Gen. Sheridan’s Winter Campaign against the Plains Indians during the winter of 1868-69 was hailed as a grand success, but taking all those soldiers on campaign had a devastating effect on Hays City businesses.

The campaign just happened to coincide with the loss of the railroad business as frontier entrepreneurs moved on to the “end of the track” at Sheridan as fast as they could.

Hays City’s government collapsed in late 1868. Ellis County Sheriff Isaac Thayer suddenly left his job, presumably because he wasn’t being paid. He wasn’t alone. Several county officers abandoned the bankrupt county.

For reasons not fully understood, the governor refused to appoint a new county sheriff. Instead, the citizens of Ellis County would have to wait until November elections to select a new county sheriff.

With only one city officer, the citizens of Hays City relied upon a vigilance committee to control the “... thieves, robbers and pickpockets.”

In May, Charles T. Brady was captured by vigilantes after trying to appropriate money that was not his own. He had earlier been mustered out of service in the 19th Kansas Cavalry. He had deserted from the Seventh Cavalry after he shot another soldier.

While serving in the 19th Kansas his previous desertion was unknown. After mustering out of the 19th he shot another man, was arrested, and escaped. The vigilantes were known to have taken possession of Brady, but that was all that was known until his body was found in a railroad freight car at the end of the line in western Kansas.

In that atmosphere Wild Bill was “elected” on the authority of the vigilance committee in August. Known outlaws were told to leave town.

Joseph Weiss, a former deputy U. S. marshal, was one of those running with a rough crowd that the vigilantes hoped to “clean out.” A tough character by the name of Sam Strawhun was one of his best friends. Both Weiss and Strawhun were ordered to leave town by vigilante leader, postmaster Alonzo Webster.

Weiss and Stawhun entered the Post Office to confront Webster over the subject of their injured reputation. When a pistol cleared leather Webster raised his own six-shooter from under the counter. Weiss was shot “... through the bowels.” Strawhun ran for his life.

Strawhun raised a gang of friends to take revenge on Webster. When the crowd reached the post office Wild Bill was waiting and announced that “The boy done right ...” The mob dispersed.

But the “toughs” on the frontier weren’t about to go away.

On the evening of Aug. 22, 1869, a character by the name of Bill Mulvey pulled his pistol and began shooting it wildly, even chasing several people around a Hays City dance hall. Wild Bill stepped into the dance hall and without hesitation Mulvey put his pistol to Hickok’s head. Wild Bill coolly looked behind Mulvey’s shoulder and announced, “Don’t hit him. He’s only fooling.” In the instant that Mulvey turned his head, Wild Bill pulled his pistols and fired without hesitation. Mulvey never knew what hit him.

Mulvey, like so many of his kind, was known to associate with horse thieves. Outlaws with the “long rope” were operating heavily near Fort Hays and all the military posts in Kansas. Several men were noted to be the ringleaders of a number of bands of thieves. Deputy U. S. marshals were constantly on the trail of one outlaw or another.

Sam Strawhun, the survivor of the Weiss killing was suspected of being a horse thief and by all appearances ran with those whose reputation was not in doubt.

On Sept. 27, 1869, Strawhun and a crowd of men entered a Hays City bar known as the Leavenworth Beer Saloon. The “hurrah” escalated with threats of vengeance against the Hays City Vigilance Committee. Hickok was called. Several versions are told of what happened next. Whether it was a face-to-face fight or a shot to the back of the head, Sam Strawhun didn’t live to see the sun rise.

November finally rolled around and elections were held in Ellis County. Wild Bill lost his bid for county sheriff to another frontier tough by the name of “Rattlesnake” Pete Lanahan. By the following spring soldiers were returning to Hays City and the local economy began to rebound. John W. Conner, Ellis County treasurer, declared that, “Hays City will be lively this season ...” And keeping things lively was just what a frontier town needed to keep the money flowing on The Way West.