San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-09-14
write to Maj. Jones to have his men at
Round Rock ready for


write to Maj. Jones to have his men a
Round Rock ready for
THE RECEPTION OF THE GANG.
His chief caught him in the act of mail
ing the letter, and demanded an ex
PLANTATION. The spy, however. got ont
of it by hard and downright lying
Keeping the road to Austin the bandits
camped two miles from Round Rock, on
the International and Great Northern
Railway. After accommodating, it was
determined to rob the bank in the town
after resting the horses. Preparations
were made for the descent on the money
bags. Bass was to 60 in, and Barnes
hand bill to the Cashier to change.
While doing so the chief was to present
a six-shooter to his head, and order him
to throw up his hands. Barnes was
then to jump over the counter, enter
the safe and ill up his bag with money,
while Jackson and Murphy were to
stand in the doors and prevent persons
from coming in during the process.
In the meantime, and whilst the State
authorities were kept informed by Muir
ply, the latter pretened his horse was
broken down, and had to be rested, his
object being to stave off the descent on
the bank long enough for the arrival of
the Rangers and his men. Bass deter
mined to make the descent on Saturday,
the 10th of July. After the robbery the
chief and his bandits were to escape to
the forests to the northward of the town.
MURPHY, THE SPY, NOT IN THE FATAL
FIGHT.
On Friday, the day before the project
ed robbery, Bass, jackson and Barnes
went into the town, hitching their
horses in the suburbs, their purpose be-
ing to make more thorough examina-
ton of the bank, stake notes." and
map out the general surroundings.
With their old, slouched hats and sad
dlebags on their arms, they, OF course,
easily passed among the villagers for
plain, simple country farmers. Then
these pretended boobies from the rural
districts quietly walked into store of
general merchandise, kept by one Kop-
pei. They asked for plug tobacco.
Koppel himself was sitting outside the
store on the sidewalk enjoying the cool
summer breeze, it being about midday.
His young clerk, "Jude," waited on the
farmers, and showed Bass several
brands of the best tobacco he had. They
were just about agreeing on the price.
Deputy Sheriff Grimes, thinking he had
a victim in the tall farmer who did the
trading, and seeing go,
... TIE MUZZLE OF A PISTOL rr
under his coat, not knowing the despe-
RADIO, stepped up and asked him if he
had a pistol, with the purpose of arrest
ing him for violation of a State law.
Bass answered eyes" and instantly the
three robbers drew their pistols and be-
gan firing on the officer, who staggered
out on the sidewalk, and falling, imme-
diately expired. "Hold up, boys!"
was his only and last exclamation. Maj.
Jones coming up, one of the robbers
leveled his six-shooter at his head and
deliberately fired, the ball missing its
aim but a few inches. Barnes was shot
through the head and fell dead. Muir
ply, the spy, fortunately for himself,
was not with the robbers in the fight.
THE DEATH OF BASS. ..i
After the capture of Bass, mortally
rs was the robber chief, he
was totally deserted by Murphy, the
man who betrayed him. The character
of q traitor is always, and naturally, de-
tested. We all despise the mau who
betrays his friend for money or revenge.
In this light appears Murphy, however
great the service he has undoubtedly
rendered the public. Sam. Bass, the
brigand chief, "a young man, misguided
but undoubtedly brave, died on a lowly
cot in plank house in the village of
Round Rock, Sunday evening, July 20.
Murphy, his betrayer, came not near
The rude couch of his dying chief, and
without a friend to wipe off the cold
sweat of death, Sam. Bass expired with
the singular sentence, "The world is
bobbing around" the last words the
captain of the Texas brigands uttered
On earth. r.r.. -. 81. ... A.. !