The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1910-11-25
SLAYER OF SULLY
LIEUTENANT JOHN r. PETRIE, Elk.
DEPUTY FEDERAL MARSHAL.
ILL AND PENNlLESS
SEEKS SOLDIERS HOSPICE
Many of the Stirring Incidents of His
Career in the State are Woven
Into Novel "Langford
of Three Bars"

Mitchell-Word has lately been
received in this city to the effect
that Lieutenant John r. Petrie of
Chamberlain is down and out at Los
Angeles, Cal. at which plare he has
applied for admission to the soldiers
home, because he was out of money
and broken in health. The news will
be received with regret by the many
hundreds of friends Of Petrie through
out South Dakota. for he was widely
known as a trusted and worthy Off
Ger Of the federal government. having
held the position of United States dep
uty marshal for a great many years.
For over a quarter OF a century Mr..
Petrie worked out at Chambelain, and
In his capacity Of marshal has track
ed down ove a thousand criminals
who were wanted by the COVE nment
The case was rare where Pet ie failed
to get his man dead or alive. His last
and most notable capture was that Of
Jack Sully, who for years roamed the
prairies west Of the Missouri river as
the leader of a famous gang OF horse
thieves and cattle ruStlers, who sue
ceeded in running off thousands OF
horses and cattle and Sc Cretlng them
along the banks of the river and then
driving them into market at some re-
mote point from the scene OF stealing.
Sully had all the officers standing in
ear of him, for his reputation was
bad, and he successfully carried out
many a raid. Su!ly's last rad brought
him to the end of his rope. He had
succeeded in getting ava with a big
bunch of cattle and run them TO the
southern part of the state, crossed
the river over into Nebraska and
stopped at V~erdigree. Neb. At that
place he was captured by a local OF
icer and brought back into this state.
For safety he was placed in the county
Jail at Mitchell. He made his escape
from the Jail one Sunday night when
the sheriff of the county died, n
whereby the vigilance of the ofhcers
was lacking for the moment. Sullys
friends were in waiting for him ANA
had peel planning and waiting for the
opportunity for him to escal G. Horses
were in waiting that night. and his
friends spirited him off to the roser-
walton west Of the river. It was then
that John f. Pet lie was placed on the
trail of Sully, with orders to bring
him In dead or alive.
Sully. thinking that Petrie would
come. after him, arranged with he
ranchers and neighhoGs who warned
him OF the approach OF the deputy
when he appeared in the vicinity. Pc
trie anticipated some such action, as
he knew the ranchmen were fflendly
to Sully. and was compelled to go after
him with a posse. After posting the
latter, he directed the ran hmen to
ride up to Sully's house AID tell nm
that Patrie was after him and had a
warrant or his arrest aud that he
would best submit without trouble.
Sullv only needed the waning TO
make his escape. Booted and spur Cd
the cattle rustler sprang from LIS cov-
or. mounted mis- ever waiting morse
and dashed out into the open and down
a hill at Petrie Joined in the chase,
taking with him two Of his posse
Petrie ordered his men to ire low
and thus take Sully alive. lmmedi-
ately the three men commenced 70
pump lead from their Winchester5 at
the fleeing rider and his horse, but II
bullet went too high and drilled a Mole
through the body of the Desperate,
who rolled off the saddle and fell to
the ground, but still showing fight as
the deputy and his posse rode up. Sui
ly felt and knew that his time had
come when the bullet pierced his
body. Petrie kneeled beside the
wounded and dying desperate and par
TALLY revived him with the contents
of his flask. and a few moments later
Sully died.
This is but one o the many ex-
n,oits which marked the career of the
once prominent Petrie. and 1t prac-
ideally closed his career on the plains
west of the river. A couple or years
ago he went out to the Pacific coast
for the benefit of his health, and now
comes the sad information that he IS
practically all in.
In the re emily published novel,
'Langford of the Three Bars the IN
cidents O which are laid on the Sioux
reservation west Of the river, Petrle
figured as the character of Marshal
johnson, In which much of his work
as a deputy was exploited. Petrie en-
listed in Company A, Second Illinois
cavalry. as a private. He was mu,ter-
ed out of the service as a lieutenant
OF mpa |, One Hundred and For
tieth infantry. He was born at Mt.
Morris. Ogle county, ILL.,. which he
claimed as his home.
Story is Doubted
"If John r. Petrie has gone to tho
Soldiers Home in Los Angeles 1t Is OF
his own vol4..on and not because he
was obliged to by stress OF circum-
stances" remarked a federal official
in Sioux Falls yesterday.
John r. is a veteran OF the civil
war and draws a pension from the
United States government.
HE is a Mason and Ill Elk and he
Pierre-At a meeting called by
Nfo,o, Ns,JJory r,onv pf thn=p IN.