Sam Bass (outlaw)

Sam Bass
Photograph of Sam Bass
Born	(1851-07-21)July 21, 1851 Mitchell, Indiana, U.S.
Died	July 21, 1878(1878-07-21) (aged 27) Round Rock, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Armed robbery

Sam Bass (July 21, 1851 ‒ July 21, 1878) was a 19th-century American Old West train robber and outlaw.

After failing at a series of legitimate enterprises, Bass turned to crime. He joined a gang and robbed the Union Pacific Railroad gold train from San Francisco. Bass and his men intercepted the train on September 18, 1877, at Big Springs, Nebraska, looting $60,000. To date, this is the single largest robbery of the Union Pacific.

Bass and the gang he formed in Texas staged a string of robberies, yet never netted over $500 at any one time. In 1878, the gang held up two stagecoaches and four trains within 25 miles of Dallas, and became the object of a manhunt by Pinkerton National Detective Agency agents and by a special company of the Texas Rangers headed by Captain Junius Peak. The train robbery happened in Allen, Texas, north of Dallas.

Bass was able to elude the Texas Rangers until a member of his gang, Jim Murphy, turned informant. Mr. Murphy's father, who was very ill at the time, was taken into custody and held for questioning. He was not allowed to see a doctor and was prevented from receiving medical treatment causing his condition to rapidly worsen. Law officers then sent a message to Murphy informing him that they had his father in custody, and that if Murphy did not agree to meet with them, they would continue to withhold medical treatment from the father. Knowing how sick his father was, Murphy agreed to the meeting where he reluctantly agreed to turn informant. John B. Jones was informed of Bass's movements and set up an ambush at Round Rock, Texas, where Bass planned to rob the Williamson County Bank.

On July 19, 1878, Bass and his gang were scouting the area before the robbery. When they bought some tobacco at a store, they were noticed by Williamson County Deputy Sheriff A. W. Grimes. When Grimes approached the men to request that they surrender their sidearms, he was shot and killed. As Bass attempted to flee, he was shot by Texas Ranger George Herold and then by Ranger Sergeant Richard Ware. Near Ware, were Soapy Smith and his cousin Edwin who witnessed Ware's shot. Soapy exclaimed, "I think you got him."