Denton County, Texas - Chapter 7, 1918

The suiiender at Appomattox Courthouse in the spring of 1865 produced a catastrophe in the feelings of the Southern soldier. The news of the surrender came as a mighty shock to all alike. The delivery of arms and being paroled produced a feeling of joy and soi-row, blended in such a way as to be astonishing. Suddenly the roar and din of battle ceased and the grim and weary soldier stood at "attention," and in a gentle whisper heard the news, "Peace, peace, wonderful peace." Their feelings at that moment were a bewilderment. Home again arose in their memories and the song was sung and the long and wearisome journey was begun through the summer and fall of 1865.

Denton County boys were coming in and rehabilitation of home and civil government began, Denton County was not overrun by Federal soldiers as other parts of the State. They elected officers and began to enforce the old laws in good faith, but were removed from office because they were not in full sympathy with the Federal government. But few self-respecting men could take the amnesty oath, which required them to swear that they had never aided or abetted the Southern Confederacy, nor sympathized with the same. Congress passed an act in February, 1866. declaring "the pretended State governments 'null and void,' as we were under the control of unrepentant leaders of the rebellion." Our county officers were removed from office by order No. 195 of the military governor of Texas. This order was called by Major General Reynolds, commander, as "Extra Special." It was extraordinary in our history, and specially applied to us.

-enton County, and J. A. Thomas of Collin County were our 3presentatives, but owing to the disfranchisement there were ut 56,678 white votes cast against 47,581 negro votes in the tate. Governor E. M. Pease, before the Convention, urged a irther disfranchisement in this language, "You will temporarily isfranchise a number of those who participated in the rebellion, afficient to place the political power of the State in the hands f those who are loyal to the United State government." The ew constitution was formed to suit them, but from some cause ley went home without signing or submitting it. The Governor Libmitted it on December 3, 1869. The Legislature was in seson and it was the most extravagant in the history of the State. 0 much so that a tax-payers' convention was called to meet at Lustin September 22, 1871, in which Denton County was repisented by Hon. J. W. Throckmorton, the deposed governor. [e served on the committee to protest to the Legislature against le extravagance of the Legislature then in session, and the reort of. the committee was the most stinging rebuke to the legislature ever administered in Texas. Their extravagance ad almost bankrupted the State, but they had control and mtinued to rule.

However, at the general election in 1874, Richard Coke ^as elected governor, and a new Legislature was elected that '^as representative of the people. Denton County had elected 3rmer County Judge S. A. Venters as their representative. He ad been identified with the county, officially, from its birth in 846. E. J. Davis had barricaded and fortified the State House, nd defied the new officers. Judge Venters was notified by Lichard Coke to be on hand promptly as they were expecting rouble. The new officers met and were sworn in. George ilark, the new secretary of state, went and demanded the Governr's Mansion, in which ex-Governor E. J. Davis was barricaded, t was yielded the next day, after Davis had seen the city filled t^ith people from all over the State, ready to take it by force of rms. And thus ended the reconstruction which had been so xpensive and despotic as to become a "stench in the nostrils of

The new regime had a task before them. A new constitutional convention was called to meet at Austin September 6, 1875. Denton, Wise, and Collin Counties were represented in that body by Hon. S. A. McKinney of Denton and Hon. John Johnson, and Hon. T. J. Chambers of Collin County. They were elected on August 2, 1875. The convention adjourned November 25 and the constitution was submitted for ratification on February 18, 1876, and ratified by a vote of 136,606 for and 79,954 against. This constitution with its amendments is what we have now. There were thirteen negro delegates in the convention and many "old farmers," so many that it was called by some "Tho Farmers' Convention."

Denton County was most conspicuously and ably represented in the person of Hon. John Johnson of Collin Counlx . nicknamed "Buckskin Johnson," because he had killed deer ami clothed his negroes with buckskin clothes during the war. Ilr had but few attainments. His language was not polished. Bui he was a man of good common sense, perfectly fearless, and <>! great tenacity. It was these qualities, as well as his nickname, that gave him his standing among the common people. He soon became the leader and spokesman of that element in the con- i vention and led the majority in most of their contests, and was ' known as the "we's," while the legal piofession was known as , the "I's." "Buckskin" had moved to make the salary of the I governor $4,000 per annum and no more. He had made a speech for retrenchment and refoi'm, which was very popular at this time on account of the extravagance of the reconstruction re- | gime. He had used the word "we" to the distress of his opponents and they selected the best attorney of their side to answer him and ridicule him out of the convention. His speech was terrific, but it had an end, and he had used the word "I" frequently. The Honorable "Buckskin Johnson," in his reply, was no less terrific, and in describing the extravagance of the "Fs" he referred them to the long trains to the dresses their ladies wore (which was the

5tyle then) . "Your ladies waste more cloth in the trails of their Iresses than it takes to make our wives' dresses. They bend their backs over the wash-tub to make money to pay the taxes and support an idle brood. You say that the State of Texas will ^o begging for a governor, and that no one will have the office if we fix the salary at $4,000? Rather than to see the State a widow and begging, I will sacrifice myself and run for governor." IWi'. Johnson stayed in the convention and fixed the governor's salary at $4,000 and no more, and the big "I," as he called him, home for a two-weeks' rest. The Hon. Richard Coke ivas elected governor for that salary and there was none greater than he.

But they have been supplementing it in many ways since, naking it about $20,000 and some more. In the Legislature of L915 there was presented a bill for ice cream and chicken salad fui'nished the governor of Texas at one of his receptions at the Driscoll Hotel. A representative, Mr. W. C. Middleton from East Texas, objected and used an argument similar to that of 'Buckskin" Johnson, giving his illustration, "A silk-hatted gentleman supported by a gold-headed cane, at a reception, the bill to oe paid by the farmers' wives dressed in calico, bending over the wash-tub to pay the taxes." The Legislature refused to go on record but ordered the bill paid by a viva voce vote, and Mr. Middleton secured an injunction against its payment, and was sustained by the State Supreme Court.

Many good things were provided for in the convention, but we. have had many amendments proposed, and some few have been adopted. We have lived under it forty years and the people 3f Denton County are not calling for a new constitution. Reconstruction in its true meaning began with this constitution in Denton County. A period of fifteen years from 1861 had elapsed, a period in which the civil law had been superseded by the military, a period in which property rights had almost been destroyed, when many people did not believe it wrong to go on the range and to mark and brand "mavericks" which they well knew were not their own; to take horses, commonly known as "stray stock;" to take timber off of "old surveys;" to kill unmarked cattle for the "hide and tallow;" to butcher "wild hogs" for meat; to rob a train, or a bank.

Of course, all of these things were known to be wrong before the war and by the old men after the war, but a new generation of men had grown up out of the boys of 1861. Their minds had been filled with false ideas as to property rights, and we had a "crime wave" to pass over Denton County. It began by boys taking stray horses and selling them, then driving them off by the bunch, then to taking horses that were not strays. And directly we had a horse-thief's association formed by many members, reaching from Hill County north to the Indian Nation, through Denton and Grayson Counties, with members all along the line; some to bond and some to secrete, but all participated in the spoils. The perfection of this organization made it impossible for the law to protect the people. But the people formed themselves into a secret law and order league, securing the list of membership of the horse-thief's association; one by one they were watched and caught and sent to the penitentiary. We had similai- experience as to cattle. They were stolen by the herd down to one at a time. They were killed for their hides and the meat burned so as to destroy their identity. This gradually played out when the theft of a $5.00 yearling secured a man a five years' berth in the penitentiary. Scores of men were held up on the highway and robbed of their money ; stores and banks were robbed, and several men lost their lives in defense of their property. These offenses w^ere the reaping of a harvest that had its seed time during the war.

I shall now i-ecoi'd at length our most noted cases. Mr. Henry Hill of Little Elm, went to Dallas to get some money to pay off some laborers at his gin, and was returning horseback just after noon near Barksdale Creek, when he was attacked by two men. He ran to Mr. Morgan's house, and as he dismounted and ran through the gate towards the house he was shot through the thigh, a silver dollar in his pocket turned the ball, causing only a flesh wound. They chased his horse off about a mile and killed it, thinking he had the money in his saddle pocket, but they failed to find it. He had about $500 in his overcoat pocket which he dropped at the gate as he ran through, and it was saved. Mr. Sam Runnels of Little Elm had sold some beef steers, receiving $1,300 in currency, nearly all in $100 bills. He did his banking business then in Dallas, thirty-five miles away. He slipped the hioney down in his boot leg and thought no one knew of it. He went over to his pasture in the forks of Elm to attend to his cattle. On returning just at dusk, two men held him up. They went at once to his boots and got the money. Many other men were robbed of money in Denton County in amounts from $100 to $1,400. The latter amount was taken from Mr. Lewellin Murphy, afterwards county surveyor.

Sam Bass and His Gang In 1870 Sam Bass, a young man about 19 years old, who had been reared by a stepmother, came from Indiana to Denton and stopped with W. F. (Dad) Egan, where he made his home for several years. He was a hard-working boy, honest in all his dealings with Mr. Egan and the people of Denton, and was liked by all who knew him. He became associated with some sporting men of the town and was soon absorbed in the race track and horse racing, becoming a sporting character himself. He bought a race mare and entered that line of business. There was not much money in circulation at that time and he bet for ponies, soon accumulating quite a bunch. He and two elder sporting associates went over Red River to race horses and to "clean up" the Indians (Choctaws and Cherokees). But the Indians instead "cleaned" them up, all but the race mare and two ponies that they worked to the wagon. They came back to Red River and camped. That night they slipped back and stole the herd of ponies with some of the Indian ponies, crossing them over the river. The band of Indians trailed them up, taking the ponies in charge. Sam Bass on his race mare made his escape. The two elderly associates pled for their lives, and by giving the Odd Fellows' distress sign, which was recognized by an Indian Odd Fellow, they were spared.

Sam Bass went on to San Antonio and sold his race mare, hiring to Joe ColHns of DaUas County to drive his provision wag-on through to Black Hills, Colorado. Collins was driving through a herd of 700 beef cattle. After they had disposed of the stock, Collins settled with his hands and discharged them. But five of the bunch, including Collins, planned and robbed the eastbound Union Pacific train. Train robbing was scarcely thought of at that time and the company was not prepared. The gang made a rich haul, securing about $19,000 each on division of the spoils. They all separated and started back to Texas. They had $10,000 each in gold, which was weighty. They also had plenty of silver but could not bring it away on account of its weight. Collins put his gold in a pair of saddle bags and started horseback down through the country. He was suspected on account of his jaded horse, and when accosted regarding the matter, broke to run. In the fight which followed he was killed and the money in his possession was secured. This gave a key to the situation as Collins had disbanded his "cowboys" at this place. Theii' names and places of residence were secured and pursuit was begun.

Sam Bass and one of his pals (both the looks of poverty itself) bought an old, dilapidated buggy with tires tied on with rawhide. They also bought an old gray mare, and put their money, about $38,000, under the buggy seat for safe keeping. They hit the old Chisum cattle trail for Texas.

There were watering holes along down the trail, where the people camped at nights, and it was a common thing for quite a crowd to be on hand at these watering holes. So at night Sam and his partner lariated the old gray mare on the grass and camped at one of these holes. Several other outfits also camped at the same place, including a squad of men pursuing the robbers. They all sat up late around the camp-fire discussing the robbery, finally going to sleep. The next morning the squad of officers hit the trail early for Texas. Sam and his partner took their time but came strolling along down the trail to Denton County.

on Clear Creek, a splendid place to hide. Sam's old partner refused to stay here, where he was known, so he took his money and moved on towards Louisiana. Sam Bass, however, was overpersuaded by some of his erstwhile friends to stay. He gathered a bunch of from six to eight, and they slipped down to Fort Worth, where they dressed up in first-class "cowboy" style, armed themselves with Winchester rifles and Colt's improved navy sixes and mounted the best and fleetest horses the county could afford. Sam got as his mount a chestnut-sorrel race mare, the fleetest of all. That meant defiance to all comers alike.

The Northern press was full of the daring robbery of the Union Pacific by the "Bass gang" and of the rich haul they made, stating that he was from Denton, Texas. Large rewards were offered for any of the "Bass gang," dead or alive. Denton County was soon filled with detectives, public and private, and armed squads of men from State Rangers covered the county at different times. "The Bass gang" knew every by-path, thicket and natural fortification in the county and in this way, operating on the defensive, had much the advantage in the contest going on. They had "Cove Hollow," west of Bolivar on Clear Creek, a thicket unapproachable except by a small entrance. They had "Horse-Shoe Bend" on. Big Elm, about two miles northeast of Garza, a bend in the river surrounded by a deep hole of water and including about four acres of land covered with heavy timber and thick undergrowth, approachable only by ordinary travel at the cut-off covering about two hundred feet. They had many other similar places of rendezvous which afforded them shelter and protection.

The Bass gang had some sympathizers who aided them as long as their money lasted. The sheriff, W. F. Egan, summoned squad after squad of our citizens to arrest the gang, but all efforts failed. They had two long-ranged, running fights, but no one was hit. The posse slipped into a thicket on their camp down on Hickory Creek bottom about four miles south of Denton, and captured three of their horses and saddles, but the men escaped down the creek afoot. The horses were placed in the livery stable in Denton but a few mornings after, the bandits appeared at the stable just at daybreak and secured their mounts and made a dash for Clear Creek north of town.

Captain June Peake with seventy-five State Rangers came to Denton after them. Sheriff Egan officially notified the captain that they were then four miles south of Denton in Hickory Creek bottom. But the captain paraded his men around the public square at Denton and departed without the gang. Everybody who entered into the game of catching them seemed to realize that a lot of men would lose their lives in the effort.

There were three more train robberies, one at Eagle Ford, the first station west of Dallas, one at Mesquite, the first station east of Dallas, and one at Allen Station, the third station north of Dallas. These were all credited to Sam Bass, but it might have been a gang operating out of Dallas, as some Dallas men secured a term in the penitentiary. The detectives filed complaints against a number of the citizens of Denton County in the Federal Court at Tyler, Texas. The United States Marshal and his deputies arrested them and put them in jail at Tyler. This was a great source of annoyance to many of our citizens who had to attend court at Tyler as witnesses some two or three weeks and it took much time and expense. It had a tendency to keep good men from lepoiting on the Bass gang, as they would be carried to Tyler as witnesses.

One man they had in jail, broke out and returned home and joined the Bass gang. He had been very intimate with them before, and they received him. It was growing so hot for the gang in Denton County they thought best to leave, so they went down to San Antonio. They were followed by Sheriff Egan of Denton County and Deputy Tom Gerren, Sheriff Everhart of Grayson County, and Capt. Lee Hall, ex-sheriff" of Grayson and the famous captain of State Rangers, and quite a number of others. The State Rangers were hovering round and this new addition to the Bass gang was writing letters and keeping the rangers posted as to the gang's movements and intentions.

to rob the Round Rock bank at about 3 p. m. on a given day, and to make their escape to the rough bluff of the San Gabriel river. The State Rangers were given the particulars, and they secreted themselves in houses surrounding the bank, the bank being notified, and everything was as quiet and unsuspicious as in the ordinary run of business. The gang came on time. They stepped into a saloon to "tank up" a little for the fray they were soon to pull off in broad daylight. A young man by the name of Grimes, the constable of the town, had not been notified by the State Rangers as to what was to happen that day. So Constable Grimes saw the bandits dismount in front of the saloon. He v/ent to the saloon door and looked in and said, "Gentlemen, I believe you are armed." They drew their pistols and killed Grimes, and the fight was prematurely pulled off at the saloon instead of the bank. The rangers rushed into the street and opened a deadly .fire on the gang. One was killed on the street. Sam Bass was mortally wounded and got two miles from town (Round Rock in Williamson County) where he turned his race rnare over to one of hi^ trusted comrades and told him to get away, as he (Bass) was sure to die. He was carried back to town and died the next day. But his comrade made good his escape. The comrade who had betrayed them was known and untouched. He returned to Denton County where he died about eighteen months later.

This closing scene of the Bass gang took place in Round Rock, Williamson County, Texas, on Friday, July 20, 1877. Thus^ ended the career of a misguided youth who held wrong views regarding property rights. Slaves had been considered property by the South and had been "freed by might and not by reason of right." This sentiment was adopted by Sam Bass and his gang, but they did not have the might to enforce it. Many men become criminals on account of their misguided judgment as to property rights.

To Miss Sallie Bass The Monitor is indebted for the following history of her brave, daring, although misguided, brother, Sam Bass, who was killed at Round Rock, Texas, not long since.

Sam Bass lost his mother at the age of ten and his father at fourteen. Up to that age and for two or three years later, his character was spotless, but mixing in bad company, and the indulgence in the vain glory of the world, gradually led him into paths of sin, and gave him a rambling disposition, which in the fall of 1869 caused him to leave his friends and home, and to seek his fortune in a land among strangers. He left home on the O. & M. Railroad for St. Louis. By steamboat he reached Rosedale, Miss., where he worked at Charles' Mill nearly one year, where he became an expert in card playing, dissipation, and I'evolver shooting. From thence he made his way to Texas.

Bass in Texas Arriving in Denton County, Texas, in the latter part of the year 1870 he found employment with Col. Egan as a herdsman, Egan was soon after elected sheriff of the county, Bass becoming one of his deputies, of whom it is said none were ever more faithful. But he got to fooling with race horses, and associating with Henry Underwood, a notorious character, who was the main cause of his ruin. Having gained a passion for cards, horse races, and revelry, and cultivating the acquaintance and friendship of the most abandoned and desperate men and women, he quit his employer at the end of four years, and is supposed to have formed a band of bandits, composed of desperate robbers and murderers, of which he was the acknowledged head up to the time of his death. He directed the movements of the band and effected many escapes from the law, extending operations at one time beyond the Rid Grande. Returning from operations near the Mexican border, Bass attached himself to drovers on the trail to Kansas, and familiarized himself with that section adjacent to and along the line of the cattle drive extending from Denton to the Black Hills.

His First Great Robbery was from the Union Pacific train at Big Springs, Nebraska, September 19, 1877. And he was assisted by John Collins, Tom Nixon, Hoatling, Jack Davis and another whose name is not recollected. By this raid $60,000 in gold, all of it in $20.00 pieces of California mintage, were secured. Collins and Hoatling were sooon after killed by a sheriff's posse in Kansas and $10,000 recovered. Davis was soon after killed in Mexico, Mo., and $10,000 more fell into the hands of the officers and detectives. Though closely followed, Bass and Nixon escaped, reaching Fort Worth, and there separated. Bass returned to Denton County and soon after, in company with Henry Underwood, went to San Antonio, to which place they were followed by one of Pinkerton's detectives and Tom Gerren, deputy sheriff of Denton County, a warm personal friend of Sam Bass, and who was accused of sending word to Bass of the coming of the officers, thus enabling him to make his escape. From San Antonio, Bass returned to Denton County where he continued to reside, though rewards aggregating $3,000 were offered for his arrest, until after the

Robberies of the Trains that occured at Allen's Station, February 22, Eagle Ford, March 18, and Mesquite, April 20 (1877). The total amount of these robberies was said to amount to $3,100. This is another proof that ill-gotten gains are unprofitable. It is stated on good authority that he got his last $20 gold piece from the $20,000 he secured in the Union Pacific Express robbery of 1877 changed at a saloon on his way to Round Rock to rob the bank there.

His Identity He acknowledged to his captors that he was Sam Bass, had two brothers and four sisters at this place (Mitchell, Indiana.) He was out of money and gave his gun to one of the officers. He was twenty-five years old, five feet and eight inches high, weighed 140 pounds, a little stoop-shouldered, quick in his movements, and would be taken for a good-looking man anywhere. Thus ended the career of a noted desperado, who for the last few years, has led a life of shame unparalleled. His noble relatives have our heartfelt sympathies in this sad bereavement, and we trust that the country at large will take warning against evil associations. Take honesty for their guide, with a conscience void of offense towards God and man.