Lot 1062

Texas Ranger Bass Outlaw's Merwin, Hulber & Co. Army Revolver

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Texas Ranger Bass Outlaw's Merwin, Hulber & Co. Army Revolver

Estimate: $70,000 - $130,000

Starting Bid: $60,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 22, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Historic Merwin, Hulbert & Co. Pocket Army Single Action Revolver with Ivory Grips Documented as Confiscated from Notorious Texas Ranger and Deputy U.S. Marshal "Bass" Outlaw Who was Killed in a Gunfight with Lawman John Selman in El Paso, Texas in 1894 Manufactured c. 1880, this is a fine example of a Merwin, Hulbert & Co. Pocket Army revolver with historic documentation indelibly linking it to El Paso, Texas, and the notorious Texas Ranger and Deputy U.S. Marshal "Bass" Outlaw. These revolvers were a very high-quality competitor to the legendary Colt "Peacemaker", and like the Colt, many saw extensive use in the American West. The design of the Pocket Army revolver allowed for quicker unloading and reloading, a quality that certainly wouldn't have gone unnoticed by a gunfighter such as a Texas Ranger or U.S. Marshal. The revolver itself has the standard two-line Merwin, Hulbert & Co. address on the left of the frame, while the right has the caliber marking. The two-line patent date marking is faintly visible on the left of the barrel. It is fitted with the standard blade and notch sights and a pair of smooth ivory grips fitted on the desirable bird's head grip frame. Included with the revolver are a plethora of documents tracing the revolver's lineage from Bass Outlaw to the present day, the most important of the two being a handwritten case document from October 1892 and another notarized letter dated 5 July 1897. The handwritten letter is signed by Deputy O.O. Smith and marked as "No.1485/No. 805" of "State of Texas vs. Bass Outlaw". The letter indicates that this revolver, listed by serial number, was being retained by the sheriff's office pending the outcome of the trial and that it had been confiscated from Outlaw due to him having "un-lawfully and willfully, rudely" displayed the pistol in the City of El Paso. The 1897 dated notarized document is on attorney Zeno B. Clardy letterhead, who signed as witness. The letter indicates that this revolver, serial number 195, along with a Colt double action .41, serial number 73728, were both acquired from Sheriff Simmons by W.J. Ten Eyck. Deputy O.O. Smith, Sheriff Simmons, as well as W.J. Ten Eyck are all listed in various newspaper articles from El Paso around this time. This sidearm that is documented as having been confiscated from the famed Bass Outlaw is an incredibly historic treasure of the “Wild West”. Bazzell (Baz) "Bass" Outlaw was born to a fairly well-to-do family in Georgia around 1856, with his father listed as a physician and his mother as a farmer. By 1880, Bass was listed in the Kimble County, Texas, census as a farmer. However, with a name like Outlaw, farming life was not for Bass. In 1885, he enlisted in Company E of the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers, serving under Captain Gillespie until being transferred to Company D under Captain Frank L. Jones in April of 1887, serving in the company until May of 1889. During his time as a ranger, Bass earned a reputation for bravery, sometimes recklessly so. At that point, Outlaw, along with two other former rangers contracted with a silver mine in Coahuila, Mexico, operated by John O'Grady to provide security, earning double what they had as rangers. While working as mine security, an incident is recorded where Outlaw had to defend himself from a man threatening him with a knife, in which the man was killed. By September of 1889, he had rejoined Company D of the Texas Rangers, and in the spring of 1890 was promoted to first sergeant. After his death, fellow ranger Alonzo Von Oden of Company D described Bass as "so brave and kind, who could laugh louder, ride longer, and cuss harder than the rest of us, and who could be more sympathetic, more tender, more patient than all of us when necessary." An article from April of 1894 in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat covering Outlaw's death described him as "being a dead shot and a man who never feared death" as well as a having become somewhat idolized among his fellow rangers. Sometime after his promotion, Outlaw's problems with liquor appear to have outweighed his bravery and usefulness as a ranger, and in September of 1892, he was discharged. The same Alonzo Oden above also stated that "Bass had one weakness, that––at last––proved to be stronger than all his virtues. Bass couldn’t leave liquor alone, and when Bass was drunk, Bass was a maniac; none of us could handle him; none of us could reason with him, we just stayed with him until he sobered up." Not long after he was discharged from the rangers, Bass found work as a Deputy U.S. Marshal under Richard C. Ware, and in February of 1893, submitted an application for a commission as a Special Ranger, which was granted. It is believed that either during his time as a Texas Ranger or possibly while a Deputy U.S. Marshal, Outlaw became close friends with fellow Deputy U.S. Marshal George Scarborough, who plays an important role in this story later on. Scarborough was also friends with and a partner of the legendary lawman Jeff Milton, whose revolver we sold in “The American Sale” in June 2026. The detail of events surrounding Outlaw's death have become somewhat clouded with time, but in early April 1894, while working as a Deputy U.S. Marshal, he was in El Paso, when he met up with a friend and began a day of drinking. At some point during that day, he visited Tillie Howard's brothel, while also bouncing around to multiple different saloons. After a full day of drinking, Outlaw thought it best to return to the brothel, where he met and conversed with Constable John Selman, a western legend in his own right that is known to have walked on both sides of the law. After some time, Bass Outlaw wandered to the back of the brothel building which led outside, followed shortly after by a single gunshot ringing out. Some sources indicate that Selman thought Outlaw had dropped his gun causing it to discharge, while others claim he was shouting and shooting out windows of Miss Howard's establishment. Regardless of the specific circumstances, the shots or a call for help were heard by Joe McKidrict, a Texas Ranger who was in town to serve on a grand jury, who ran to the scene. The previously mentioned article from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat states that McKidrict told Constable Selman "Wait there, Bass is one of our boys, and I'll go in and disarm him." Multiple sources then claim that McKidrict asked Outlaw why he shot, to which he replied "Maybe you want some of this" and shot McKidrict in the head and then the back as he fell. At that point, Selman ran to the scene, with Outlaw opening fire on him from a range so close Selman's face was burnt. Miraculously, Selman wasn't hit and returned fire, though partially blinded, with a bullet hitting Outlaw in the chest. Bass retreated, continuing to fire, striking Selman twice in the leg, before taking another bullet to the chest himself. Incredibly, Outlaw survived and was carried to a nearby bed where he was placed under arrest and died a few hours later. That evening, Captain John Hughes of Company D sent a telegraph message to his superior officer stating, "Joe McKidrick [sic], a member of Company D, was killed tonight while attempting to arrest B. L. Outlaw. Outlaw is dead also." In some ways, the killing of Bass Outlaw set in motion a chain of events that would lead to the paths of multiple colorful figures of wild El Paso crossing, as well as multiple more deaths. Just over a year after the killing of Outlaw in June of 1895, the El Paso Chief of Police Jeff Milton along with U.S. Marshal George Scarborough shot and killed the notorious cattle rustler Martin M’Rose, whose wife, Beulah M'rose, was the lover of the outlaw John Wesley Hardin. Hardin claimed he had paid the two lawmen to kill M’Rose, leading to their arrest, though he later withdrew is claim leading to them being released. In August of 1895, John Selman’s son, who was also named John and an El Paso lawman arrested Beulah M’Rose for brandishing a gun in public. Hardin then confronted the younger Selman about the arrest of his lover leading to a verbal and potentially physical confrontation. Later the same day, the elder Selman then verbally confronted Hardin, who later that evening found his way to the Acme Saloon to play dice. Shortly before midnight, the elder John Selman entered the saloon and shot Hardin in the back of the head, firing three more rounds into his body while he lay on the floor. Selman was arrested but claimed he had fired in self-defense, leading to a hung jury and his release on bond awaiting retrial. While awaiting a new trial, on the evening of 5 April 1896, the two-year anniversary of Bass Outlaw’s death, John Selman was killed in a gunfight with Outlaw’s old friend George Scarborough, who claimed self-defense. Initially no gun was found on Selman’s body, though a thief was later found to have taken his gun leading to Scarborough’s acquittal. Interestingly, on 1 April 1900, Scarborough was involved in a gunfight with two men, killing one of them, but being shot in the leg himself. He died four days later on 5 April 1900, six years to the day after his friend Bass Outlaw had been killed by John Selman.

Manufacturer: Merwin Hulbert & Co

Model: Pocket Army

BBL: 3 1/4 inch round

Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Finish: nickel

Grips: ivory

Serial Number195

Class: Antique

  • Provenance: Texas Ranger and Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Outlaw; Deputy W.J. Ten Eyck; George Look; The Tom Powers Collection of the Coney Island Saloon in El Paso, Texas; The Bob McNellis Collection; The James H. and Theresa G. Earle Collection; A Private Collection
  • Condition: Fine as a historic treasure of the American frontier, retaining 50% of the original nickel finish, the balance mostly a smooth grey patina, some light flaking, and patches of light pitting, typical of a holstered sidearm of a Texas Ranger and Deputy U.S. Marshal. The grips show charming western character with minor cracks and age lines, a few light edge chips, and attractively aged tone. Mechanically excellent. This is a fantastic opportunity to own a sidearm well-documented to the notorious frontier figure, Deputy U.S. Marshal, and Texas Ranger Bass Outlaw!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000