Jack Sully
Encyclopedia
Jack Sully also Arthur McDonald, was an America
n cattle rustler
and outlaw
. He was also elected Sheriff of Charles Mix County, South Dakota.
1850. Sully graduated from an American or Canadian
college and was living in Hamilton, Ontario
, by the early 1870s. During that decade, he moved to the southern area of the Dakota Territory
(to what is now South Dakota
) and gained employment as a cowboy
. There, the young man became a skilful horse rider as well as a good shooter. In 1872, Sully was elected Charles Mix County, South Dakota, sheriff in a landslide, winning the vote 61-1. However, election observers noted that this tally placed the number of ballots cast greater than the number of people who actually voted.
The cowboy soon became acquainted with criminals, and by 1880 had become an outlaw and married a Sioux
woman named Mary. Sully and his wife moved to the Rosebud Indian Reservation
, and Sully became the leader of an outlaw gang which caused the loss of hundreds of cattle and horses from Dakota Territory properties each year. In his early days, Sully also caused the Government of the United States trouble when he cut timber
from government-owned property to sell at the market.
By the early 1890s, the cattle rustlers
had reached into Canada, with stolen Saskatchewan
and Alberta
cattle being found in American markets, and vice-versa. Law enforcement remained unaware of the perpetrators of the crimes. By 1900, the rustling gang had accumulated over 12 members, stolen 50,000 cattle and 3,000 horses, as well as killed seven settlers on the Missouri River
. In 1901, law enforcement forced Sully to retreat to Canada, but he returned two years later, in 1903. On an unknown date, Sully was arrested and held at Mitchell
on a cattle rustling charge, but escaped from prison and eluded officers until May 1904. During that month, the new United States Deputy Marshal
, Johnny Petrie, who had been a close friend of Sully's until he discovered his illegal activities, shot the outlaw when he refused to surrender in a stand at Rosebud Indian Reservation
. By 1906, law enforcement officers had forced Sully's old gang to disband.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n cattle rustler
Cattle raiding
Cattle raiding is the act of stealing cattle.In Australia, such stealing is often referred to as duffing, and the person as a duffer...
and outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
. He was also elected Sheriff of Charles Mix County, South Dakota.
Biography
Jack Sully was born Arthur McDonald in Virginia circaCirca
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1850. Sully graduated from an American or Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
college and was living in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, by the early 1870s. During that decade, he moved to the southern area of the Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
(to what is now South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
) and gained employment as a cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
. There, the young man became a skilful horse rider as well as a good shooter. In 1872, Sully was elected Charles Mix County, South Dakota, sheriff in a landslide, winning the vote 61-1. However, election observers noted that this tally placed the number of ballots cast greater than the number of people who actually voted.
The cowboy soon became acquainted with criminals, and by 1880 had become an outlaw and married a Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
woman named Mary. Sully and his wife moved to the Rosebud Indian Reservation
Rosebud Indian Reservation
The Rosebud Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in South Dakota, United States. It is the home of the federally recognized Sicangu Oyate, also known as Sicangu Lakota, the Upper Brulé Sioux Nation, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe , a branch of the Lakota people...
, and Sully became the leader of an outlaw gang which caused the loss of hundreds of cattle and horses from Dakota Territory properties each year. In his early days, Sully also caused the Government of the United States trouble when he cut timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
from government-owned property to sell at the market.
By the early 1890s, the cattle rustlers
Cattle raiding
Cattle raiding is the act of stealing cattle.In Australia, such stealing is often referred to as duffing, and the person as a duffer...
had reached into Canada, with stolen Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
cattle being found in American markets, and vice-versa. Law enforcement remained unaware of the perpetrators of the crimes. By 1900, the rustling gang had accumulated over 12 members, stolen 50,000 cattle and 3,000 horses, as well as killed seven settlers on the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
. In 1901, law enforcement forced Sully to retreat to Canada, but he returned two years later, in 1903. On an unknown date, Sully was arrested and held at Mitchell
Mitchell, South Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
on a cattle rustling charge, but escaped from prison and eluded officers until May 1904. During that month, the new United States Deputy Marshal
United States Marshals Service
The United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
, Johnny Petrie, who had been a close friend of Sully's until he discovered his illegal activities, shot the outlaw when he refused to surrender in a stand at Rosebud Indian Reservation
Rosebud Indian Reservation
The Rosebud Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in South Dakota, United States. It is the home of the federally recognized Sicangu Oyate, also known as Sicangu Lakota, the Upper Brulé Sioux Nation, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe , a branch of the Lakota people...
. By 1906, law enforcement officers had forced Sully's old gang to disband.