Weekly Phoenix herald., 1884-10-09

How he Broke up a Gang of
Desperadoes.

OeBpefdUOeS.
In the foot hills.of Placer county,
California, in 1858. when that region
was sparsely settled and outlaws
raided at their pleasure, Bob Paul
won such distinction for bravery
and detective work as will never be
forgotten by the old settlers of that
county.
A gang of robbers under the lead>
ership of the noted Tom Bell, had
one of their rendezvous on the south
fork of tee American river near the
Mountain house. on the road lead
ing from Auburn to Sacramento.
This hotel was kept by Jack Philips,
friend of the gang and a sharer in
their plumber. In times when it
was safe for them to visit the hotel,
a flag floated from the staff on the
top of the building, and when dam
ger threated the flag was lowered.
In risky times Philips would visit
them in a secret spot near by and
carry provisions 10 them in a game
bag.
The overland stages were robbed,
m iners were murdered and the most
terrible depredations were there
committed by this gang for years;
yet their operations were so concealed
as to defy detection, although their
existence and the name Of their
leade was well know, to the terror
of that portion of California.
Bob Paul was deputy sheriff of
Calaveras county, and he set TO work
determined to exterminate the whole
band Fortune favored him when
the noted outlaws, Spanish John
and Bill White, entered Calaveras
and stole some horses. Paul traced
them to Knights Ferry and captur>
them both. He sent White back TO
jail, from which he had escaped
and with difficulty saved the life of
Spanish John, who, during Paul 5
temporary absence, was taken by
mob and had rope around his neck
when the resoi ute deputy resappear~
on the scene.
While on his road to Calaveras
with Spanish John, that robber was
so grateful to Paul for saving his
life that he impaired to him Tom
Bells secret sign of mem bershlp,
which was the exhibition of a leaden
ball containing four holes. Paul
had already located their heaGquar-
tiers near the Mountain house, and
was certain in his own mind that
Philips was a member of the outfit.
One day, a Mr.. Rosenthal. a mer-
chant from Nevada, while travelling
toward Sacramento With $4,000 in
his possession, stopped a. the Noun
tain house for, dinner, and on re-
Stunning his journey was followed by
Tom Bel and his ruffians, and MUIR
dered and robbed not far distant,
at Doton's bar.
This atrocity caused Paul to put
his long meditated plan into eXecu>
tion. a short time thereafter he
selected a posse of resolute men and
stationed them near the hotel in the
night, and at ? O'clock n. m. he went
alone into the bar room and called
for drinks, asking where the boys
were.
Jack eyed him with surprise and
S suspicion, and asked him what he
meant.
Paul then exhibited the leaden
ball when Philips put up his finger
in token of silence, and, as others
were present, beckoned him into an
adjacent room. When in the room
he told Paul that the gang had gone
up to Little York to rob store.
Paul soon Joined his companions
and, following up the trail, met the
robbers, and, hey refusing to sur
render, lie opened fire killing one of
their number, FAMED Conway, and
capturing several others.
On their return Paul arrested
Philips, who was sent to prison for
five years, and eventually broke up
and dispersed the entire gang of
highwaymeu. Tom Bell was hanged.
This notable act of Bob Paul, then
but % years of age, made him the
most popular idol of law~abiding
citizens, while 1t caused him to be
feared by the criminal ele-
ment.
The circumstances above are furn-
ished US by an old and esteemed !
citizen of Tucson, who at that time
kept trading post at Miners ravine
near The Mountain house, the rem
devious of the bandits Mining
IRdeT.