Blackwater Bandits

**The Blackwater Bandits** are an outlaw gang found outside of Blackwater Settlement.

## History

The Blackwater Bandits were comprised of Sam Bass, Joel Collins, Jack Davis, Tom Nixon, Bill Heffridge and Jim Berry. These outlaws first robbed some seven stagecoaches in the Valentine area.

#### **Origin Story**

Four of these robberies was directed at the same stage line – the Valentine Stage. On the fifth attempt on March 25, 1877, the outlaws killed the stage driver, Johnny Slaughter. At the sound of the shot, the horses bolted, running towards Blackwater, some two miles away. Folklore has it that the runaway stage was stopped by none other than John Cartwright as it entered Blackwater. The gang soon decided that their profits from stage robberies were too low and turned their attention to the more lucrative business of robbing trains.

### **The Trains**

Making their way to the isolated Wallace Station, their first train robbery took place on September 18, 1877. Capturing the station master, John Barnhart, and destroying the telegraph, they forced him to signal the eastbound express train to stop. At 10:48 p.m., the six bandits boarded the train. Finding only $450 in the mail car safe, they then went to rob the larger safe but it had a time lock preventing it from being opened until the train reached its destination. Though they beat the express messenger brutally in an attempt to get him to open it, the messenger was unable to. However, the outlaws continued to search the train car, finding some wooden boxes, which revealed $60,000 worth of freshly minted $20 gold pieces. Why these were not in the safe is unknown. The bandits then began to systematically rob the train passengers. In the end, they escaped with the $60,000 in freshly minted gold bars, $450.00 from the mail car safe, and about $1,300.00 and four gold watches from the passengers. Splitting the money up, the outlaws separated into pairs, each heading in different directions.

**What Happen Next?**

Joel Collins and Bill Heffridge were pursued to Bacchus Station, where they were killed. Jim Berry was captured near his home near Mexico. Wounded during the capture, he died two days later. Sam Bass returned to Valentine where he formed the Sam Bass Gang. He was killed on July 21, 1878, in an ambush by Lawmen at Smithfields Saloon. Tom Nixon and Jack Davis were never apprehended.

#### **Present Day**

The gang was reformed and started where the new leader Sean "Spitts" Bass father left off, robbing trains and banks for everything he can find. The gang now holds a strong “No Witnesses Policy”. This is now one of the most feared gangs in the Wild West. They are a diverse group of skilled Thiefs, Murderers and all around criminals!

A few days into rebuilding the gang Sean had gathered a few friends that hes grown to trust and see potential in. Joey Smith and Timothy Brooks were the first to join the Bandits. The guys and Sean put together a plan to rob the Valentine Bank, with their elaborate plan together the guys hit the bank with a minor shootout with the marshal and a few of his men. The Bandits escaped with $30 and their lives, Marshal Faraday launched an investigation into this new gang around the town. During the investigation a chase ensues and Faraday goes after Joey managing to injure him, shortly after, Flynn injures Sean but gets shot off his horse by him in the process. Fortunately, Faraday was right behind and gets a shot off at Sean to disable him.

As he approaches Sean to question him a third shooter (Timothy Brooks) takes a shot at Faraday grazing his rib cage. Knowing his deputy (Flynn) is hurt as well, he doesn't take any chances and offers a temporary truce so that they both may collect their men.