Plus other artifacts. But his friend from Denton, Jim Murphy had made a deal with the law to turn Bass in. With Seaborn dead in front of him and his leader Bass injured, it is said that Frank coolly held the Rangers at bay with his gun as he helped Sam to his horse. Its speculated that he likely did not burn through his money so quickly, but rather he likely enjoyed the sport of thievery. The silver has yet to be discovered. There's a cache of silver said to be buried outside Leander. On the night of April 13, a box was lifted from the square cut chamber between the rocks, for the next day the workmen were gone and the blasting has ceased. She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. He and his siblings went to live with their uncle and his nine children, where they received no formal schooling. Round Rock Remembers Sam Bass. Austin American-Statesman. The crew dug below this formationonly to find a container shaped hole below the surface. Their first train job took place at Big Spring Station, Nebraska at 10:48 P.M. on September 18, 1877, under a big moon. The treasure has never been recovered and is said to be in a hollow tree somewhere about 2 miles west of Round Rock. Sam Bass 100 Years Later. Packsaddle Mountain is also the home of the Blanco Mine, named for a Spaniard who found the location long ago. Why was he not true? This monument has long since been chipped away by souvenir hunters and has now been replaced with a granite tombstone erected by the Sam Bass Centennial Commission. Sam and Jack Davis convinced these men that they too were searching for the bandits in the hopes of receiving a large reward. Born on a farm two miles from Mitchell, Indiana on July 21, 1851, he was soon orphaned and he and his brother and sisters moved to a nearby farm to live with their uncle and his nine children. All rights reserved. Thank you very much and God BlessAmerica, Jack & Dodie Dennis, Click Here For Top 10 Most Popular Articles. Sam Bass was born in Indiana, as everyone who has ever heard the Ballad of Sam Bass knows. Some treasure hunters believe that Sam Bass treasure is now within a State Park, which unfortunately makes it off limits to metal detecting. While one man held the horses on the west side of the tracks, one man boarded the engine and held a pistol on the engineer. A map was found that were said to lead to the alleged treasure. Another account of this event states that after Seaborn was killed, both Sam and Frank were able to mount their horses and had begun to ride off when Sam was hit by the bullet. In 1877 at the Big Spring Station in Nebraska, a small group of banditsincluding Sam Bassforced the station master to halt an oncoming express train. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I will find later and give the titles and authors. Another Longhorn Cavern tale involves the search for a treasure supposedly buried on Woods Ranch near Burnet. Published by the Sam Bass Centennial Commission, Round Rock, Texas. The Union Pacific gold train robbery happened in Big Springs, Nebraska and to this day remains to be one of the largest train holdups in history. Reconstruction had just ended and the state government was still weak. With permission from private landowners, anyone is free to take a pick and shovel and, like generations have done in the past, search for gold. Since it is hard to imagine that Sam could have used up all of his gold before he started train robbing again, it lends credence to the story that Sam robbed for sport more than for profit. Weve been working with a new mint to ensure the continued quality of one of our most popular products. Writers Kevin Burns (developed for television by) Mark D'Anna Joe Lessard Stars Matty Blake 301 W. Bagdad Avenue, Suite 210Round Rock, Texas 78664Phone: 512-218-5428 | Fax: 512-218-3286Inspection Services, 301 W. Bagdad Avenue Suite 100, 512-218-5550Code Enforcement, 221 E. Main Street, 512-218-3329Community Development, 221 E. Main Street, 512-341-3148, NewsCalendarJobsCity CouncilSitemapWebsite Feedback, Service RequestService DirectoryPayment CenterDevelopment/Permit TrackerOpen Records CenterPublic Notices, Staff DirectoryMobile AppsAlerts Sign UpE-Subscribe, City of Round Rock221 East Main StreetRound Rock, TX 78664512-218-5400, Sam Bass and the Great Round Rock Shootout of July 19, 1878. This is the story of Bass and the treasure that may still be out there waiting to be discovered. He, along with Sam Bass and another man named Jack Davis, then drove the herd north to Ogallala, Nebraska, where they the herd for $8,000. Sam became infamous, however, when his gang robbed a Union Pacific train of $60,000 in $20 double-eagle gold coins during an 1876 heist thats almost $1.3 million in todays dollars, and still today the single largest UP train heist ever! So Frank never returned to get the outlaw gold. The men divided the gold up equally between themselves and left the scene in pairs, each pair traveling in a different direction. This is reputed to be Bass's Cove Hollow in Denton, TX Where there had once been a metal containerand possibly a treasurethere was only a rust-lined hole. Who actually shot Sam Bass was never completely decided. Texas Rangers caught up with him in a nearby pasture. Thanks for having me! A tree similar to the one described on the map was spotted by treasure-hunters and chopped downonly to come up empty. Texas Sam Bass Treasure NEW CLUES to the Gold Secret map to the famous outlaw Sam Bass hideout and treasure. At some point on their trip back to Texas, Sam and Jack Davis were joined by a company of soldiers and detectives who were searching for the train robbers. The Sam Bass legends are not the only treasure-filled stories flying around Williamson County. 373). ONeal, Bill. One story places the hidden gold in a cave in East Mountain at Mineral Wells (Grigsby). There is a shootout on Casey train and two men are dead. Before long, one of the privates had killed the other. ), and other accounts say that he became a prosperous West Texas rancher (Round Rock Remembers). Sams fame spread to Great Britain in the late 1800s, culminating in a wax statue of Sam in Madam Tussauds Waxworks in London (Ibid.). We expect to re-stock our Prospector rounds very shortly, with plans to expand the line of products as well. Llano County is home to other buried treasure sites, including $60,000 in gold and silver coins buried by Sam Bass near the community of Castell in the western part of the county. The Ballad of Sam Bass, written by John Denton of Gainesville, Texas, was sung by many cowhands in an attempt to sooth the herd on stormy nights. Sam and Seaborn were for stealing some fresh horses and hitting the bank as soon as possible. Sam Bass and the Myth Machine. The American West. Feb. 1989: 61. In association with Jack Davis and another man known as Nixon, they held up seven stages over the next few months (Ibid. In 1877 at the Big Spring Station in Nebraska, a small group of banditsincluding Sam Bassforced the station master to halt an oncoming express train. Also Read: Metal Detecting in Texas Coins, Relics & Buried Treasure, And: 7 Things to Consider When Searching for Buried Treasure Caches. An estimated $340 million. They uncovered $60,000 worth of freshly minted $20. In actual fact, Sam was probably more inept than brave or noble, and he appears to have never realized that robbing trains and banks was anything more than an amusing diversion. Here, outlaw Sam Bass hid from the law until a final shootout with the Texas Rangers on July 19, 1878. While getting away, Bass was shot again in the back. Carmack, George. After being mortally wounded in a Round Rock TX shootout and dying on his 27th birthday in 1878, Sam left everyone wondering what happened to his fortune in gold. Bass is tied to several legends of treasure being buried in Texas, including one that involves Burnet County. Another source claims that the treasure was nowhere close to $3 million, actually only about $80,000 in gold coins. During the four months of the Bass War, the gang became the stuff of legend; they led the Rangers on long chases with narrow escapes. A tree similar to the one described on the map was spotted by treasure-hunters and chopped down-only to come up empty. Supposedly, it still lies buried beneath the dirt. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; During the gun fight it has been said that there were two men firing at the gang as they attempted to flee. The tale started many years following the death of Bass. In June, a posse challenged the gang to a gunfight in which Arkansas Johnson was killed and Henry Underwood rode off never to return to the gang (Centennial Commission). Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Thats not the cave at Cove Hollow. Simultaneously, Seaborn Barnes fell dead with a bullet wound to the head. It may not display this or other websites correctly. He was then shot in the chest, the bullet piercing his lung, and was forced to discontinue the chase (Webb Century of Frontier Defense 386). If a man knows anything he ought to die with it in him, referring to his unwillingness to cooperate with the Rangers even though he knew that he was going to die. Sam began working for the sheriff as a farmhand and teamster, which acquainted him to the country trails and back roads that he would later use as a bandit. It gave citizens something to identify with and it gave the town something to distinguish itself. You are using an out of date browser. Sam traveled down the Mississippi, to Rosedale, Mississippi, where he worked for a year in Charles Mill. In 1869, Sam left and found work in Mississippi, where he learned how to shoot a pistol. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. He soon formed a gang, robbed more stages and added to his caches. However, instead of returning to Texas to pay off the notes, they headed to the gold-filled hills of Deadwood, South Dakota. The search for buried Hill Country treasure begins at its edge, in the community of Round Rock. After the ceremony, she reported that a man on a bay horse, whom she recognized as Frank Jackson, came riding up from the north. If you believe everything you Google, the location of Sams gold is definitely hidden somewhere different across three states, depending upon which treasure hunter you believe. Your email address will not be published. #1 in our Accounts of the Old West series. He soon formed a gang, robbed more stages and added to his caches. This eventually took them to Nebraska, where they sold the herd and used the money to take up gold prospecting in the Black Hills. If you are going on a hunt in search of Bass treasure, here are some good places you may want to look! They are stored locally on your computer or mobile device. SAN ANTONIO You could find buried treasure in the Texas Hill Country -- an estimated $340 million worth. The biggest treasure of all, some say $3 million dollars worth, is said to be buried in Austin. This venture left the two broke. Moving west to Llano, were once again on the trail of Sam Bass. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Glenmoril Wyrd Treasure Map: Eastmarch. Context Sam Bass 1851-1878 Died at age 27 Timeline Sam Bass, outlaw, was born on a farm near Mitchell, Indiana, on July 21, 1851, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth Jane (Sheeks) Bass. Anyone have a suggestion or other help? Frank left his horse with Sam and hid his saddle in the brush nearby; after a tearful farewell Frank rode off. Why would anyone wear camouflage while metal detecting? It was at this point that Frank held the charging Rangers and citizens at bay with his gun as he helped Sam back onto his horse, and they rode off with Frank steadying Sam (ONeal 61). The outlaw, however, did get up and flee. Working on the banks of Shoal Creek, a crew of eight men worked on a forty foot tunnel for over eight months. This statement caused the Rangers to assume that Dick Ware was the one who had administered the fatal blow. Legend has it that that Sam Bass used Longhorn Cavern as a hideout and that he left stolen money there. The prizes are very real, with a grand prize of $100 to the first treasure hunter who can chase down and complete the QR clues, but runner-up rewards (including a pass to this year's 35 Denton and much more) to the next 10 who are able to finish the challenge! This plan was axed due to the summer heat and the inability to locate ice in which to pack his body (Centennial Commission). Williamson County Deputy Sheriff Caige Grimes was waiting and watching a ways off. Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Why Are America's Food Processing Plants Suddenly Exploding. It has been noted that the gang was especially violent, even going so far as to pistol whip a freight agent on the train. I have been researching treasure stories in Texas for my history students for an upcoming section. Legend says theres close to $3 million buried in Austin. During the time of these Texas train robberies, the Sam Bass Gang was staffed by Frank Jackson, Seaborn Barnes (who was shot in the legs during the Mesquite job), Thomas Spotswood, Arkansas Johnson, Henry Underwood, Sam Pipes and Albert Herndon; Bass and Barns took place in all four of the robberies, Jackson participated in three, Johnson in two and the others in one (Webb Century of Frontier Defense 374). Whatever the reason, Grimes decided to investigate the strangers intentions. As they were casing the bank and finalizing their course of action, they were recognized and a gun fight broke out. Odd thing is, after returning to Denton and living high on the hog for awhile, the Sam Bass Gang soon returned to banditry until the railroad-hired Pinkerton Detectives and the Texas Rangers turned him into Texas Public Enemy #1 with a bounty on his head. His face glistening with the sheen of sweat, he works faster and faster, listening all the while for distant hoofbeats. Six men robbed the southbound Houston and Texas Central Railroad passenger train when it stopped at the Allen station. Aug. 22, 1933. When Major Jones learned of Basss capture, he contacted the Attorney General in Austin, who then notified the State Democratic Convention that was meeting at the time (DiGesualdo and Thompson 114). The following year, He killed himself by taking poison on June 7, 1879 (Ibid.). 1978. 2. Sam saved up his money and bought a racehorse that allowed him to quit his job and focus on racing and gambling. Webb, Walter Prescott. His metal detector indicated there is gold and silver buried at the site but the owners of the land wont allow him to dig unless a federal court rules in Smiths favor. Today, we're launching a QR code scavenger hunt on the square. Texas is estimated to have $340 million in buried treasure, more than any other state . In April, there was a gunfire scuffle and Sam was struck in his cartridge belt and his rifle stock, but he escaped without a scratch. Some say that Bass hid a cache of gold in East Mountain in Mineral Wells, while others think that the gold was hidden in a remote cave near Big Blue Spring for safekeeping during the bank robbery that was supposed to take place in Round Rock. Dec. 26, 1938. However, Frank did not abandon his friend but camped nearby him (Reed and Tate 222). Rumor has it that some of the money is hidden in Cove Hollow, near Denton. The Freedman Town southwest of the Denton Square pretty quickly circulated rumors that Sam Bass ghostwas haunting the dirt roads at night atop his Denton Mare in search of his hidden gold, and other locals reported that Sams partner,Frank Jackson, had escaped the Round Rock shootout to return to Denton briefly. JavaScript is disabled. Back in Round Rock, the Sam Bass legend was memorialized beginning in 1964 with the establishment of the Frontier Days Celebration. The firing had also attracted the attention of Major Jones, who was at the International and Great Northern Telegraph Office at the time of the initial shooting. Some say Texas Ranger George Herold shot him. He dismounted, stood there a moment, and with an anguished look, flung a clod upon the grave (Reed and Tate 231)..
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