Mary, I'm not familiar with this tree but here are my thoughts. If you still have a trunk then potentially you still have a tree - it could recover its form in a couple years. If it was grafted, of course the suckers aren't going to be of the same genetic makeup 'Jacqueline Hillier' and will probably have inferior horticultural value. Finally, I've seen/heard 'suckering' confused with watersprouts by certain authors and in general conversation about trees; it may be that whoever was describing it on Wikipedia meant something other than root suckers, perhaps referring to a peculiar branching habit or something.

Thinking it would spring right back I cut one of these down to a stump a few years ago because it was overwhelming the small narrow bed it had been planted in when young and mostly fan-shaped (2-dimensional). Response has been so weak it at first appeared it may have died. At this point re-growth may be less than 2' tall.

Hummmm thanks guys! I don't think I will be cutting it to a stub as there are clearly two branches left but it is quite ugly!!!!Perhaps I will plant some other things around it that will kind of hide it while it hopefully grows back! Ron, does your tree look like a two foot ball or did you get unsymetrical new growth?

Has anyone ever used duct tape to mend shrubs and trees?

Same fan-like branching habit as before in miniature. Think cultivar is usually grown from cuttings. Current recollection is one whole growing season passed without it sprouting significantly, if at all.

Mary,
I had an arborist recommend we try a small screw to mend a branch back in place instead of duct tape.

We did not end of doing it in time as the branch break was already quite dried out.

I asked an arborist about throughbolting a tree back together a few years ago. He did it and so far so good. The tree held up over this last heavy snow storm.
I have so many shrubs that now have broken branches, it is tempting to try the tape idea on some of the larger branches that are split but not too torn. Small branches I'll just prune off.

I'm glad your Ulmas grew back in a fan shape Ron, that is encouraging, they are such cool trees! I did find on another website that elms are brittle and prone to breakage with winter damage so it will probably end up with more problems down the road but I guess I'll worry about that when it happens.