NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Sam Bass

Sam Bass (21 July 1851–21 July 1878) was a nineteenth-century American train robber and western icon. Handsome and charismatic, he is best known for his brief, yet extremely lucrative career as a train and bank robber. Image File history File links Sambass. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) The 19th century lasted from 1801 to 1900 in the Gregorian calendar (using the Common Era system of year numbering). ... Train robbery was a crime that occurred mainly in the middle-to-late 19th century. ... The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American Old West. ... Bank robbery is the crime of robbing a bank. ...

1 Early life
2 Life as an outlaw, shooting death
3 See also
4 External links
5 Further reading

Early life

Born in Indiana in 1851, Bass moved to Denton, Texas, as a young adult. He acquired a prized racing mare and made his living from racing horses from 1874 to 1876. He often traveled to San Antonio during completed its mission in Nebraska, but he followed the established business custom of paying the creditors on the drive ending up in Deadwood, South Dakota. Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area Ranked 38th - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 kmÂ²) - Width 140 miles (225 km) - Length 270 miles (435 km) - % water 1. ... Nickname: The Lone Star of Texas Location within the state of Texas County Denton County - Mayor Perry McNeill Area - City 161. ... Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Largest metro area Omaha Area Ranked 16th - Total 77,421 sq mi (200,520 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 430 miles (690 km) - % water 0. ... A photograph of Deadwood in 1876. ...

Life as an outlaw, shooting death

He bought a mine, ran a saloon and began robbing stages, all netting very little for him. Then, as part of a gang, he robbed the Union Pacific gold train from San Francisco. Their take was $60,000, shared amongst the 6 gang members. To this day it is the single largest robbery of the Union Pacific, and the one single event that launched Bass to Old West fame. With the Pinkertons and other law enforcement officers on his tail, including lawman Charlie Bassett, he headed back to Denton, Texas. The Union Pacific Railroad (NYSE: UNP) is the largest railroad in the United States. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Look up Fame in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Fame may refer to a number of different topics, including: Fame, the condition of being known to the general public. ... Pinkerton guards escort strikebreakers in Buchtel, Ohio, 1884 The Pinkerton National Detective Agency is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. ... Astronaut Charles Bassett Charles Arthur Art Bassett , II (Captain, USAF) NASA Astronaut (Deceased) // Personal data Bassett was born in Dayton, Ohio, on December 30, 1931, and died February 28, 1966, in St. ...

In 1877, he and others in his gang began a string of Texas train and stage coach robberies, including the first such robbery in Texas history in Allen, Texas, never netting over $500 at any one time. In 1878, they held up two stagecoaches and four trains within twenty-five miles of Dallas. The gang quickly found themselves as the object of a pursuit in the Denton area by Pinkerton Agents and by a special company of Texas Rangers headed by Captain Junius "June" Peak. Bass was able to elude the Rangers until a member of his party, Jim Murphy, turned informer when his father was imprisoned in Tyler, Texas. He cut a deal to save his father, and informed the lawmen about the gangs plans and movements. As Bass's band rode south, Murphy telegraphed Major John B. Jones, commander of the Frontier Battalion of Texas Rangers. 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English (de facto) See also languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area Ranked 2nd - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 kmÂ²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ... Nickname: none Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: http://www. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Nickname: Big D Location in the state of Texas Country United States State Texas Counties Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman, and Rockwall Incorporated 2 February 1856 - Mayor Laura Miller Area - City 385. ... Official crest of the Texas Ranger Division The Texas Ranger Division, commonly known as the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction based in Austin, the capital city of Texas, in the United States. ... Tyler is the county seat of Smith County in East Texas, United States. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... Captain John B. Jones. ...

Jones set up an ambush at Round Rock, where they would rob the Williamson County Bank. On July 19, 1878, Bass and his gang scouted the area before the actual robbery. They bought some tobacco at a store, being noticed by Williamson County Sheriff Caige Grimes. When Grimes approached the group, he was shot and killed, firing one round before he died, and a heavy gunfight ensued between the outlaws, the Rangers and the local lawmen. A deputy named Moore was mortally wounded, as was Bass. The band quickly mounted their horses and tried to escape while continuing to fire, and as they galloped away, Bass was shot again in the back by Ranger George Herold. Bass was later found lying helpless in a pasture north of town by the authorities. They took him into custody where he died from his wounds the next day, on July 21, 1878. It was his 27th birthday. Sheriff Grimes was 27 years of age also. The Round Rock, from which the city takes its name, marked a low water wagon crossing in Brushy Creek. ... Williamson County is a county located in the state of Texas. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

The replica tombstone at the grave of Sam Bass

One member of the gang, Jackson, escaped and later settled in New Mexico. For many years his family petitioned, without success, a pardon from the Governor so that he could return to Texas. Gang member Murphy returned to Denton, where he became an outcast, frequently sleeping in the county jail for his own protection. He died within a year when he swallowed some eye drops -- whether the ingestion was an accident is unclear, though the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame states it was suicide [1]. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (583x960, 312 KB) Other versions No File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sam Bass ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (583x960, 312 KB) Other versions No File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sam Bass ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area Ranked 5th - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 kmÂ²) - Width 342 miles (550 km) - Length 370 miles (595 km) - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English (de facto) See also languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area Ranked 2nd - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 kmÂ²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ... Nickname: The Lone Star of Texas Location within the state of Texas County Denton County - Mayor Perry McNeill Area - City 161. ...

Sam Bass is buried in Round Rock, not far from where he died. A few years after his death, Bass's sister provided a tombstone which read "A brave man reposes in death here. Why was he not true?". Once damaged beyond repair by souvenir hunters, that tombstone was replaced by a large granite replica tombstone provided by the "Sam Bass Centennial Commission".

As with many contemporary figures of the American Old West, Bass captured the public imagination in contemporary stories and songs, being portrayed as was common in this era by some as a ruthless desperado, but by others as a kind of Robin Hood figure whose misdeeds allegedly were not visited on the poor but only upon the monied classes. Despite his shortlived career, he was nonetheless colorful, and saw extreme financial success in his robberies from 1877 until his death in 1878. The well publicised and unsuccessful law enforcement pursuit of Bass and his gang following their $60,000 take on the Union Pacific train robbery was the event that brought him to the attention of the public, and what captured the publics imagination. That single event, and his evading capture afterwards, led to Bass reaching the status of legend. The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American Old West. ... Desperado (desperate in Spanish â€” this an old usage of the word, today desesperado is far more common) means a violent and reckless person who performs some spectacular feats. ... Robin Hood memorial statue in Nottingham. ... Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. ... For the band, see The Police. ... Look up Legend in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

External links

The Story of Sam Bass
Sam Bass from the Handbook of Texas Online
FrontierTimes - Outlaws: Sam Bass
Old West Grave Sites - Sam Bass
Texas musician Mark David Manders' album Chili Pepper Sunset (2000) includes the song "Jim Murphy", the story of the man who betrayed Sam Bass.
Grave site:
Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 30.5173° -97.6975°
- Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Maps or Microsoft Virtual Earth

The Handbook of Texas (ISBN 0-87611-151-7) is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published jointly by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) and the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Contents

Early life GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Life as an outlaw, shooting death

See also

External links

Further reading

Early life