San Andreas independent., 1856-10-11

Satisfaction to assure our readers as will be
seen from the account published in another
column, that the great bandit chief, Tom Bell,
has been captured and hung. For months, his
presence had been a terror to teamsters and
residents of out-of-the-way places in our mining
counties. But the halo of romance which at
tached to his name and fame, has been dispell-
ed Like Joaquin" that Wizard of Satan and
scourge of Cinnamon, Tom Bell met his fate,
amidst the solitary steppes of the Tulare Plains.
1t is Singular that the career of these two noted
bandit chiefs should have been rum over almost
transactions continued, unmolested, about equal
length of time, exhibiting similar villainy,
and although successful in the beginning, ter
minating so fatally. Bat few months since,
letters to editors defying the officers of the law
robbing those who had money and horse whip
ping others that had none; threatening the lives
of all who interfered with his plans, and lead
ing gay and jolly life generally; but we are
now gratifed to record his destruction Tom
Bell was captured only about thirty miles from
the place where Harry Love captured Joaquin
Murietta. The San Francisco Sun gives the
following:
ACCOUNT OF Tom BELL.-Tom Bell,
alias, Thomas Hodges, was born in Rome,
Tennessee, and was probably about 33
years of age. He served during the Mex
lean war as non-commissioned officer in
the Tennessee Regiment of volunteers,
Col. Cheatham, and was discharged at the
termination of the war. He came to Cal
ifornia in 1850, and at once embarked in
all the dissi pations of this most dissipated
of countries, with The eagerness and ardor
of his naturally ndeut temperament.
He was literally educated, having studied
the medical profession, and received a reg
ular diploma and az incident is related
showing that he possessed considerable sur
gical skill. A short time ago, man was
stopped and robbed on the highway by
Tom and some of his gang, but not before
he had shown resistance, which so enraged
one of the robbers, that he fired, shooting
the man through the thigh, and severing
the femoral artery. Bell Immediately dis
mounted, took up and tied the bleeding
vessel, with much skill, had the man con-
veyed to a house, giving direction for his
treatment, and rode off, The wounded
traveller got well. He was of most re-
spectacle family in Rome, Tennessee, and
is said to have been man of easy and
polished manners when he choose to as
sumo the gentleman. In 1852, he was
arralgned and convicted of grand larceny
IN this city, and sentenced to FIVE years in
the State Prison at Angels Island, then
under the wardenship of Colonel Jack
Hayes. While there, Bell alias Hodges.
got sick, or pretended grievous illness,
and there being nophysician on the Island
he was sent, with others, by Mr.. J. w.
Mckenzie, overseer of the State Prison.
to the County Jail of San Francisco, in
order that he might receive medical atten-
tion. While here, he looked so exceed
ingly enfeebled and reduced, that he was
granted the privilege of taking little ex-
ercise, with extended liberties. In day
or two after Hodges made his escape and
nothing more was ever heard of him, until
he turned up again in the person of the
celebrated Tom Bell, the Highwayman.