Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-26
THE TAKING OFF OF SAM BASS.
AN EVENT OF insToRro IN
TEREsr.
fss Trenchery of one of the Out
law nand-rhc Tragedy which Fol-
lowed at Round RocI<--T,vo Lonely
Graves.



occurrences and TO similar men. In .
crimes history few are the characters
that Will equal in daring and in devil
ment Bin Cook. Many bad men have
drifted to Texas possibly because bet
ter opportunities were offered for their
talent, probably because they thought
that they could find an abiding place
in the large dominion. Isolated and safe,
Their reasoning in either Instance
proved TO be more speclous than plain.
as history bears out.
But of Bill Cooks double.
Sam Bass history ia too well known
to Texans to require reCitlng. hence
only his taking on will be considered.
lie died, curslng God and man, in this
little place His death was caused by
wounds inflicted by those who deemed
1t their duty to protect property aud
TO see that our laws were not violated.
Greed for money and ambition for no
toriety were the prime factors In the
cause that led to his death All Texas
was much alarmed during the irst half
of the year 1878 by maraudlng bands
entering the unprotected towns and vii
lagos and plunderlng them. The min.
Ions of the law We're impressed with
Immediately run to earth. The gov
ernor and attorney general combined
and offered every inducement FOR their
apprehension.
The Texas rangers were delegated TO
follow them as fast as they made any
attack or their location could be as
certained. 1t did not take them long to
learn that the band Of outlaws was
thoroughly organized and that its
leader feared neither man nor law,
He went so far as TO tell them his name
was Sam Bass and that he would be
pleased to meet them at any point they
might designate. For long time they
could only follow, the bands attacks
being 30 frequent and at the most UNI
expected places. There is no telling
how long the chase would have con-
tinued had not one of the gang turned
traitor. Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ
FOR silver, Murphy betrayed sam Bass
for freedom. He communicated with
the chief office Of tie rangers chances
timely and told him that he would make
known the plans Of proposed raid
il he were guaranteed his freedom. The
proposition was accepted 10y the state
and the plans covering a proposed rob
berry at Round Rock were given 10 the
state A detachment OF the rangers
were Immediately ordered to the point
of attack and We're commanded to be
in readiness, At the time designated
by Murphy Of the outlaws, the band
| pitched camp near the town Of Old
| Round Rock. Needing supplies three
| OF tht-5and were sent TO town with the
| dual purpose of making the necessary
purchases and to get the lay OF the
/ town Bass, Jackson and Barnes COM
| posed the trio They donncd costumes
| such as We're then worn By cowboys,
| but concealed their weapons. As they
/ rode by Captain Highsmith's livery
| stable they were observed by several
| rangers and local officers but their
| true identity was not thought Of, They
| hitched their horses in the rear OF the
stable and then walked to a nelghbor-
| ing store.
one OF the party at the stable cas-
| ually remarked to Deputy Sheriff
| Grimes that he believed the trio to be
| armed, carrying arms then, as now,
| being prohibited. Grimes and Moore
| OF Travis county followed them into
| the store 1t happened that Grimes APP
| preached Bass and after telling him
| it was against the law 10 carry wea-
pons and telling him that he know
he was armed requested him to leave
! his weapons while he was In town with
the clerk in the store. Bass replied
that he was armed, as also were his
! partners, and almost In the same
| breath drawing and shooting at
Grimes. His partners also drew their
weapons and began firing, At the first
volley Grimes was MORALLY wounded,
He retruated to the front door and
fell dead. Moore, Grimes assistant
was wounded almost at the same time
The trio then attempted TO reach their
| horses The rangers, hearing the hringr
ran from the stable toward the store
and were met by the fleeing outlaws
A general fight then occurred. Barnes
was killed. Bass was shot by ware
Of the rangers. The bail shattered his
right hat.I, causing him to drop one OF
his pistols. Bass, being wounded, at
tempted to reach horse Just as ne
was unhtching one OF the horses be
longing to the rangers he saw Terrell
a ranger, approaching him, ana snap
ned his pistol in his face. Terrell sue
ceeded IN getting several shots at Bass
while he was attempting to mount, on
ly one of the shots reached It's mark
n MERGED Bass left side, and was INT
fatal shot. Bass succeeded IN mount
ing and aed toward the camp. lie wa'
10 lowed hut was not found that day.
The following day he was found by
scnuts and brought back to Rount
Rock. Jackson, his pal, got away ant
was not heard of again unul recently
| An OF the other outlaws WIZ Mei'
, camped near the town made goou thei
| asrape excepting Murphy, VINO haN4H'
Gcard the nring, rode into town an'
stonned where crowd was viewlni
~ dead body of Barnes. None kneV
,he corpge until Murphy told then
20 Look for certain flesh wound
telling them at the time the body wa
mar OF Barnes and that the Woun'
vas inflicted In a recent raid. III
lxnowledge of the man came very hed
,ettine MIN into trouble, for the crow
Srew It's conciusiona which We're tna
: &c sneaker was friend of the dc
cnIsed He was seized and was bein
carried 20 tree with a rope aIoun
Ma neck when Jones approached an
= tnia the enraged crowd that the prs
oner was a ranger and must not D
= ,,olested. Bass was placed IN nous
i tdyn a strong guard statione
{ aro,,nd It's premises and medical al
a as, ~ The wound received i
!. 81 bowels was pronounced fatal an
C ISss was told that he could only Nv
d His last moments were even meI
- oyciting than were those durlnB "
, sesadorn He cursed the plysieiani
teIIinr them that they were not treh'
,ng his wounds properly, lie curse
ne attendants. accusing them OF cor
sniracy 10 hasten his DEAN, anu "a s,
Il. no cursed God for permitting M
~ ale before he could aeeoHipns
his purpose. -, t,t. o. +,,e