Quiet has prevailed in the vicinity of the German Hospital [now Davies Medical Center] since vigorous complaint was made to General [Frederick] Koster by the residents of that section and military sentries were stopped from shooting at dogs and cars and firing ball cartridges to signal “lights out.”

At 3 o’clock yesterday morning, however, two National Guard sentries startled the neighborhood by an inexcusable schuetzenfest. When daylight arrived it was discovered that Private T.W. Olson of Battery D, First Battalion of Coast Artillery, assisted by Private J.A. Gibney of Battery C of the same regiment, had succeeded in killing a tethered horse belonging to A.F. Cook of 64 Castro Street. The horse was riddled with bullets and died after pawing up the ground and sidewalk where he had been tied for the night.

The soldiers say that only one shot was fired, and that from Olson's gun.

Olson would have it understood that he fired “in self defense.” The two National Guardsmen say it was quite dark. They saw a figure moving in the shadow of a wall. It was the horse’s head. They challenged the horse. There was no response. Then Olson fired. Olson says the horse started to come at him viciously. A shower of sparks was emitted from the animal’s hoofs as it tried to arise from a recumbent position on the stone sidewalk. Olson did not know what was going to happen. He thought he was attacked and fired in self defense. The matter has been reported to General Koster, commanding the Second Brigade, National Guard of California.