The Courier-Journal, October 7, 1882
TWO TO THE LIMB.
MARY SULLIVAN'S NOTORIOUS CAREER ENDED BY THE MOB AND ROPE.
[Crittenden Press.]
Another page in the black history of the Sullivan-Campbell gang was turned last week by the hanging of Mary Sullivan, mistress of Crockett Jenkins, mention of whose departure by rope-line was made in these columns a few weeks ago.
Last Sunday morning the dead body of Mary Sullivan was found hanging to a limb, a few miles from Shady Grove. The same tree and the same limb that witnessed the disgraceful death of Jenkins were part of the means by which his female partner in crime crossed the dark river. When found, the body had the appearance of having been dead several hours. Near the tree was found a basket containing some of her clothing and $40 in gold. The body was cut down and buried at Shady Grove. A few days ago Mary Sullivan was arrested as one of the parties who hung Jenkins, but was released. While under arrest at Princeton she hired guards, to keep out of jail; to pay the guards she mortgaged two milch cows. On Friday night, en route to Princeton to redeem her property, she stopped to spend the night with Norman Hubbard. About 8 o'clock that night a mob of about fifty men went to the residence of Hubbard and called for Mary; and after posting up notices that on Friday before the first Sunday in next month they would have another hanging, at which all the Sullivans and Campbells then in the country will be hung, hurried her off to the same tree from which Jenkins crossed the dark river a few days before, and there the body was found as stated. From a man who for several years resided in this neighborhood, we learn that Mary Sullivan was about thirty-four years old, a woman who respected no one and who knew no fear. Given over to sinning in early life, her career has been checkered with sin upon sin. "Why," says the man, "she was the terror of the neighborhood, and I tell you if I didn't know she was in the ground, I wouldn't be telling you this. With the pistol or rifle she was a crack shot, in a hand to hand fight she was a perfect lioness. I'll venture she's been on many a midnight maraud dressed in man's clothes with a pistol in her pocket. Her features were more like those of a man than a woman. Stealing was a pastime, and had she and her pals had the field and sway, their names would shine bright on a page with the Jameses. In her death that clan has received the severest blow yet, and I think their days are now numbered."
Source: Newspapers.com. The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. October 76, 1882. Page 2.
