Thi soldiers stationed at Fort Sidney were not "t" the lily white variety. An Irishman named John Mathews and his wife ran a joint some distance east of the present site of tin- American Stale Bank, and they got mixed up in an embroglio with a bunch of soldiers. Early in the morning those who had retired, I Sidney was then a town where sale open day and night) wen- awakened b) hots, and the few who

were stationed where they could witness the affair, said that the Irishman and his wife stood in the door side by side, and each emptied a six-shooter at the soldiers, some six or seven of whom were wounded. Then they went inside and barred the door, and immediately dropped flat upon the floor. The soldiers riddled the front of the building with bullets, but all were too high to hit the recumbent occupants. This was only an incident of the life'there.

Julius Thoelecke ran a jewelry store and watch repairing establishment on Second street about a half block east of the American State Bank corner, in 1881, and he resided in the same building. He had a living room at the rear of the store, and a kitchen to the rear of that. West of the living room was the bedroom, and in front of that was another room occupied by a milinery store and living room, which was owned by a Mrs. Ferguson.

Thoelecke had a brothe'r at North Platte, who occasionally shipped hay to Sidney, and Julius attended to the distribution. Sam Fowler was then sheriff, he having succeeded Mose Howard who had resigned. He had a deputy named "Cottontail" Strater, a fearless man possessed of a desire to see a little more law enforced. On the morning in mind he visited Thoelecke's place for the purpose of negotiating regarding some hay.