Frank Jackson

Frank Jackson was an American outlaw. Biography Born in Llano County, Texas, Frank Jackson was orphaned at a young age. By 1874, Jackson was working as a tinner for Jim Murphy in Denton, Texas, when he became acquainted with Sam Bass. Two years later, Jackson killed horse thief Henry Goodall. The following year, Jackson reluctantly joined Bass and his gang in a number of bank robberies, including the hold-up of a stagecoach near Fort Worth on December 22 and again on January 28, 1878. Within several weeks, Jackson and the others began robbing trains, the Houston & Texas Central Express near Allen, Texas on February 22, and near Hutchins, Texas on March 18. Over the course of the next year, Jackson became a close associate of Bass, and at one point, was able to intervene on behalf of another gang member, Jim Murphy, who was suspected of being an informant, thus saving Murphy's life. Leaving Denton, Texas in the following July, Jackson and the others camped outside Round Rock, Texas for several days, preparing to rob a bank. One of the gang members, Jim Murphy, warned the authorities of the planned robbery, and police began heavy surveillance of the area. On July 19, Jackson and the others rode into town to take a look at the bank one last time. Murphy slipped away, making an excuse of buying corn for the horses. Meanwhile, Jackson continued on with Seaborn Barnes and Bass to buy some tobacco at the Koppel general store. While in the store, the three were approached by deputy sheriff Ellis Grimes and Morris Moore. When Grimes put his hand on Barnes and asked if he was armed, the outlaws panicked, turning around and gunning both men down. Forced to fight their way through Texas Rangers and local residents, they managed to get to their horses, but not before Seaborn Barnes had been killed by Texas Ranger Dick Ware, and Bass had been shot several times by Texas Ranger George Harrell. Bass managed to ride only a hundred yards before falling from his horse. Jackson went back to rescue him. Though they escaped their pursuers as night approached, Bass was unable to ride further, so Jackson bandaged Bass's wounds and left him under a tree outside of town. Bass was picked up by a posse the next morning but refused to reveal any information about Jackson, and he died the next day.