Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-02-12
TOM BELL, KNIGHT OF
THE ROAD
Recollections of One Of the Most Fa-
nous of California Highwaymen.

/ SNOOiA - y
the cruel AMI bloodthirsty Joa
quin Murietta, among thC
"Knights of the Road" in th'
Ipioneer days, was Tom Bell
His true name was Thoma.
Hodges,a native ofRome, Tenn.
where he was born about 1926
His parents were excellent ant
respected people, ,and gave young
Hodges a thorough education
He graduated from a medica
institution, and shortly after re.
ceiving his diploma he Joined ;
regiment and proceeded to thu
seat of war in Mexico, where hc
served honorably as a non-com-
missioned officer until The close
ofthe struggle. Like thousands
OF others, he was attracted tC
California by its golden allure
ments, and began life as miner
The hard work and privation of
a life in the mines, coupled with
a lack of success, caused him to
follow the footsteps of many
whose loose moral ideas led
them into gambling as a means
of subsistence. Soon til'ing of
this. he took to the road, where
he continued his games of
chance, simply stalking his re-
volver against whatever loose
coin his victims had about them.
He was convicted Of grand
larceny in 1855, and sentenced
to five years in the State Prison
at Angels Island. Here he pre-
tended TO be sick, and was trans
fcrred to the County Jail at San
Francisco, where he could re-
ceive proper medical attend
ance. On account Of his ap-
parently feeble condition but
little restraint was placed upon
his actions, and one day he"van-
ished like a beautiful dream" "
He soon after reappeared OH the
stage Of action as Tom Bell, the
highwayman. At this time
Hodges was about thirty years
Of age, strong and active. He
was quick and restless, and pos
sessed of great courage. His
hair was of a sandy cast, and
his chin was ornamented with a
goa:ee Of the same shade. His
beauty was somewhat marred
by a nose once shapely and clas-
ic, then smashed in ut the bridge
level with the face.
At first Bell was alone in his
travels, but soon gathered about
him a band Of choice spirits
whom, by his superior education
and ability, he was able to con-
troll. He is said to have worn
suit of armor under his clothes
for protection, but this is prob
ably untrue. His band soon
became thoroughly organized,
and used as a talisman u bullet,
curiously marked with holes and
IA cross, the possession of which
was the sign of brotherhood a.
mong them. One of these bull
lets, obtained from a member of
the gang, was used by an officer
in first gaining some informa-
tion from others, and then ar
resting them. There were in
the band about fifty men, those
in the extreme north being un-
der the leadership of Monte
Jack, a bloodthirsty villain of
repulsive appearance. Their
retreat was in the recesses of
the mountains, from which they
issued in small bands to COM
NIT their depredations. During
the spring and summer of 1856
scarcely night passed but
some lonely traveller was permit
ted to stare into the muzzle Of
a persuading revolver while he
was being relieved of his porta-
BILE property. The largest en-
terprisc undertaken by them
was the robbing of the Marys-
vile and Camptonvillc stage.
The stage was near Dry Creek,
on its way to Marysville. the
treasure-box containing $780,
900. Six mounted men con-
fronted it anl ordered the dri-
yer to stop, threatening to kill
any who resisted. Dobson, mes
senger for Llngton's Express,
fired on them, and indiscriminate