A friend of the Oberfelders from New York had come to Sidney, and Bob, while showing him around, dropped in Zobel's place. At one table sat three distinguished characters ; Hank Clifford, from the Stage station on the Niobrara river ; Ben Tibbets, beef killer and squawman from Red Cloud agency, and "Arkansas John" Wyseckler. Their bibulous feast had reached a stage of mellowness where they were shampooing one another with tomato ketchup. One of them reached for the pepper sauce bottle, and Bob and his guest "beat it."

One of the celebrating three let out a yell like a Sioux Indian, and the shooting began. When the smoke cleared, all the lights were out of commission, and the front of the building was a total wreck. No one was killed.

Cattle Rustlers

In the few years of change, where ranges gave way to grangers, cattle rustling became common. Early in this period, Doc Middleton committed the offense of killing two dissolute soldiers, and thereby became an outlaw. Contemporaneously others made it a business, using the settler as a "Smoke screen." As often as possible they made the granger an accomplice, giving him meat for domestic needs, which needs were frequently sufficient. Occasionally cowboys and near cowboys became cattle detectives, and sometimes outside detectives were empolyed.

Jack Crittendon's services were presumed to be on the side of cattlemen, but he evidently "played both ends." When Tom Kane was preparing some cases against offenders of cowmen's ethics, Jack became alarmed that he might not be on the winning side. He sought Kane to give assurance of his dependability. Kane was busy making out some papers and