without one of the partyon guard, could not escape the notice of "Soapy," and so onenight the box was quietly broken up and thrown out of thecabin port-hole. Its contents were placed in the kit-bags of theofficers with clothes stuffed around the packages, and canvassacks were secured for the displaced wearing apparel. NearJuneau a United States Customs official came aboard andinspected all baggage before it left the ship, but care was takenthat he should not evince any curiosity as to the contents ofthe kit-bags. The method employed has never been divulged,but the customs officer is said to have confided to both officersin turn that the other was a "prince." On arriving at Skagwayon May 17, the kit-bags and their contents were throwncasually on the dock with the other baggage, but two membersof the party were never more than a few feet away.The bank had arranged to have an escort of North-WestMounted Police meet the party at Skagway, but as no sign ofthem could be found in Skagway by the only member of theparty who could be spared to make a search, it was decidedto cross over to Dyea, which in those days bore a slightly lessunsavoury reputation than Skagway. After a thorough wettingin a small launch they reached Dyea and put up at the OlympicHotel, which provided the usual accommodation and serviceafforded by such stopping places in those pioneer days. Thesearch for the police escort at Dyea was unsuccessful, but thefollowing afternoon they were discovered in Skagway, havingbeen delayed on their way through the White Pass. Theyadvocated the Chilkoot Pass route to Bennett, which wasabout thirty miles distant, so the following morning at daybreakthe journey was begun. By five o'clock in the afternoon theparty reached the summit of the Chilkoot Pass, a journey offourteen miles, involving a climb of 3,500 feet from the starting