On July 17, 1933, the Ashley County Sheriff’s department was closing in on a fellow named George Tullos who had stopped at the farm of a fellow named Kelly. Mr. Kelly evidently didn’t know who he had staying with him or likely he would have sent him on his way!
George Tullos is a character surrounded in mystery. He was said to have been a successful prize fighter and wrestler in the 1920’s but had fallen on hard times and turned to a life of crime. By 1933 he was being housed in the Drew County jail on charges of grand larceny and burglary.
He escaped from the Drew County jail and found his way to the Kelly farm which was about 6 miles north of Crossett, Arkansas. Mr. Kelly housed him and put him to work on the farm. Someone tipped off the authorities and they arrived in July 17 to serve a warrant and arrest Tullos.
Tullos spotted the officers and ran into the woods. After about two hours, the deputies captured him without a struggle. Tullos asked the deputy to take him back to the Kelly residence so he could get his belongings. Initially the sheriff denied him this request but he carried on so much that the sheriff agreed to stop and let him inside.
Once inside the house, Tullos made another break for it. He ran past the deputy outside and shouted, “to hell with you, you will have to catch me!”
The deputy called for Tullos to stop running but he kept on. The deputy then opened fire and shot Tullos. George Tullos died in the Kelly farm yard. A sad ending to a promising career.
I tried to find more about Tullos as far as his fighting days but I didn’t come across anything. He was married at the time of his death and had 3 daughters. His widow remarried and it appears that the girls took their step father’s last name.
What I did find was Tullos’ death certificate which confirms that he was shot to death and says that he was buried at Carlock Cemetery in Hamburg, Arkansas. It seems that he has no marker, and it is unclear if he ever did.
For The Love of History 