Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SAM BASS (1), by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SAM BASS (1), by                    
First Line: "sam bass was born in indiana, it was his native home"
Last Line: But if I'm right in my surmise he's gone the other way
Subject(s): "bass, Sam (1851-1878);crimes & Criminals;texas Rangers;


Sam Bass was born in Indiana, it was his native home.
And at the age of seventeen young Sam began to roam.
Sam first came out to Texas a cowboy for to be,
A kinder hearted fellow you seldom ever see.
Sam used to deal in race stock, one called the Denton mare,
He matched her in scrub races, and took her to the fair.
Sam useter coin the money and spent it just as free,
He always drank good whiskey, wherever he might be.
Sam left the Collins' ranch in the merry month of May
With a herd of Texas cattle the Black Hills for to see,
Sold out in Custer City and then got on the spree, --
A harder set of cowboys you seldom ever see.
On their way back to Texas they borred the U P train.
And then split up in couples and started out again.
Joe Collins and his partner were overtaken soon,
With all their hard earned money they had to meet their doom.
Sam made it back to Texas all right side up with care
Rode in the town of Denton with all his friends to share.
Sam's life was short in Texas; three robberies did he do,
He robbed all the passenger, mail and express cars too.
Sam had four companions -- four bold and daring lads --
They were Richardson, Jackson, J. Collins and Old Dad;
Four more bold and daring cowboys the rangers never knew
They whipped the Texas rangers and ran the boys in blue.
Sam had another companion called Arkansas for short
Was shot by a Texas ranger by the name of Thomas Floyd;
Tom is a big six footer and thinks he's mighty fly,
But let me tell you this sir, he's a dead beat on the sly.
Jim Murphy was arrested and then released on bail;
He jumped his bond at Tyler and took the train for Terrell;
But Mayor Jones had posted Jim so it was all a stall.
'Twas but a plan to capture Sam before the coming fall.
Sam met his fate at Round Rock, July the twenty-first,
They pierced poor Sam with rifle balls and emptied out his purse.
Poor Sam he is a corpse and six feet under clay.
And Jackson's in the bushes trying hard to get away.
Jim had borrowed Sam's good gold and didn't want to pay,
The only shot he saw was to give poor Sam away.
He sold out on Sam and Barnes and left their friends to mourn, --
Oh, what a scorching Jim will get when Gabriel blows his horn.
And so he sold out Sam and Barnes and left their friends to mourn,
Oh, what a searching Jim will get when Gabriel blows his horn.
Perhaps he got to heaven, there's none of us can say.
But if I'm right in my surmise he's gone the other way.








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