Jan. 1970: 31+. So they decided to try their hand at train robbing, hoping to score more money. Among this treasure is the hidden loot of Sam Bass, an infamous outlaw who lived in the late 1800s. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Texas is estimated to have $340 million in buried treasure, more than another other state in the U.S., according to TexasHillCountry.com. After dividing the loot, the outlaws split up. Read on to get started One of our favorite local legends is the story of Dentons Robinhood Sam Bass and the infamous fate of his boyhood pardna,Judas Jim Murphy. Saving his earnings, he was able to purchase a 15-hand mare, referred to as the Denton Mare. Curious throngs soon found the dark tunnel and with lights discovered traces of the large wooden box that had laid beneath the dirt for more than 60 years.. His funeral procession consisted of two mules pulling a wagon with Sams plain pine coffin, attended by two men to dig his grave. Snavely of Taylor, who had hunted treasure for 60 years, found a ruby arrowhead weighing 15 karats, along with many other gemstones. I have found a cave that belonged to Sam Bass and Jessie James, cole younger and others, I have not opended it yet, working on search and salvage agrement, I need a partner with funds to help me open this cave, this cave is located in Ceder Hill Tx. The Shoal Creek treasure may be gone, but plenty of others lie beneath the surface of the Hill Country. You must log in or register to reply here. Back in Round Rock, the Sam Bass legend was memorialized beginning in 1964 with the establishment of the Frontier Days Celebration. Walking up to the bandits who were purchasing tobacco in the store, Grimes asked Sam, Do you have a pistol? to which Sam is said to have answered yes or Ill let you have it (Smith 35). amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; The maps stated that the location of Bass treasure was in a hollow tree on what is now called Sam Bass Road, roughly two miles west of Round Rock. This resulted in the arrests of both Jim Murphy and his father Henderson. According to an Austin American story in the early 1920s, a pack train of burros carrying 40 jackloads of silver was pursued by a band of Comanche Indians and the men in charge of the pack train buried the silver near where the town of Leander is now located.. They then walked up the street to Kopperals General Store, located at the southeast corner of Mays and Georgetown Avenue. At the official inquest, Ware replied that he did not believe that he had shot Bass and Harold claimed that he did; thus, this is how it went into the official record. 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. This scavenger hunt is full of fun prizes, twists, and turns that will take you all around the Denton square. Scarbrough, Clara Stearns. Published by the Sam Bass Centennial Commission, Round Rock, Texas. 1978. 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). Jim Murphy, who had stayed behind in Old Town during the shootout, reported that he saw Sam and Frank come up the street on their way to their camp, which was near the Round Rock Cemetery. The story changesinstead of a Mexican payroll it substitutes Confederate money in the hands of soldiers who were afraid the Capitol would be overrun toward the end of the Civil War. The hunt revolves aroundlocal trivia about Denton's most notorious outlaw, Sam Bass. Personal interview, October 28, 1991. Sam Bass was barely cold in the ground when folks started hunting for his hidden gold, and still are to this day. Another pair, composed of James Berry and Nixon, was split up and Berry was captured; Nixon, it is assumed, escaped with his share to Canada. Bass buried the loot on a creek bed, marking the spot with a rock in a fork of a tree. Cove Hollow outside Sanger, caves at Pilot Knob,near Grapevine Lake, and Dentons Crosstimbers thickets have long been rumored locations. If you are seeking to metal detect or dig on someones private land, be sure that you always request permission from the land owners themselves. The Sam Bass shootout was no doubt a unifying event for the young town of Round Rock. Grimes never even had the opportunity to draw his gun; six bullet holes were found in his dead body (DiGesualdo and Thompson 113). Born in 1851 on a farm in Indiana, Sam Bass was orphaned by age 13. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "raregold-20"; This is the story of Bass and the treasure that may still be out there waiting to be discovered. While hunting, Larimore discovered the old minewith its contents of lead and a high percentage of silver. A few years after his death, Sams sister had a tombstone erected on which was engraved the following epitaph: A brave man reposes in death here. The Longhorn Caverns The legend began several years after Bass' death, when maps leading to the alleged treasure appeared. A map was found that were said to lead to the alleged treasure. Murphy, stalling for time, suggested that stealing horses would only raise suspicions and that they should rest their horses and then rob the bank on Saturday. It has been suggested that Sam made much of this narrative up in order to protect Frank, who had chosen to stay behind to help his friend (Reed and Tate 223). The next year, Sam met a teamster named Scott Mayes and the two headed to Denton, Texas, about 30 miles north of Dallas. That is till Casey's son finds an intriguing clue Amazing Story of Sam Bass And Hidden Treasure West of Prairie Dell Told in Detail. Temple News. For several months, there were moviesque chases with the bandits narrowly escaping the Rangers grasp. You can imagine someone responding to the statement, I am from Round Rock with Oh, the place where Sam Bass was killed.. By using this site you consent to the use of these cookies by various third-party partners such as Google and other advertisers. During his short time as an outlaw, Bass and his gang stole quite a bit of money and according to legend he hid a good deal of loot in several remote caves throughout Texas. Why was he not true?. Why would anyone wear camouflage while metal detecting? Originally written by Captain Gillett, an ex-Ranger of Company E, frontier battalion, who was present at the capture and death of Sam Bass and was a friend of Dick Ware. Ranger Harold and a local citizen named Conner shot at the gang with rifles. Where it remains today. Grigsby, C. M. Sam Bass Buried his Gold In Gambling Joints. Dallas Morning News. Frank left his horse with Sam and hid his saddle in the brush nearby; after a tearful farewell Frank rode off. However, instead of returning to Texas to pay off the notes, they headed to the gold-filled hills of Deadwood, South Dakota. Another legend speculates that Bass held on to his gold until he headed to Round Rock to rob the bank, hiding the gold in a cave west of Prairie Dell near Big Blue Spring for safekeeping during the robbery (Amazing Story). This eventually took them to Nebraska, where they sold the herd and used the money to take up gold prospecting in the Black Hills. Bass told them that Frank continued his retreat at his insistence. Its said that John Singer discovered a wooden chest containing $80,000 in Spanish coins and jewelry on the Texas coast and buried it in the sand dunes to protect his treasure from looters. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. This venture left the two broke. Bass went to his hideout at Cove Hollow near Denton, Texas. Doc has written about numerous local places and personalities at his Denton Haunts blog, and is forever indebted to the great work of the fine folks with the Denton County Department of History & Culture as well as our local keepers of history like Mike Cochran and Laura Douglas at the Emily Fowler Library for their tireless work in helping preserve Dentons intriguing past. Legendary outlaw Sam Bass is said to have buried his bounty from stagecoach, train and bank robberies near Round Rock. Another account mentioned that Grimes was concerned because he thought that Sam was wearing two pistols, which was one more than the law permitted in Round Rock (Round Rock Remembers). He arrived in Denton, Texas in 1870 and Bass took work on a nearby ranch. 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. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; As the bandits were fleeing through Old Town, Frank, concerned about gunfire, had the presence of mind to warn a little girl who was playing in a tree to get in the house (Reed and Tate 221). However, you walk in and disappear, but you don't really go anywhere. JavaScript is disabled. Citizens were deeply concerned about the presence of gangs of bandits in the state and the demand for law and order was sounded. Bass reportedly stole 3,000 gold bars from Union Pacific Railroad, some of which have been recovered, but there are gold bars that have still not been recovered, according to OnlyInYourState.com. Jackson Massacre & Their Buried Gold. He cant let anyone see himhe has something to hide. Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Bass did confess that if I killed him [in reference to Deputy Grimes], he is the first man I ever killed. On Sunday, July 21, 1878, the doctor told Sam that it would not be long; Sam supposedly said, Let me go, and a few minutes later opened his eyes and exclaimed, The world is bobbing around me and then died at 3:58 on his twenty-seventh birthday (Smith 35). Sam Bass was born in Indiana, as everyone who has ever heard the Ballad of Sam Bass knows. Working on the banks of Shoal Creek, a crew of eight men worked on a forty foot tunnel for over eight months. 373). Legendary outlaw Sam Bass is said to have buried his bounty from stagecoach, train and bank robberies near Round Rock. He soon formed a gang, robbed more stages and added to his caches. Now, with Jim Murphy looking to betray the gang to the Rangers, the gang decided to head to calmer areas in the southern part of the state. I found this and wanted to share. It was here that he also met many of his friends, with whom he would later engage in unlawful activities. We expect to re-stock our Prospector rounds very shortly, with plans to expand the line of products as well. Stolen Bank Loot Buried Near Red River. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; Sam saved up his money and bought a racehorse that allowed him to quit his job and focus on racing and gambling. Raregoldnuggets.com participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); After a few more robberies, including at least one more involving a train, Bass met his demise in Round Rock, Texas on July 19th, 1878. Some of the loot has been recovered, but the rest of these hidden treasures in Texas have mysteriously disappeared. John R. Banister, the Ranger who was assigned to guard the dying Bass claimed that Sams last words were actually This world is a bubble, trouble wherever you go probably a more fitting epitaph for Sam Basss life (DiGesualdo and Thompson 114). The two arrived in Denton, and Sam found employment with Sheriff W. F. Dad Eagan (who would later spend much effort searching for the outlaw Bass) (Webb Century of Frontier Defense 371-372). 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. Copyright 2023 Provident Metals Corp. All Rights Reserved. Where there had once been a metal containerand possibly a treasurethere was only a rust-lined hole. They had plans to rob a bank there. It is entirely likely that there were several treasures, likely buried in several different areas. Found this at a rev war site in SC, any idea what it may be? Part of the inscription reads, A brave man reposes in death here. A book collector claims that he has over 200 titles that deal with Sam Bass in some way (Carmack 1B). amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; The Williamson County Sun reported that after the bandits picked up their things at their camp, they turned up Georgetown Road, present day Chisholm Trail Road, passing a Mrs. Tisdales place; they then turned down a lane headed towards the woods. According to one version of the story, the rancher went to look for the laborer when he failed to return to the ranch. Thank you for clarification. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. But his friend from Denton, Jim Murphy had made a deal with the law to turn Bass in. Sam Bass Cave Near Pilot Knob Description Exterior view of Sam Bass Cave located near Pilot Knob. Sam, Frank Jackson, Seaborn Barnes and Jim Judas Murphy arrived in Round Rock Sunday night July 14. At the same time, Ranger Ware crossed the street from Highsmiths Livery Stable to the barber shop. The outlaw Sam Bass was born in Indiana in 1851. 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. The Texas and Pacific Railroad was hit on April 4th at Eagle Ford and again on the 10th at Mesquite. 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. As for his alleged hidden loot, there are many theories as to where it might be hidden. According to legend, the infamous robber Sam Bass stole 3,000 gold bars worth $20 each from the Union Pacific Railroad. Through patronizing saloons, Sam met Joel Collins in San Antonio and the two men decided to run a herd of cattle up north. Feb. 1989: 61. Instead he went straight and started a successful cattle ranch in New Mexico.Subscribe to my youtube channelhttps://goo.gl/nbxyytdon't forget to hit the like button and bell notification.If you're looking for a new metal detector or equipment click this link and Give Kellyco a try. SAN ANTONIO You could find buried treasure in the Texas Hill Country -- an estimated $340 million worth. Please know we do not sell your information to third parties as Big Tech sites do. The gangs success in avoiding capture can be ascribed to both the difficulties of the terrain and ineptness of their pursuers (Smith 33). Texas, the Lone Star state that Provident calls home, contains an estimated $340 million in hidden treasure, which is a higher sum than any other US state. Land of Good Water. The bandits forced the station- master to signal the coming express train to halt and then boarded. Eakin Publications, Inc., Austin, Texas: 1985. 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