The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-01-01
From the Sunday Times
The Yankee Quaker who Outwitted
the Tory.
AN INCIDENT OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

state OF New York, middle-aged, though
rough farmer, who had seen all parts of the
world, and spoke at least seven languages, and
who was very well educated by intercourse
with all sorts of society, declared, by his
speech and by his conduct, for the crown
His place of residence was, as the song says,
"backside of Albany and his name was
Timothy Bell. A rare companion was this
Bell, so tbs said-with clapper, or tongue,
that could wheedle foe into a friend or
convince the devil that holy water was de-
lightful Although his manners were so
plausible, they could not prevent the rebel
committees from exercising watch over him.
For six months after declaring his sympathies
and feelings to be with the crown, he attended
to his own business apparently, and made no
demonstration of any kind, either hostile to
the rebels" or in their favor. He was
man OF very strong prejudices, and, after once
conceiving an idea, and proclalming an opin-
ION to be his, would not relinquish them to
save his property, life, or anything of greater
or less Importance Several of the leading
liberty boys who knew this were convinced
that ne was not destined to remain passive,
and suspected that he was then, while pre-
tending to be so quiet, engaged in machina-
tions against freedom. 1t +" turned out " as
s"SJ SHPSSbCu, uo ollC VI tlic COuHII llleu WHO
published the intelligence said that he had
been caught in strip of woodland half a
mile from his residence. organizing and ad-
dressing about thirty known tories, and giving
them instructions to regard "rebels," even
blood relatives, as natural born foes, and treat
them accordingly.
These words were recorded against Timothy
Bell, and from that day he became marked
man. He was obliged to fortify his dwelling,
and call for protection upon the English
authorities, and, in less than three months
after his detection, was out night and day,
under arms, as the leader of a band of daring
and cruel tories. Many were the fearful
skirmishes he engaged in-many the houses
he ransaoked-many the COW houses and hem
roosts he plundered, and many the stacks of
grain and hay he carried off-all at the ex-
pense of those who wished to cast off the yoke
OF monarchical misrule and oppression. Band
after band of the faithful had gone to meet
and take him, but they always found him
we'll prepared to receive and entertain visitors,
and up to the time of this writing he was the
most audacious and invulnerable tory in the
States.
Among his most particular foes-and such
people, in such times, have them-was an old
Quaker named Humphreys, who, of course,
would not fight, but who talked and schemed,
with mental might and main, for the glorious
cause and animated others to the strife. His
substance was considerable, and it was freely
extended to the patriots, who knew, when
they wanted a supply of provender to last
them on an excursion, or money to accomplish
any patriotic purpose, where to get it.
Humphreys was dry, matter of fact Friend,
who took everything in literal sense, and for
just what it was worth Bell had never been
able to make the eccentric old man enamored
of his manner or of his learning, and for that
reason had, during their peaceful neighbor-
ship, hated him cordially.
We have forgotten to state, ere this, that
one of Bells faults was his love of old cider
and of tobacco. Either of these Ito him)
luxuries was enough to buy him to any deed
of service; both articles, if of prime quality
were conductive delight that he little knew
how to resist. He was always smoking, and
was known to fight an hour on stretch with
pipe in his mouth. 1t often happened that
some housewife would wake up in the night
and say to the good man beside her, {" Hus-
band, l amell 'baccy." And the instant the
reply would be, as the man sprang from his
bed and seized a weapon, "Then Tim Bell is
about
Bell had announced his intention of catch
ing Humphreys, the Quaker, some day, (when
the Argus-eyed old fellow permitted him to
make the task an easy one by relaxing his
vigilance,) and sending him into the city a
prisoner.
Tell friend Bell" said he, to one whom
he knew kept converse with hin, "that when
he pleases to come and make me a prisoner,
he will let me know day before hand, and l
will offer no resistance
The old man was never known to forfeit his
word, and Bell as religiously believed he
would abide by the promise recorded as he did
that the earth was spherical.
He must have some reason for this, the
old fox" said Bell to the one who took him
the message, "and should like to be made
aware of it. The Reynard-if l could but
cleverly cage him in his own trap!'