SAM BASS AND HIS TRAIN ROBBER GANG
Sam Bass, the noted train robber, was born in Indiana, July 21, 1851.
He came to Texas while quite a youth and worked for Sheriff Everhart of
Denton County until he reached manhood. While still an exemplary and
honest young man, Bass came into possession of a small race pony, a
little sorrel mare. On Saturday evenings, when most of the neighborhood
boys met in Denton, Bass raced his pony with much success. Mr. Everhart
soon noticed that Sam was beginning to neglect his work because of his
pony and, knowing only too well what this would lead to, he advised
Sam to sell his mare. Bass hesitated, for he loved the animal. Finally
matters came to such a point that Mr. Everhart told Sam he would have
to get rid of the horse or give up his job. Thereupon Bass promptly
quit, and this was probably the turning point in his life.
Bass left Denton County in the spring of 1877 and traveled to San
Antonio. Here many cattlemen were gathered to arrange for the spring
cattle drive to the north. Joel Collins, who was planning to drive a
herd from Uvalde County to Deadwood, Dakota, hired Bass as a cowboy.
After six months on the trail the herd reached Deadwood and was sold
and all the cowboys paid off by Mr. Collins.
At that period Deadwood was a great, wide open mining town.
Adventurers, gamblers, mining and cattlemen all mingled together.
Though Joel Collins had bought his cattle on credit and owed the
greater part of the money he had received for them to his friends in
Texas, he gambled away all the money he had received for the herd.
When he sobered up and realized all his money was gone he did not have
the moral courage to face his friends and creditors at home. He became
desperate, and with a band of his cowboys held up and robbed several
stage coaches in the Black Hills. These robberies brought Collins very
little booty, but they started Sam Bass on his criminal career.
In the fall of 1877, Collins, accompanied by Bass, Jack Davis, Jim
Berry, Bill Heffridge, and John Underwood, better known as Old
Dad, left Deadwood and drifted down to Ogallala, Nebraska. Here he
conceived, planned and carried into execution one of the boldest train
robberies that ever occurred in the United States up to that time.
When all was ready these six men, heavily armed and masked, held up
the Union Pacific train at Big Springs, a small station a few miles
beyond Ogallala. The bandits entered the express car and ordered the
messenger to open the safe. The latter explained that the through safe
had a time lock and could only be opened at the end of the route. One
of the robbers then began to beat the messenger over the head with a
six-shooter, declaring he would kill him if the safe were not opened.
Bass, always of a kindly nature, pleaded with the man to desist,
declaring he believed the messenger was telling the truth. Just as the
robbers were preparing to leave the car without a cent one of them
noticed three stout little boxes piled near the big safe. The curious
bandit seized a coal pick and knocked off the lid of the top box. To
his great joy and delight he exposed $20,000 in shining gold coin! The
three boxes each held a similar amount, all in $20 gold pieces of the
mintage of 1877.
After looting these boxes the robbers went through the train, and in
a systematic manner robbed the passengers of about $5000. By daylight
the bandits had hidden their booty and returned to Ogallala. They
hung around town several days while railroad officials, United States
marshals and sheriffs' parties were scouring the country for the train
robbers.
While in Ogallala before and after the robbery, Collins and his men
frequented a large general merchandise store. In this store was a
clerk who had once been an express messenger on the Union Pacific and
who was well acquainted with the officials of that company. I have
forgotten his name, but I will call him Moore for the sake of clearness
in my narrative. Of course the great train robbery was the talk of the
town. Moore conversed with Collins and his gang about the hold-up, and
the bandits declared they would help hunt the robbers if there was
enough money in it.
Moore's suspicions were aroused and he became convinced that Collins
and his band were the real hold-up men. However, he said nothing to
anyone about this belief, but carefully watched the men. Finally,
Collins came to the store and, after buying clothing and provisions,
told Mr. Moore that he and his companions were going back to Texas and
would be up the trail the following spring with another herd of cattle.
When Collins had been gone a day's travel, Mr. Moore hired a horse and
followed him. He soon found the route the suspects were traveling,
and on the second day Moore came upon them suddenly while they were
stopping at a roadside farmhouse to have some bread cooked. Moore
passed by without being noticed and secreted himself near the highway.
In a short time Collins and his men passed on and Moore trailed them
until they went into camp. When it was dark the amateur detective
crept up to the bandits, but they had gone to sleep and he learned
nothing.
The next day Moore resumed the trail. He watched the gang make
their camp for the night and again crept up to within a few yards
of his suspects. The bandits had built a big fire and were laughing
and talking. Soon they spread out a blanket, and to Moore's great
astonishment brought out some money bags and emptied upon the blanket
sixty thousand dollars in gold. From his concealed position the trailer
heard the robbers discuss the hold-up. They declared they did not
believe anyone had recognized or suspected them and decided it was now
best for them to divide the money, separate in pairs and go their way.
The coin was stacked in six piles and each man received $10,000 in $20
gold pieces. It was further decided that Collins and Bill Heffridge
would travel back to San Antonio, Texas, together; Sam Bass and Jack
Davis were to go to Denton County, Texas, while Jim Berry and Old Dad
were to return to the Berry home in Mexico, Missouri.
As soon as Mr. Moore had seen the money and heard the robbers' plans
he slipped back to his horse, mounted and rode day and night to reach
Ogallala. He notified the railroad officials of what he had seen, gave
the names and descriptions of the bandits and their destinations.
This information was sent broadcast over southern Nebraska, Kansas,
Indian Territory, and Texas. In the fugitive list sent to each of
the companies of the Frontier Battalion of rangers Sam Bass was thus
described: "Twenty-five to twenty-six years old, 5 feet 7 inches high,
black hair, dark brown eyes, brown moustache, large white teeth, shows
them when talking; has very little to say."
A few days after the separation of the robbers, Joel Collins and Bill
Heffridge rode into a small place in Kansas called Buffalo Station.
They led a pack pony. Dismounting from their tired horses and leaving
them standing in the shade of the store building, the two men entered
the store and made several purchases. The railroad agent at the place
noticed the strangers ride up. He had, of course, been advised to be
on the lookout for the train robbers. He entered the store and in a
little while engaged Collins in conversation. While talking the robber
pulled his handkerchief out of his coat pocket and exposed a letter
with his name thereon. The agent was a shrewd man. He asked Collins if
he had not driven a herd of cattle up the trail in the spring. Collins
declared he had, and finally, in answer to a direct question, admitted
that his name was Joel Collins.
Five or six hundred yards from Buffalo Station a lieutenant of the
United States Army had camped a troop of ten men that was scouting
for the train robbers. As soon as Collins and Heffridge remounted and
resumed their way the agent ran quickly to the soldiers' camp, pointed
out the bandits to the lieutenant and declared, "There go two of the
Union Pacific train robbers!"
The army officer mounted his men and pursued Collins and Heffridge.
When he overtook the two men he told them their descriptions tallied
with those of some train robbers that he was scouting for, and declared
they would have to go back to the station and be identified. Collins
laughed at the idea, and declared that he and his companion were
cattlemen returning to their homes in Texas. They reluctantly turned
and started back with the soldiers. After riding a few hundred yards
the two robbers held a whispered conversation. Suddenly the two pulled
their pistols and attempted to stand off the lieutenant and his troop.
The desperadoes were promptly shot and killed. On examining their packs
the soldiers found tied up in the legs of a pair of overalls $20,000 in
gold, 1877 mintage. Not a dollar of the stolen money had been used and
there was no doubt about the identity of the men.
Not long after the divide up in Nebraska Jim Berry appeared at his home
in Mexico, Missouri. At once he deposited quite a lot of money in the
local bank and exchanged $3000 in gold for currency, explaining his
possession of the gold by saying he had sold a mine in the Black Hills.
In three or four days the sheriff of the county learned of Berry's
deposits and called at the bank to see the new depositor's gold. His
suspicion became a certainty when he found that Berry had deposited $20
gold pieces of 1877.
At night the sheriff with a posse rounded up Berry's house, but the
suspect was not there. The home was well provisioned and the posse
found many articles of newly purchased clothing. Just after daylight,
while searching about the place the sheriff heard a horse whinny in
some timber nearby. Upon investigating this he suddenly came upon Jim
Berry sitting on a pallet. Berry discovered the officer at about the
same time and attempted to escape by running. He was fired upon, one
bullet striking him in the knee and badly shattering it. He was taken
to his home and given the best of medical attention, but gangrene set
in and he died in a few days. Most of his $10,000 was recovered. Old
Dad evidently quit Berry somewhere en route, for he made good his
escape with his ill-gotten gain and was never apprehended.
Sam Bass and Jack Davis, after the separation in Nebraska, sold their
ponies, bought a light spring wagon and a pair of work horses. They
placed their gold pieces in the bottom of the wagon, threw their
bedding and clothes over it, and in this disguise traveled through
Kansas and the Indian Territory to Denton County, Texas. During their
trip through the Territory Bass afterward said he camped within one
hundred yards of a detachment of cavalry. After supper he and Davis
visited the soldiers' camp and chatted with them until bedtime. The
soldiers said they were on the lookout for some train robbers that had
held up the Union Pacific in Nebraska, never dreaming for a moment that
they were conversing with two of them. The men also mentioned that two
of the robbers had been reported killed in Kansas.
This rumor put Bass and Davis on their guard, and on reaching Denton
County they hid in the elm bottoms until Bass could interview some
of his friends. Upon meeting them he learned that the names and
descriptions of every one of the Union Pacific train robbers were in
the possession of the law officers; that Collins, Heffridge, and Berry
had been killed; and that every sheriff in North Texas was on the
watch for Davis and himself. Davis at once begged Bass to go with him
to South America, but Bass refused, so Davis bade Sam goodbye and set
out alone. He was never captured. On his deathbed Bass declared he had
once received a letter from Jack Davis written from New Orleans, asking
Bass to come there and go into the business of buying hides.
Bass had left Denton County early in the spring an honest, sincere and
clean young man. By falling with evil associates he had become within
a few months one of the most daring outlaws and train robbers of his
time. Before he had committed any crime in the state the officers of
North Texas made repeated efforts to capture him for the big reward
offered by the Union Pacific and the express company but, owing to the
nature of the country around Denton and the friends Bass had as long as
his gold lasted, met with no success.
Bass' money soon attracted several desperate and daring men to him.
Henry Underwood, Arkansas Johnson, Jim Murphy, Frank Jackson, Pipes
Herndon, and Collins,--the last one a cousin of Joel Collins--and two
or three others joined him in the elm bottoms. Naturally Bass was
selected as leader of the gang. It was not long before the outlaw chief
planned and executed his first train robbery in Texas: that at Eagle
Ford, a small station on the T.P. Railroad, a few miles out of Dallas.
In quick succession the bandits held up two or three other trains, the
last, I believe, being at Mesquite Station, ten or twelve miles east
of Dallas. From this robbery they secured about $3000. They met with
opposition here, for the conductor, though armed with only a small
pistol, fought the robbers to a fare-you-well and slightly wounded one
of them.
The whole state was now aroused by the repeated train hold-ups. General
Jones hurried to Dallas and Denton to look over the situation and,
strange to say, he arranged to organize a company of rangers at Dallas.
Captain June Peak, a very able officer, was given the command. No
matter how brave a company of recruits, it takes time and training to
get results from them, and when this raw company was thrown into the
field against Bass and his gang the bandit leader played with it as a
child plays with toys. Counting the thirty rangers and the different
sheriffs' parties, there were probably one hundred men in pursuit of
the Bass gang. Sam played hide-and-seek with them all and, it is said,
never ranged any farther west than Stephens County or farther north
than Wise. He was generally in Dallas, Denton or Tarrant Counties. He
would frequently visit Fort Worth or Dallas at night, ride up with his
men to some outside saloon, get drinks all around and then vamoose.
Finally in a fight at Salt Creek, Wise County, Captain June Peak and
his rangers killed Arkansas Johnson, Bass' most trusted lieutenant.
Either just before or soon after this battle the rangers captured Pipes
Herndon and Jim Murphy and drove Bass and his two remaining companions
out of North Texas. At that time the state had on the frontier of Texas
six companies of veteran rangers. They were finely mounted, highly
equipped, and were the best mounted police in the world. Any company on
the line could have been marched to Denton in ten days, yet they were
never moved one mile in that direction. Any one of those highly trained
commands could have broken up the Sam Bass gang in half the time it
took a command of new men.
After the fight on Salt Creek only Sam Bass, Sebe Barnes, and Frank
Jackson were left of the once formidable gang. These men had gained
nothing from their four train robberies in North Texas, and were
so hard pressed by the officers of the law on all sides that Bass
reluctantly decided to leave the country and try to make his way to Old
Mexico. Through some pretended friends of Bass, General Jones learned
of the contemplated move. He, with Captain Peak and other officers,
approached Jim Murphy, one of Bass' gang captured about the time of the
Salt Creek fight, who was awaiting trial by the Federal authorities
for train robbery, and promised they would secure his release if he
would betray Bass. Murphy hesitated and said his former chief had been
kind to his family, had given them money and provisions, and that it
would be ungrateful to betray his friend. The general declared he
understood Murphy's position fully, but Bass was an outlaw, a pest
to the country, who was preparing to leave the state and so could
no longer help him. General Jones warned Murphy that the evidence
against him was overwhelming and was certain to send him to the Federal
prison--probably for life-and exhorted him to remember his wife and his
children. Murphy finally yielded and agreed to betray Bass and his gang
at the first opportunity.
According to the plan agreed upon Murphy was to give bond and when the
Federal court convened at Tyler, Texas, a few weeks later he was not to
show up. It would then be published all over the country that Murphy
had skipped bond and rejoined Bass. This was carried out to the letter.
Murphy joined Bass in the elm bottoms of Denton County and agreed
to rob a train or bank and get out of the country. Some of Bass'
friends, suspicious of Murphy's bondsmen, wrote Sam that Murphy was
playing a double game and advised him to kill the traitor at once. Bass
immediately confronted Murphy with these reports and reminded him how
freely he had handed out his gold to Murphy's family. Bass declared he
had never advised or solicited Jim to join him, and said it was a low
down, mean and ungrateful trick to betray him. He told Murphy plainly
if he had anything to say to say it quickly. Barnes agreed with his
chief and urged Murphy's death.
The plotter denied any intention of betraying Bass and offered to take
the lead in any robbery Bass should plan and be the first to enter the
express car or climb over the bank railing. Bass was mad and so was
Barnes. They elected to kill the liar at once. Frank Jackson had taken
no part in the conversation, but he now declared he had known Murphy
since he was a little boy, and he was sure Murphy was sincere and meant
to stand by them through thick and thin. Bass was not satisfied, and
insisted that Murphy be murdered then and there. Jackson finally told
Bass and Barnes that they could not kill Murphy without first killing
him. Although the youngest of the party--Frank was only twenty-two
years old--Jackson had great influence over his chief. He was brave
and daring, and Bass at that time could not very well get along without
him, so his counsel prevailed and Murphy was spared. The bandits then
determined to quit the country. Their plan was to rob a small bank
somewhere en route to Old Mexico and thus secure the funds needed to
facilitate their escape, for they were all broke.
Bass, Sebe Barnes, Frank Jackson, and Jim Murphy left Denton County
early in July, 1878. With his usual boldness, Bass, after he had passed
Dallas County, made no attempt at concealment, but traveled the public
highway in broad daylight. Bass and Barnes were still suspicious of
Murphy, and never let him out of their sight, though they refused to
talk to or to associate with him in any way. When Bass reached Waco the
party camped on the outskirts of the town and remained there two or
three days. They visited the town each day, looked over the situation,
and in one bank saw much gold and currency. Jackson was enthusiastic
and wanted to rob it at once. Bass, being more careful and experienced,
thought it too hazardous an undertaking, for the run through crowded
streets to the outskirts of the city was too far; and so vetoed the
attempt.
While in Waco the gang stepped into a saloon to get a drink. Bass laid
a $20 gold piece on the bar and remarked, "There goes the last twenty
of the Union Pacific money and d--n little good it has done me." On
leaving Waco the robbers stole a fine mare from a farmer named Billy
Mounds and traveled the main road to Belton. They were now out of money
and planned to rob the bank at Round Rock, Williamson County.
General Jones was now getting anxious over the gang. Not a word had
been heard from Jim Murphy since he had rejoined the band, for he had
been so closely watched that he had had no opportunity to communicate
with the authorities, and it seemed as if he would be forced to
participate in the next robbery in spite of himself.
At Belton Sam sold an extra pony his party had after stealing the
mare at Waco. The purchaser demanded a bill of sale as the vendors
were strangers in the country. While Bass and Barnes were in a store
writing out the required document, Murphy seized the opportunity to
dash off a short note to General Jones, saying, "We are on our way to
Round Rock to rob the bank. For God's sake be there to prevent it." As
the postoffice adjoined the store the traitor succeeded in mailing his
letter of betrayal just one minute before Bass came out on the street
again. The gang continued their way to Round Rock and camped near the
old town, which is situated about one mile north of New Round Rock. The
bandits concluded to rest and feed their horses for three or four days
before attempting their robbery. This delay was providential, for it
gave General Jones time to assemble his rangers to repel the attack.
After Major Jones was made Adjutant-General of Texas he caused a small
detachment of four or five rangers to camp on the Capitol grounds at
Austin. He drew his units from different companies along the line. Each
unit would be detailed to camp in Austin, and about every six weeks
or two months the detail would be relieved by a squad from another
company. It will readily be seen that this was a wise policy, as the
detail was always on hand and could be sent in any direction by rail or
on horseback at short notice. Besides, General Jones was devoted to his
rangers and liked to have them around where he could see them daily. At
the time of which I write four men from Company "E"--Corporal Vernon
Wilson and Privates Dick Ware, Chris Connor, and Geo. Harold--were
camped at Austin. The corporal helped General Jones as a clerk in his
office, but was in charge of the squad on the Capitol grounds, slept in
camp and had his meals with them.
When General Jones received Murphy's letter he was astonished at
Bass' audacity in approaching within fifteen or twenty miles of the
state capitol, the very headquarters of the Frontier Battalion, to
rob a bank. The letter was written at Belton, Texas, and received at
the Adjutant-General's office on the last mail in the afternoon. The
company of rangers nearest Round Rock was Lieutenant Reynolds' Company
"E," stationed at San Saba, one hundred and fifteen miles distant.
There was no telegraph to San Saba then. General Jones reflected a few
moments after receipt of the letter and then arranged his plan rapidly.
He turned to Corporal Wilson and told him that Sam Bass and his gang
were, or soon would be, at Round Rock, Texas, to rob the bank there.
"I want you to leave at once to carry an order to Lieutenant Reynolds.
It is sixty-five miles to Lampasas and you can make that place early
enough in the morning to catch the Lampasas and San Saba stage. You
must make that stage at all hazards, save neither yourself nor your
horse, but get these orders to Lieutenant Reynolds as quickly as
possible," he ordered.
Corporal Wilson hurried to the livery stable, saddled his horse and
got away from Austin on his wild ride just at nightfall. His horse was
fresh and fat and in no condition to make such a run. However, Wilson
reached Lampasas at daylight next morning and made the outgoing stage
to San Saba, but killed his gallant little gray horse in the doing of
it. From Lampasas to San Saba was fifty miles, and it took the stage
all day to make the trip. As soon as he landed in town Corporal Wilson
hired a horse and galloped three miles down to Lieutenant Reynolds'
camp and delivered his orders.
After dispatching Corporal Wilson to Lieutenant Reynolds, General Jones
hurried over to the ranger camp on the Capitol grounds and ordered the
three rangers, Ware, Connor, and Harold, to proceed to Round Rock,
put their horses in Highsmith's livery stable and keep themselves
concealed until he could reach them himself by train next morning. The
following morning General Jones went to Round Rock. He carried with
him from Austin, Morris Moore, an ex-ranger but then deputy sheriff of
Travis County. On reaching his destination the general called on Deputy
Sheriff Grimes of Williamson County, who was stationed at Round Rock,
told him Bass was expected in town to rob the bank, and that a scout
of rangers would be in town as soon as possible. Jones advised Deputy
Grimes to keep a sharp lookout for strangers but on no account to
attempt an arrest until the rangers could arrive.
I well remember the hot July evening when Corporal Wilson arrived
in our camp with his orders. The company had just had supper, the
horses fed and tied up for the night. We knew the sudden appearance
of the corporal meant something of unusual importance. Soon Sergeant
Nevill came hurrying to us with orders to detail a party for an
immediate scout. Lieutenant Reynolds' orders had been brief but to the
point: "Bass is at Round Rock. We must be there as early as possible
to-morrow. Make a detail of eight men and select those that have the
horses best able to make a fast run. And you, with them, report to me
here at my tent ready to ride in thirty minutes."
First Sergeant C.L. Nevill, Second Sergeant Henry McGee, Second
Corporal J.B. Gillett, Privates Abe Anglin, Dave Ligon, Bill Derrick,
and John R. and W.L. Banister were selected for the detail. Lieutenant
Reynolds ordered two of our best little pack mules hitched to a
light spring hack, for he had been sick and was not in condition to
make the journey horseback. In thirty minutes from the time Corporal
Wilson reached camp we were mounted, armed and ready to go. Lieutenant
Reynolds took his seat in the hack, threw some blankets in, and
Corporal Wilson, who had not had a minute's sleep for over thirty-six
hours, lay down to get a little rest as we moved along. Say, boys, did
you ever try to follow on horseback two fast traveling little mules
hitched to an open-topped spring hack for one hundred miles? Well, it
is some stunt. We left our camp on the San Saba River just at sunset
and traveled in a fast trot and sometimes in a lope the entire night.
Our old friend and comrade, Jack Martin, then in the mercantile
business at the little town of Senterfitt, heard us pass by in the
night, and next morning said to some of his customers that hell was to
pay somewhere as the rangers had passed his store during the night on a
dead run.
The first rays of the rising sun shone on us at the crossing of North
Gabriel, fifteen miles south of Lampasas. We had ridden sixty-five
miles that short summer night--we had forty-five miles yet to go before
reaching Round Rock. We halted on the Gabriel for breakfast of bread,
broiled bacon and black coffee. The horses had a bundle of oats each.
Lieutenant Reynolds held his watch on us and it took us just thirty
minutes to breakfast and be off again. We were now facing a hot July
sun and our horses were beginning to show the effects of the hard ride
of the night before and slowed down perceptibly. We never halted again
until we reached the vicinity of old Round Rock between 1 and 2 o'clock
in the afternoon of Friday, July 19, 1878. The lieutenant camped us on
the banks of Brushy Greek and drove into New Round Rock to report his
arrival to General Jones.
Bass had decided to rob the bank at Round Rock on Saturday, the 20th.
After his gang had eaten dinner in camp Friday evening they saddled
their ponies and started over to town to take a last look at the bank
and select a route to follow in leaving the place after the robbery. As
they left camp Jim Murphy, knowing that the bandits might be set upon
at any time, suggested that he stop at May's store in Old Round Rock
and get a bushel of corn, as they were out of feed for their horses.
Bass, Barnes and Jackson rode on into town, hitched their horses in an
alley just back of the bank, passed that building and made a mental
note of its situation. They then went up the main street of the town
and entered Copprel's store to buy some tobacco. As the three bandits
passed into the store, Deputy Sheriff Moore, who was standing on
the sidewalk with Deputy Sheriff Grimes, said he thought one of the
newcomers had a pistol.
"I will go in and see," replied Grimes.
"I believe you have a pistol," remarked Grimes, approaching Bass and
trying to search him.
"Yes, of course I have a pistol," said Bass. At the words the robbers
pulled their guns and killed Grimes as he backed away to the door.
He fell dead on the sidewalk. They then turned on Moore and shot him
through the lungs as he attempted to draw his weapon.
At the crack of the first pistol shot Dick Ware, who was seated in a
barber shop only a few steps away waiting his turn for a shave, rushed
into the street and encountered the three bandits just as they were
leaving the store. Seeing Ware rapidly advancing on them, Bass and his
men fired on the ranger at close range, one of their bullets striking a
hitching post within six inches of Ware's head and knocking splinters
into his face. This assault never halted Ware for an instant. He was as
brave as courage itself and never hesitated to take the most desperate
chances when the occasion demanded it. For a few minutes Dick fought
the robbers single handed. General Jones, coming up town from the
telegraph office, ran into the fight. He was armed with only a small
Colt's double action pistol, but threw himself into the fray. Connor
and Harold had now come up and joined in the fusillade. The general,
seeing the robbers on foot and almost within his grasp, drew in close
and urged his men to strain every nerve to capture or exterminate the
desperadoes. By this time every man in the town that could secure a gun
joined in the fight.
The bandits had now reached their horses, and realizing their situation
was critical fought with the energy of despair. If ever a train robber
could be called a hero this boy, Frank Jackson, proved himself one.
Barnes was shot down and killed at his feet, Bass was mortally wounded
and unable to defend himself or even mount his horse while the bullets
continued to pour in from every quarter. With heroic courage, Jackson
held the rangers back with his pistol in his right hand while he
unhitched Bass' horse with his left and assisted him into the saddle.
Then, mounting his own horse, Jackson and his chief galloped out of
the jaws of hell itself. In their flight they passed through Old Round
Rock, and Jim Murphy, standing in the door of May's store, saw Jackson
and Bass go by on the dead run. The betrayer noticed that Jackson was
holding Bass, pale and bleeding, in the saddle.
Lieutenant Reynolds, entering Round Rock, came within five minutes of
meeting Bass and Jackson in the road. Before he reached town he met
posses of citizens and rangers in pursuit of the robbers. When the
fugitives reached the cemetery Jackson halted long enough to secure a
Winchester they had hidden in the grass there, then left the road and
were lost for a time. The fight was now over and the play spoiled by
two over-zealous deputies in bringing on an immature fight after they
had been warned to be careful. Naturally Moore and Grimes should have
known that the three strangers were the Sam Bass gang.
Lieutenant Reynolds started Sergeant Nevill and his rangers early
next morning in search of the flying bandits. After traveling in the
direction the robbers were last seen we came upon a man lying under a
large oak tree. Seeing we were armed as we advanced upon him he called
out to us not to shoot, saying he was Sam Bass, the man we were hunting.
After entering the woods the evening before, Bass became so sick
and faint from loss of blood that he could go no farther. Jackson
dismounted and wanted to stay with his chief, declaring he was a match
for all their pursuers.
"No, Frank," replied Bass. "I am done for."
The wounded leader told his companion to tie his horse near at hand
so he could get away if he felt better during the night. Jackson was
finally prevailed upon to leave Bass and make his own escape.
When daylight came Saturday morning Bass got up and walked to a nearby
house. As he approached the place a lady, seeing him coming holding
his pants up and all covered with blood, left her house and started
to run off, as she was alone with a small servant girl. Bass saw she
was frightened and called to her to stop, saying he was perishing for
a drink of water and would return to a tree not far away and lie down
if she would only send him a drink. The lady sent him a quart cup of
water, but the poor fellow was too far gone to drink it. We found him
under this tree one hour later. He had a wound through the center of
his left hand, the bullet having pierced the middle finger.
Bass' death wound was given him by Dick Ware, who used a .45 caliber
Colt's long barreled six-shooter. The ball from Ware's pistol struck
Bass' belt and cut two cartridges in pieces and entered his back just
above the right hip bone. The bullet badly mushroomed and made a
fearful wound that tore the victim's right kidney all to pieces. From
the moment he was shot until his death three days later Bass suffered
untold agonies. As he lay on the ground Friday night where Jackson
had left him the wounded man tore his undershirt into more than one
hundred pieces and wiped the blood from his body.
Bass was taken to Round Rock and given the best of medical attention,
but died the following day, Sunday, July 21, 1878. While he was yet
able to talk, General Jones appealed to Bass to reveal to the state
authorities the names of the confederates he had had that they might be
apprehended.
"Sam, you have done much evil in this world and have only a few hours
to live. Now, while you have a chance to do the state some good, please
tell me who your associates were in those violations of the laws of
your country."
Sam replied that he could not betray his friends and that he might as
well die with what he knew in him.
Sam Bass was buried in the cemetery at Old Round Rock. A small monument
was erected over his grave by a sister. Its simple inscription reads:
SAMUEL BASS
Born July 21st, 1851
Died July 21st, 1878
A brave man reposes in death here. Why was he
not true?
Frank Jackson made his way back into Denton County and hung around some
time hoping to get an opportunity to murder the betrayer of his chief,
an ingrate whose cause he himself had so ably championed. Jackson
declared if he could meet Jim Murphy he would kill him, cut off his
head and carry it away in a gunny sack.
Murphy returned to Denton, but learned that Jackson was hiding in
the elm bottoms awaiting a chance to slay him. He thereupon asked
permission of the sheriff to remain about the jail for protection.
While skulking about the prison one of his eyes became infected. A
physician gave him some medicine to drop into the diseased eye, at
the same time cautioning him to be careful as the fluid was a deadly
poison. Murphy drank the entire contents of the bottle and was dead in
a few hours. Remorse, no doubt, caused him to end his life.
Of the four men that fought the Round Rock battle with Sam Bass and his
gang all are dead: General J.B. Jones, and Rangers R.C. Ware, Chris
Connor, and George Harold. Of the ten men that made the long ride from
San Saba to Round Rock only two are now alive--Lieutenant N.O. Reynolds
and myself.