The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-10-27
A FEMALE JESSE JAMES.
a TRUE STORY OF LAwLEss LOVE AND LAW
LESS HATE.

The following strange story Of IswIess love
and lawIess hate connected with the hanging
of Mary Sullivan by a mob in Caldwell
county, Ky, on the 26th of September, is
given in the Louisville Commercial About
ten years ago there lived in the bottoms
along Tradewater river, in the northern part
of Caldwell county, two families destined te
the most terrible pnds-the Campbells, Reii-
", J. b and Budd; and the Sullivans, Tom
and his sister Mary. They were considered
neither better nor worse than those around
them. They were ignorant and rather shit
! less, but so were many Others in the neigh
I borhood. Soon, however, :he country peo-
pie round about began TO say strange things
OF
THE GIRL MARY SULLIVAN.
she was bright, quick girl Of twenty.
with light blue eyes. and little above the
medium in size. No man for miles ahout
could outlift her. With gun or pistol she
was a dead shot On horseback there
wasn't q boy in the country who could ride
faster over rougher country, or who dared TO
commit half tile dare devil pranEs that Mary
constantly delighted in
The effect Of all this in a quiet country
neighhOrhood can hardly be imagined -
Mary Sullivan's name became the by-wOrd
for all that was Infamous. and the staid
country matrons luIIed their babies to sleep
with stories Of the horrible Mary and her
midnight rides and crimes Then rumor
turned to other things. Mary was often
seen with the Campbell boys, and once or
twice she was seen with them ana her broth
or late at night. dashing at her usual break
neck speed over the country roads. About
this time the most daring r0bheries began to
be committed in the northern end of the
county. Farmers found their smoke houses
open night after night. Several stores we're
broken into and robbed, and, strange to say,
no one knew WHO committed the crimes
One old farmer began to talk very freely,
saying that he recognized Mary Sullivan at
the head of the Camphells break into his
smoke-house. A day OF so afterwards Marv
galOped up to his house. called him out and
asked him what he meant by saying what he
did
"Did you see me and the CampbeIs at
your s,noke-house ?'' asked she, at the same
time pulling n big navy revolver and shov-
ing it under his nose.
The old man stammered ont an apology,
and was never afterward heard to say
word against the CampbelIs Among the
most bitter denOuncers of the gang was an
old man named FeIkers, who lived few
miles from them on the Trade water One
night just three years ago two men, after
ward discovered to be Tom Sullivan and
Reilly Campbell, rode up to old man Felix
eTs, took him and his old wife out and beat
them severely. They then rode off This
affair caused the most intense excitement
A mob was hurriedly organized and some
forty men rode over to the Camphells-'
Mary Sullivan had in some way heard that
they were coming several hours beforehand
She and her brother Tom went over to the
little log hut Of the Campbells and barricad-
ed themselves. When the mob came up they
de manded the instant surrender of the
whole gang. Mary yelled out taunting}y:
"Come on and get US, you cowardly
hounds"
Fire was opened by the mob, and the
Campbells and Sullivans promptly returned
it. After n little the besieged made it so hot
for the mob that it had to retire. The only
man hurt in the melee was Tom Sullivan.
who was shot in the breast, but who soon re-