The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-05-01
END Of The SU|LY GANG
HOW CATTLE THIEVES WORKED
IN EARLY DAYS.
SOCIETY BOUND BY DEATH

Movements Of the Old Time Sully
Gang Of Cattle Thieves on the Rose.
bud-DeMarsche Under indictment.
Oacoma, S. d., April 25--ln the in
dictment of Joseph De Marsche for
cattle rustling and the action of Judge
Garland, of Sioux Falls, last week in
holding him for trial at Deadwood
next month, brought to light a re-
markable story of the formation of an
avowed thicving society, in which
woman's wit played an important
part.
"The Circle society as this organi-
cation, dreaded by every stocItman in
Lyman Meyer Trip, Gregory and
Presho counties, was called, was the
product of the brains of Mrs. Meyer
Winter and her husband. Bound by
all the rules of black hand society,
operating Systematically, with mem.
bership so secret that no man knew
whether his neighbor was a thief or
honest citizen, this organization for
| fifteen years terroriZed this transmits
souri, country. Jack" Sully, pictur-
esque outlaw, in his aerie on a high
hill in the toughest part of the coun-
try, was one of the chiefs in the con
| spiracy
The Circle society held its monthly
meetings at DeMarsChe ranch on the
Big White river, above the town of
Westover. The officers of the society
were: Meyer Winter, president;
David Colombo vice president; Mrs.
Meyer Winter, treasurer, and Joe De-
Marsche, secretary. Winter left the
country some time ago to escape liza
bility on bond. He had a store at
Westover, where members of the
circle came to talk over plans with
him and his wife. Colombo is now in
the penitentiary for cattle rustling
and DeMarsche is at bay in the courts.
Woman Rich in Schemes.
Mrs. Winter, as treasurer, received
the profits of the wholesale thefts and
distributed them pro rata among the
members AS natural to one in her
prominent place, she was never at a
| loss to suggest ways and means to in
crease the loot of the society, point
ing out herds that could be taken and
rebranded and showing the precise
way to do it.
Monthly assessments were paid by
each member into the treasury and
the funds so raised were used in de
Tending any member of the organiza-
ton who might be arrested for steal
ing cattle or horses. Because of its
extensive membership and the secrecy
which attended its operations, it could
never be known whether or not mem
bers we're con the juries that heard
the evidence against any one of the
society on trial. John Bartine, coun-
ty attorney, dared to undertake the
breaking up of this organization and
though his house was burned over his
head and he was threatened with
death time and again, he never re-
Tented in the unequal struggle. Mem.
bers of the society even were elected
to county office, SO profoundly secret
were all their doings.
Two regular meetings of the circle
were held each month, on Sundays
usually, and there was always large
attendance. Whites, mixed bloods
and Indians were represented in the
organization.
After Anderson's Scalp.
John @. Anderson crossed one OF
the members in a saloon at Chamber
lain, defying an order to dance under
revolver and twisting the weapon
from the hands of the outlaw. Know
ing this stockman on the Crow Creek
to be one of their interchangeable op
pOnents and smarting under his in
suit, the society heard and adopted
a motion to ruin AndersOn's business
Every member of the circle took an
. oath that he would shoot every head
of live stock belonging to Anderson
wherever he might find it within the
} next two weeks, and the society fur
nished the ammunition. At the next
J meeting of the circle the members
were called on to report how well
they had carried out their pledges and
it was shown that over 200 of Ander
sons cattle and horses had been
slain.
The oath of membership in the so
ciety was terrible enough to do JUS
tice to a Clan-a-Gael, the death penal
ty being expressly provided for any
act of disloyalty. With the settling
of the country, the organization has
. had more and more trouble to KEEP
out of the clutches of the law. A
number of its members are already
in prison and if DeMarsche is convict
|, ed, it is likely the end Of cattle rus
ting in this section will have been
| sounded