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Sam Bass (21 July 1851–21 July 1878) was a nineteenth-century American train robber and western icon. Handsome and charismatic, he is best known for his brief, yet extremely lucrative career as a train and bank robber. Born in Indiana in 1851, Bass moved to Denton, Texas, as a young adult. He acquired a prized racing mare and made his living from racing horses from 1874 to 1876. He often traveled to San Antonio during this period. He led a cattle drive north from South Texas, which successfully completed its mission in Nebraska.

He bought a mine, ran a saloon and began robbing stages, all netting very little for him. Then, as part of a gang, he robbed the Union Pacific gold train from San Francisco. Their take was $60,000, shared amongst the 6 gang members. To this day it is the single largest robbery of the Union Pacific. With the Pinkertons and other law enforcement officers on his tail, including lawman Charlie Bassett, he headed back to Denton, Texas.