The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-09-20
THE END OF A BANDIT
HOW SAM BASS MET A VIOLENT
DEATH IN A TEXAS TOWN.

The Shooting of the Notorious Dcs-
perndo Was the Outcome of De-
Hbera1e Murder Committed by One
of His Gang of Outlaws.
in the little town of Round Rock, in
Williamson county, Tex, not more
than 80 miles distant from Austin, re-
pose the remains of one of the most
desperate highwaymen that ever oper-
ated in our section" said Mr.. l. Il.
Crocker Of the Lone Star State to re-
porter.
"It was in the spring of 1878 that
Sam Bass met his fate in this sleepy
little town, and when he died with his
boots on the southwest was rid of a
criminal who was easily the peer of
Jesse James, though he hadn't quite as
long a run as that noted outlaw. Bass
was product Of Michigan-at least.
his sister, a gentle girl, came down
from some town in that state to see
that his body was decently inferred.
"Bass had collected about him CON-
pany Of as hardened thieves as ever
engineered a hold up. The gang had
robbed a number of trains in Missouri
and Arkansas and concluded they
would make one more good haul in
Texas before riding across the border
into Mexico, where they proposed to
stay in retirement for a season.
"Bass had planned the looting of the
only bank at Round Rock as an easier
Job and doubtless better paying one
than tackling train, which feat had
been performed too often to be thor
oughly safe. By changing his pro-
gramme to raiding village bank there
might be more lucre and less risk.
$50 on that lovely morning in May
when he and his fellow thieves rode
into the unsuspicious town they
chuckled to think what an easy job it
would be to transfer the banks cash to
their pockets. So thoroughly certain
were they Of getting off with the
plunder that they were in no haste
about the matter. One wanted to get a
shave, another went into a restaurant
and so they scattered singly over the
place, but there was an understanding
as to the time Of attack, and rendez-
yous was fixed upon.
Meanwhile, unknown to the bandits,
a squad Of mounted Texas rangers had
been pressing hard upon the trail OF
the bad men. and within an hour after
the Bass outfit entered Round Rock
Sergeant Dick Ware, with eight or ten
rangers, also reached the scene. He
wasn't aware Of the presence OF the
robbers, nor did they dream that the
officers Of the law were in that vicinity.
Neither did any citizen Of the town
have the remotest idea Of the Identity
Of certain rough looking men, strangers
in the place. But they might be COW
bows from some distant west Texas
cattle ranch, for the presence Of such
was too common to occasion notice.
"The climax came quite by accident.
One of the ruffians who had sauntered
into a store to make few purchases,
in reaching for his purse to make pay
ment disclosed a big Colts revolver
The Texas law against carrying guns
was strict, and it so happened that the
man who saw the weapon was none
other than the town marshal, as brave
a fellow as ever lived. He walked up
to the desperate and said quite cour-
teously:
"My friend, Ill have to relieve you
of that six shooter.
"'I'll give it to you, then,' said the
robber with an oath. and in second
had drawn his weapon and fired upon
the marshal, who fell dead at the re-
port.
Upon this the robber rushed out OF
the store, and Immediately his COM
rades came running to the spot, but no
faster than did the rangers with their
Winchesters. ready for action. In
second it seemed as if both sides had
the situation revealed, and the robbers
turned to run to where their horses
stood tied @ block from where the
murder Of the marshal occurred. Be
fore he had run so yards Dick Ware
had sent bullet into the head OF
Barnes, Bass lieutenant. which lald
the hiShwayman low.
"Bass. mortally wounded. managed
to get upon his horse. which he urged
to breakneck speed. The animal ran
for about three miles till he reached
the open prairie and stopped to Craze
AS he did so his rider, unable to sit
longer in the saddle from loss of blood.
fell to the ground.
when they found him q few hours
later, he was dying. He recognized
Sergeant Ware as the man who had
killed him and said he wanted Ware to
have his horse. He regretted their
procrastination in robbing the bank,
for if they had only known the ran
gers were so near they could have lin
ished the job and escaped"
ton Post.