The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-19
TEXAS TRAIN ROBBERS.

TEXAS TRAIN ROBBERS.
BAND OF DEsPERADoEs HUNTED BY HUM
DREDs OF WELL ARMED, MOUNTED MEN
COMPOSITION OF TIE RoBBER GANa-rHE
cHAsE-cLosE ON THE HEELS OF THE FuaI-
TIvEs, BUT ALWAYS TOO LATE.
DENTON. Texas, May o, 1878.
All Of the bands OF armed citizens which went out
70 help capture the Texas robbers except those
under charge Of Sherin Egan, Of Denton county and
part Of the force In charge Of Juan Peak, given
up the chase. Twice within tho past week Bass and
his coniederatcs have been pursued close quarters
ana yet on both occasions they have escaped. This
desperate gang OF outlaws to havo perfectly
u homo at benton. They have had their headquarters
a. saloon shanty kept by q mau named Scott Mays
In town and their friends havo been are still very
humorous in the county.
The gang that has hunted hero Is not believed
10 number moro than five at tho most. These are
BAN Bass, Henry Underwood, Frank Jackson, Charley
Reod and G. Barnes Bass, Underwood aud Jackson
have been seen together within few miles OF town
quite recently. Reed and barnes bsnevod TO have
been hiding IL the neghborhood until the cxcitene
OF tho recent pursuit, which very high while,
drove them to JOIN their coniederates In tho brush.
While hero cleaned Information about the past
history Of the robbers. Sam Bass, who is generally
spoken OF us though no considered leader among
NC outlaws, seems TO have been very
monplace sort OF Character up 10 tho umo
OF the recent Union Pacific robbery IN Nebraska.
lie IS about thirty years OF age vo ieot eight nine
inches high, and weighs about $50 pounds. he is
unedacated aud has had to engage the services OF
acquaintance TO wrio TO mis- relatives In Indiana,
from which state no came TO Texas whom about
swonty years old. After his arrival In Denton no
worked faithfully ABOUT five or six years Tor Sheriff
Eagan who is now pursuing HIN. He Also worked
About cattle ut intervals in different parts OF the
path and patch OF brush within its borders Almost
every boy In Texas owns a horse, and Sam, VINO
would DO iko the rest, CHANGED to get fast
Years ago. Hc entered inc animal ia races for dash
Of lew hundred yards, when he discovered speed,
and the venture proved successful. In this way he
won littlo money, aud from winnsg on tho race
truck he got to betting ut cards gradually deyel-
oped into something OF "sport" With small
capital, ONO racehorsc, six shooters aud u
good zeal VI pluck, 80 his friends say Sam travelled
through the state with varying fortunes and IN MS
wunderIngs Tell IN with the baud who arc now his
companIons III the brush. The friend VINO wrote his
letters for him says Sam never would allow him 10
men,lon his connection with the iori, ond mentions
BANS disgust At certain religious sentiments in tho
letters hc received 1t was pretty generally unde-
stood that Sam had been .'on color'' Tor some limo
trans. he lowered about Denton most OF the time,
however, anu IS SAID TO have boasted that nc got
Hc been well armed OF late, ana
Is repuicd to be quite good snoI He has boosted
mat whoever takes purt Of Too will have TO light
nfst aud tnat The survivors win XIII them, but this Is
regarded US the threat oil man with u price his
head. Recently an acquaintance asked sam what no
should do II "Dad Eagan as tho Sheriff Is iunilIarly
called, should pursue nin closely. and his answer
wac, II should nate TO have to 90 II, but II was
necessni y ID have 70 pop him."
Frank Jackson ike Bass, has lived about Denton for
several years de, too, has been "cow boy" and
obstinate III dlsposittoned youth, Tor whom
has u good word No crime Is charged against him
previous TO the recent roDberies. True, no killed
"hgger not long ago, bet this Is regarded very
hight consequence here Moreover, report says tho
liggcr wanted to naht q duel with MIN. Jackson
never worked long ia ono place, but dr.itcd about
OF the time. lilo about the same aye US Bass.
Underwood Is over iorty years CID has Il family
lear Denton Still he travelled aood deal and kept
his concerns 10 pinscli mostly. When drunk he
you'd parade about Denton square with u shot
Jun on his shoulder and DEFY the Marshal. He has
been arrested several tiDes however, tho last umo
by sheriff Everhard, OF Grayson county, for CON-
plicity In the Union Pacific robbery. Since no
broke jail.
Charley Reed la said to DO the worst desperate OF
lhe lo He TOO, Is understood to havo been In the
Union Pacific roooery. He killed three men ia row
OF barnes h.llc Is known here. Ho ia understood
to DO morse hiei aud report says he has beon
nitted there
Cnasc bnesc though buuly conducted
and hampcrcd ia mauy ways, has been OF exciting
sharacter IL has evinCcd desire tho part OF Il
considerable proportion OF the inhabitants OF tho
county TO relieve themselves from the Stigma
palnizng with highwaymen. IL enlisted the SER
vices OF over hundred czens IN squals tiiue
1t has discovered some pluck and enthusiasm, Dut IL
has lacked concert oil action ana inioli-
gent leadership. Each faction, or at least
each leader, endeavorod TO rival tho next.
some Of the squads were searching very enerse,caiy
ana all The while praying they wouldn't 1nd their
men, and some wished they could get tho rewards
linn
srs So iar quite number OF arrests OF persons
pccted OF haroorng and aiding the robbers have boon
most respected settlers. Notably among these may
DO mentioned Sir. Henderson Murphy, who, with Two
81 his SONG, Is now behind prison oars. Mr. Murphy
stood well ia the county. His son. Joe Murphy, used
20 ride u horse since ridden by Bass, and which was
captured IN the late sk irm,sh.
When your correspondent started from Fort Worth
week ago was generally believed the robvcrs were
ut bay within n lew miles OF Denton. When Denton
was reached II found they had cvaded their pur-
Tor the second timo found shelter In dense
wood about seven miles from Drn,ou ON the preced-
ing Tuesday the Two horses ridden by Bass Jack
son, four bees just vacated two saddles briilcs
Two rubber coats, three coffee pots, some cooking
tho robbers were captured Two OF the men
were seen 10 plunge into tho woods.
had gun ieseIled at them, but the loagc was so
thick that they were Instantly lost sight OIL Tho
next heard OF them was Ia the vicinity OF Bolivar,
sinnll settlement about fourteen miles from Denton
When reached Denton, ut noon oil Tuesday, alter
ride of thirty miles, . man named Hart, VINO had
been out several days with posse In charge OF
Deputy Sheriff Hannah, had just boon brought 10
Town Tor medical attendance, having wounded him.
sell tally rifle From him learned N NJ
Bass gang were reported ntrcr ched ut Cove Hollow
, rocky canyon, about seventeen miles from Bolivar
Hanpahs men had gone out TO search the as he
lett. immediately started Tor Bolivar and reached
there just US the deputy sheriff and hs squad were re-
turning rom their scout. 4 here were about twenty
Altogether mounted ON good stout nags, their broad
leaycd sombrcros napping In the breeze, guns sung
along ny the horses sides and braces OF sIxshoocrs
beted about the mcns ions. They we're ralh pic
turcsque than formidable looking band however and
with something oi the enthusiasm OF fresh recruits
seemed 10 regard me business u joviai sort OF a
picnic P,rhars this was because they were going
homo alter "a weeks fruiticss chase. had oppor.
tunity OF observing how they acted In the field ihey
looked very determined Ia tho saloon and tho pub
he square, and impaired quite warlikc Appearance
10 the town. One VI them rode Bass horse auu had
. rubber coat taken In the recent skrmsh.
returned TO Denton next day aud found that Sheriff
Eagan had already started with another posse He s
s Out, anu NO ono here knows IN which direction he
Il travelling. Ho 10 supposed TO be close behind the
fugives q stern chase.
I'm Sal gom Of Ina IA q .r.,t,s