SNEAK PEEK - CHAPTERS 41-50
Chapter 41 Jesse James in Sidney?
In a traitorous confession made in the late 1800's a member of the James gang mentioned Sidney and that they were indeed in Sidney and operated out of the town during . . . .
Chapter 42 Suicide and Rough Times
While the Old West is often thought of almost in romantic terms, the reality of the situation was as harsh as life could get for some poor wretches and suicide was . . . . .
Chapter 43 “The Night of Fight and Fright”, Changes the Course of Sidney History
Never in the history of the Old West had such a turn of events occur that changed the very course of Sidney as well as other Old West towns that would follow Sidney’s example when a vigilante group vowed to clean up the town, mandating through a public notice that all murderers, thieves, pimps and slick fingered gentleman . . . must go! Sixteen of the most villainous cut-throats and crime bosses were rounded up, the first hung from a tree at the courthouse and the incredible events that followed . . . . . . . .
Chapter 44 The Real Facts Surrounding Famed Detective James “Whispering” Smith
Books, movies and television shows would be written and produced about the Old West legacy left by famed detective James L. “Whispering” Smith, who spent a year in Sidney trying to solve the famous gold robbery, but instead murdered at least two innocent men, became known as a drunk and was hated, despised and . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 45 Dance Carries on as Dead Bodies Moved In Corner
In the winter of 1881, a dance was held at a ranch north of Sidney; plenty of women and whisky were provided and arrangements made to have a rip snortin’ good time. There were soldiers, cowboys and border desperadoes in the mix, which resulted into a boisterous quarrel, death ensued, but the dance carried on while . . . . . . .
Chapter 46 Cold Leaded Killers
A shooting took place in the Jack Haynes Saloon in Sidney. Two men were under the heavy influence of liquor all day and began wrestling with one another in a joking manner, when they started to take it more serious. One smacked the gun handle on the other’s head leaving a horrible gas and the swore he would shoot the son of a . . . . . .
Chapter 47 Sidney Stagnated, Where’s the Gold?
By 1884 it seemed that things began to all apart in this upstart western frontier community and the population census indicated the aftermath of the gold rush was causing some tough economic times, but Sidney was still making headlines as a Confidence Man and his mistress were both murdered by . . . . . . .
Chapter 48 Double Murder, Legal Hanging and the Good Sheriff
Old West Sidney had its fill of vigilante hangings, but a chilling tale of a double murder in 1885 brought about the first “legal” hanging of Cheyenne County to take place. Sheriff Eubanks replaced some of the questionable law enforcers of the past and hunted down the killer. A man offered to spring the trap door on the murderer if . . . . . . .
Chapter 49 Sidney Finally Incorporated in 1884
Was Old Sidney town actually going to be tamed after 17 years of functioning as a community, but with no municipal government structure? Previous attempts to incorporate met with failure, but this time the business community headed by J.J. McIntosh approached the Cheyenne County Commissioners and . . . . .
Chapter 50 Can’t See Sidney, But We Can Smell It!
Sidney is situated under a sheltering bluff in the valley of the swift running Lodge Pole River and has an opportunity to be neat, pretty and clean, but what is its condition? Filthy, absolutely filthy - worse than many a Mexican town of many times its size. The ditches are littered with . . . . . . .
In a traitorous confession made in the late 1800's a member of the James gang mentioned Sidney and that they were indeed in Sidney and operated out of the town during . . . .
Chapter 42 Suicide and Rough Times
While the Old West is often thought of almost in romantic terms, the reality of the situation was as harsh as life could get for some poor wretches and suicide was . . . . .
Chapter 43 “The Night of Fight and Fright”, Changes the Course of Sidney History
Never in the history of the Old West had such a turn of events occur that changed the very course of Sidney as well as other Old West towns that would follow Sidney’s example when a vigilante group vowed to clean up the town, mandating through a public notice that all murderers, thieves, pimps and slick fingered gentleman . . . must go! Sixteen of the most villainous cut-throats and crime bosses were rounded up, the first hung from a tree at the courthouse and the incredible events that followed . . . . . . . .
Chapter 44 The Real Facts Surrounding Famed Detective James “Whispering” Smith
Books, movies and television shows would be written and produced about the Old West legacy left by famed detective James L. “Whispering” Smith, who spent a year in Sidney trying to solve the famous gold robbery, but instead murdered at least two innocent men, became known as a drunk and was hated, despised and . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 45 Dance Carries on as Dead Bodies Moved In Corner
In the winter of 1881, a dance was held at a ranch north of Sidney; plenty of women and whisky were provided and arrangements made to have a rip snortin’ good time. There were soldiers, cowboys and border desperadoes in the mix, which resulted into a boisterous quarrel, death ensued, but the dance carried on while . . . . . . .
Chapter 46 Cold Leaded Killers
A shooting took place in the Jack Haynes Saloon in Sidney. Two men were under the heavy influence of liquor all day and began wrestling with one another in a joking manner, when they started to take it more serious. One smacked the gun handle on the other’s head leaving a horrible gas and the swore he would shoot the son of a . . . . . .
Chapter 47 Sidney Stagnated, Where’s the Gold?
By 1884 it seemed that things began to all apart in this upstart western frontier community and the population census indicated the aftermath of the gold rush was causing some tough economic times, but Sidney was still making headlines as a Confidence Man and his mistress were both murdered by . . . . . . .
Chapter 48 Double Murder, Legal Hanging and the Good Sheriff
Old West Sidney had its fill of vigilante hangings, but a chilling tale of a double murder in 1885 brought about the first “legal” hanging of Cheyenne County to take place. Sheriff Eubanks replaced some of the questionable law enforcers of the past and hunted down the killer. A man offered to spring the trap door on the murderer if . . . . . . .
Chapter 49 Sidney Finally Incorporated in 1884
Was Old Sidney town actually going to be tamed after 17 years of functioning as a community, but with no municipal government structure? Previous attempts to incorporate met with failure, but this time the business community headed by J.J. McIntosh approached the Cheyenne County Commissioners and . . . . .
Chapter 50 Can’t See Sidney, But We Can Smell It!
Sidney is situated under a sheltering bluff in the valley of the swift running Lodge Pole River and has an opportunity to be neat, pretty and clean, but what is its condition? Filthy, absolutely filthy - worse than many a Mexican town of many times its size. The ditches are littered with . . . . . . .
