Rufus Buck Gang

Rufus Buck Gang

Left to right: Maoma July; Sam Sampson; Rufus Buck; Lucky Davis; Lewis Davis.
Founded	July 28, 1895
Founding location	Indian Territory
Years active	1895
Ethnicity	Creek
Membership	Rufus Buck, Lewis Davis, Sam Sampson, Maoma July, Lucky Davis
Activities	Armed robbery, murder, rape

The Rufus Buck Gang was an outlaw Native American gang whose members were Creek Indian and African American.^[1] Their crime spree took place in the Indian Territory of the Arkansas-Oklahoma area from July 30, 1895, through August 4, 1895.

Formed by Rufus Buck, the gang consisted also of Lewis Davis, Sam Sampson, Maoma July, and Lucky Davis. The gang began building up a small stockpile of weapons while staying in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. After killing U.S. deputy marshal John Garrett on July 30, 1895, the gang began holding up various stores and ranches in the Fort Smith area during the next two weeks. In one incident, a salesman named Callahan – after being robbed – was offered a chance to escape if he could outrun the gang. When the elderly Callahan successfully escaped, the gang killed his assistant in frustration. At least two female victims who were raped by the gang died of their injuries.^[2]