USA > California > Nevada County > History of Nevada County, California; with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and manufactories > Part 28
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He was convicted of grand larerny in 1855, and sentewerd to five years in the State prison, at. Angel Ishaund.
hi May, 1855, he made his esenje with half a dozen other prisoners, among whom were Bill Gristy, alius Bill White, Nel Convery, alias No Corners, and Jim Smith. These four remained together, and formed the melens of the celebrated and notorious " Tom Bell's gang," that for nearly two years kept the State in a fever of excitement.
At this time Hodges was abont thirty years of age, tall, strong and active. He was quick and restless, and possessed of great physical conrage. His hair was of a sandy cast, and his chin was ornamented with a goatee of the same shul. His beanty was somewhat marred by a nose, ouce shapely and classic, then smashed iu at the bridge level with his face.
He soon gathered about him a band of choice spirits, whom, by his superior education and ability, he was able to control. There were in the baud about fifty men, those in the extreme north being under the leadership of Montagne Lyan, alias Monte Jaek, a blood-thirsty villain of repulsive appearance. Their retreat was in the recesses of the mountains, from which they issued in small bands to commit their depredations. During the spring and summer of 1856, scarcely a night passed but some lonely traveler was permitted to stare into the
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HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
muzzle of a persuading revolver, while he was ting relieved of his portable property.
The larget cuterprise nudertaken by them way the robbery of the Mury ville und Camptonville dage Engaged in this undertaking were Tom Bell, Bil Grity, Monte Jack, Jest Conner, Jim Smith, Bob Carr, alias English Bob, and Juan Fernandez, a Mexican. They rendezvou I at the California House, twenty-five miles from Mary ville, kept by Malam Cole, who was intere ted with them, the hon- twin; one of their stopping places The stage was near Dry creek, on its way to Marysville, the treasure box containing $100.000. Six mounted men confronted it and ordered the driver to stop. threatening to kill any who resisted. Dolson, mesenger for Langton's Express, fired on them, and an indiscriminate shoot- ing immediately commenced between the passengers and robbers, in which some forty shots were fired. All except Bell und Christy ran at the first shot, and they soon found that nothing but billets could be expected from the stage and retreated. When the stage was ready to proceed, a mounted Mexienn begun firing upon them from the other side of the rond. His fire was returned by Mr. Dobson, and the Mexican was unhorsed, whereupon he bent a precipitate retreat with two others who had been concealed in the thicket. One of the orrujmuts of the stage, a huly, was killed, three others were wounded, nud the stage itself completely riddled with bullets.
When news of the occurrence was received in Marysville, a procession, headed by a band, went out to meet the stage and escort Mr. Dobson into the city, where great honors were paid him. His services were substantially recognized by Lang- ton & l'v.
The band ranged through the foot-hills, chiefly in Yuba, Nevada und Pheer counties, und terror was spread through the whole region. A favorite resort was the Mountaineer House, kept by Jack Phillips, between Anburn and Folsom; another was the Western Exchange, on the Nevada and Sacramento road, kept by Mrs. Elizabeth Hood, alias Mrs. Cullers, and her three daughters.
Hodges, as a surgeon, was able to attend to the dressing of any wounds his men received, and he sometimes exercised his profession on those who were so unfortunate as to be injured while resisting him. Bell and a companion named Bill Gristy met a traveler going from Downieville to Marysville, aud demanded his money. The traveler fired upon them and tled, It was brought down by a bullet in the thigh from Gristy's pistol. After relieving him of his cash, Dr. Hodges dressed the wound, and placed the man in a wagon that happened to come along, telling the teamster to " Drive slow and piek your road," not, however, until he had prospected the driver's pockets and " found color," a clear case of "pocket mining."
A portion of Bell's band, known as the Walker branch, had
halquarters at Folsom, and were under the leadership of George Walker Beihs the leadler, there were Cip Walker, BI Grity, Aleph Newton, Nick Anora, Carter and Domingo. They robbed Wells Fargo, & Co.'s express of $26,000, on Scott's Mountain in Shasta county, and burial the money. Walker lad Domingo shot for desiring to return and procure the buried treasure. Detectives Robert Harrison and Daniel C. Gay were detailal from the Sacramento force, to capture or destroy this band They capture one named Woodruff, alias Tom Brown, whom they indneed to betray the others. Ile was so long in waking up the case, that Gay abandoned it and went East. Finally they found Walker, Anora, Gristy and Newton at Fol- soin, and laid their plans for capturing them. Newton was caught while alone, and sent to Sacramento and placed on board the " prison brig." The party, then consisting of Brown, Harrison, J. M. Anderson, Marshal of Marysville, Capt. A. J. Barclay and a butcher, both from Marysville, proeceded ean- tiously to the tent where the outlaws were staying. Anderson and Harrison had cach a double-barrel shot gun loaded with buck shot, and the plan was for Brown to throw open the tent door, while Harrison and Anderson sprang inside and covered the inmates with their guns; if a shot was fired, then those outside were to riddle the tent with bullets. The plan was excented, and the two men sprang in, and demauded an instant. surrender. Lying on the table were several six-shooters, cocked; and Walker, who stood in front of the table arranging his necktie, cried, "No, never " seized one of them as quick as a flash and fired, the ball passing between the heads of the two officers. The two men and those outside then fired, and Walker fell dead, with a charge of bnek shot through his heart. Gristy lifted np the canvas of the tent and crawled out, at the same time continuously firing his revolver over his shoukler. A charge of buek shot fired after his vanishing figure, inflicted only a severe sealp wound. Anora attempted to crawl through the same hole, but was wounded and captured. Anora, Carter, Newton and Gristy were all afterwards sent to San Quentin. Brown and Gristy made a complete reformation, and are to-day leading upright and honorable lives, the former in Placer and the latter in Sacramento county.
Others of the band were killed or captured in various places; the whole region was in arms, and Bell realized that the place was getting uncomfortably warm. He managed by threats aud persuasions to induce Mrs. Hood to remove to the Four Creeks conutry, near the Merced River, where he soon followed. To this woman he was kuown as George Brooks. -
On Monday, the 6th of October, 1856, Bell's career was brought to a sudden termination by the noose of self-constituted hangmeu. A few days before, he had been engaged in a ter- rible fight with Sheriff Henson, of Placer county, and a posse, at the Franklin House, near Auburn. Bell was assisted by
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Texas and Ned Connor, the latter being killed, while the two former escaped. On tho fatal Monday, a party of nine men, headed by Joseph Belt, and operating under the direction of Sheriff Mulford, of Calaveras county, were scouring the country in search of the outlaw, and suddenly camo upon him near the Mereed River, which stream he had just erossed, on his way from the ranch of Mrs. Hoo.l. Bell, unaware that he was being pursued, was sitting carelessly on his horse, his leg throwu over the pommel of his saddle, conversing with a Mexican. The first intimation he received that an enemy was near, was the summons to surrender, to which, backed as it was by nine ritles, he gracefully acceded. He was told to prepare for his final end, and after consuming four hours in writing two fare- well letters to his family in Tennessee, ho said he was ready to meet his doom. The night shades had gathered darkly around the forest trees that skirted the rushing waters of the Cowehilla and Merced; and there, with noue but tho omnipresent stars to witness the swift justice of his captors, his lamp of life went out forever. How many seenes of blood and pillage he had enacted, witnessed by the silent sentinels of the night, will never be known. They departed, and the sad winds sobbed a requiem over the last resting-place of Thomas J. Hodges.
JIM WEBSTER.
The last of the early highwaymen to make himself especially notorious was Jim Webster, whom all the old residents will loug remember as the cause of the sad and tragic death of Sheriff W. W. Wright. Webster was a miner at Timbuctoo, in Yuba county, but meeting with but poor success, his misfor- tunes drove him to the road as a means of livelihood, where he levied contributions upon those who had been more fortunate than he. His career as an outlaw extended over the space of two years, beginning in 1855. He lived in Washington, Nevada City and other places for short periods. He had a dispute at Timbnetoo in 1855 in regard to a mining elaim, and meeting three of the party with whom he was at variance in a ravine, he shot them dead with three shots from his revolver. The citizens of Timbuetoo had just laid out a cemetery, and Webster's three vietims were the first to be buried there, forming a nucleus about which many grassy mounds have gathered. From this time Jim Webster was kuown and feared all along the Yuba, and many a man held up his hands at his request, well know- ing that a refusal meant death, for Jim was not afraid to shoot and he never had to shoot twice. The feats of accurate shooting he accomplished with his revolver have a very legend- ary sound. A price was put upon his head and many were there who sought to earn it; but all stood in awe of his unerring aim, and few dared to seek him openly, hoping always to eatelt him off his guard. He often came to the towns where he was well known, but where none were bold enough to molest him.
RESIDENCE OF S. MOORE, GRASS VALLEY, NEVADA C9, CAL.
PUBLISHED SY THOMPSON & WEST.
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HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
During the summer of 1856 he made Nevada City listed quarters, and rollaries and diprelations were of night y ocenrrenee mitil In. was capture I and boly Fin the county jail. October 8, 1856, he broke jail with another prisoner and escaped A work later they were travel to Smart-ville, when Marshal Plnner mnl Brury Gnrsey, of Nevada City, captured them und returuel them to jail. They were found in a house, mond nsloup, with their revolvers under their pillows, but were overpowered before they could offer resistance Webster med to lunve lund little affection for the jail in which he was confined, for ha again made his coupe on Sunday night. November 2. 1856, in company with two of Tom Bell's gang, named Farns- worth. Just before dark the following day word was received that two horses an I equipments were concealed in a welded spot in Cold Ravine, near Gold Flat, and two parties, neither aware of the other's movements or intentions, repaire Ist althily to the spot, inten ling to conceal themselves until the arrival of the eyemed prisoners, for whom they suppose the horses were coneenled, Que party ronsistel of G. 11. Armstrong. R. S. Wighum, Thus. Lockhart, J. B Byrne, Wallner Williams, Thos. Baldwin and other citizens of Cial Flat, led by L. W. Williams, while the other was a Sheriff's posse, David Johnson, Will. Butterfield. Henry Plummer and Lewis Tenl. commanded by Sheriff W. W. Wright, The Willimins party was the first to arrive, and was carefully concealed when the pose appeared. City Marshal Plummer of the Sheriff's party advanced cautiously down tho raving in full view of the secreted men, who were congratulating themselves upon the success of their plan. When Plummer had arrived within fifteen paces of the ambus- ciule he whistled softly, and was immediately joined by two more of the passe, another low whistle, and a fourth man appeared. These enntions mund mysterious proceedings firmly convinced the : conernled wateliers that the esenpel men stood before them, and they braced themselves for netion. The last man who appeared discovered G. 11. Armstrong, one of the William- party, hiding behind n tree, nad reported it to the others, one of whom called out. " Rush up, boys!" and rushed towards Armstrong with his revolver in his hand, and when within ten feet of him, stopped and demande] who he was. Arm- strong still thought him to be one of the gang of outlaws, and answered that he wns n friend, and when the man continned to dennee, fired upon him; the man was Sheriff Wright. The firing now beenmo general between the two parties, and some fifty shots were fired, when the mistake was discovered by PInmer, who recognized the voice of Williams giving orders in n lond tone and saw his face in the light of a pistol tlash.
Lights were proenred, and the contending parties gaze I upon the slaughter their fatal mistake had caused. Lying dead upon the ground was the brave and generous Wright, a ball from Armstrong's pistol in his chin, and his breast torn by
adan bile frein a gin tirel by T L Ballw > 1) ,uty Davil John-m way morta y woun l 1 in the lost hot muanagel to walk to Arm-try. wir ls u xpir 1 Sheriff Wright, fam iarly known a- B - Wr_ 1 wa a noble hartel man who had the rejet aule mln of all wip know him and when the and now. of line this carrie I to Visala City a tribute of respect was pil to hi inemory It was but a day or two before the existing I'm i dential election, and a large an enthusiastic pro-sion halj ist paralel the streets and arrived at the stand preparatory to hearing a stirring oration when intelligence was re rivol that Sheriff Wright hal met with a sal and violent death The orator arose and announced the news to the au live and mail that he would not speak that night and dismissed the sallenel people to their ho nes. David Jolinson was a brave and triel officer, and had but recently been Marshal of Nevada City. his bravery and love of danger and excitement leading him to his youthful grave.
Jim Webster was again arrested, a few weeks after the tragedy in Gold Ravine, by the officials of Yala county, and conveyel to the jail at Marysville. In February, 1857, he was convicted of grand larceny and highway robbery and sentenced to the penitentiary for the term of twenty-five years; two more of his gang were also sentenced, Lee Shell for five year and a man name ] Shelly for ten years, At the penitentiary Webster fully sustained his reputation as a jail breaker, for on August 24, 1857, he made his escape from that institution in company with eight others, nmong whom was Wallger Gehr, a convict from this county, Webster's career afterwards was a brief one. While in the Coast Range he quarreled with one of his men and ordered him to leive the camp before morning ujwon pain of being shot. The man remained, however, and during the night drew the bullet from Webster's gun. When morning enme the man was sitting on a stump, and Webster, exclaiming "So you didn't go?" seized his rifle and fired at him with the blank charge. The man coolly raised his gun and shot his would be slayer dead. Such is the traditionary account of Jim Webster's final end.
ROBBERIES.
To give in detail the highway robberies that have occurred in Nevada connty would be 'to write a book on that subject alone, such a multitude has there been of them. The years 1860 and 1861 were especially replete with instances of thi- kind; the newspapers gave in April, ISGI, account- of fourtern that has occurred during the first seventeen days of the month . For a few years after the war they were also of frequent occur- rence. The robbing of Chinese cabins was a favorite pastime, the Mongolians generally yielding without a struggle, thongh they sometimes beat off' their assailants. No attempt will be
olun ret ne lub of rollers except where the attend- as In their ats make them of peculiar interest TwIs U. . Đất Vala City early ơn the morn ing f Mum Mys this one some distance behind the of (1 :15 11, wr right or ten penger inen in I Y D's wat ling on the outside with the drar all Ihre. denn, which were in a rarp & back mtobe Teliten . lal Wells Fargo & Co's trean box em un: 20 D) When about half a mile from Nevada tits ot ting t was toquel lo four or tive men who hall Com as if they war familiar with their use Dawis til then that the spain he was in the other stage and that tu was nothing in the load last some carpet sacks The stage 8, new lindrie ou whil the golden bay in wait for theothrone Disky wanted the prongers to go back with him and pro the ather consegues, but as none of them were arne Het he they declined to this expense themselves. The soul tay wa dropped in the same manner is the first. und the speed box obtained. The stage had misanend to within one hundred yard of the first one when it was halten. Officers were junne liately upon the mort, mal the next morning arrested D. Langton und Thomas Williams, uns the Eyed Tom, in their calin Bear tiras Valley. The indignant miners who live L'in the vicinity burned the enbin to the groun !
A short's jos , composed of Deputies Van Hagan and Burrell, t'on talde l'ogreml Mers Lack wood and Demin of Chra & Valley, made a raid on a culin in French Having, two miles from Grass Valley, Thursday night, March 21, 1559, for the purpose of capturing three rubbers that were supposed to be there. Instead of three they encountered right men, who rashed out of the cabin anl opened tire upon them. The fire was warmly return. I far a few moments, but the po & were outnumbered an l retir- 1, Mr. Lockwo al having a laillet in his arm. Of the robbers Eugene Whitney was killed, Willinin Riley, alias Buck kin Bill, wounded and the balance inde good ther escape.
Many stairs have been written illustrating the ingestion. devices used and deceptions practiced by highwaymien to give themselves the appearance of being supported by numbers, the most ingenious of which, even the rigging up of dummies with woorden guns, pales before the brilliant simplicity of the follow- ing. Between the hours of eight and nine o'clock, Saturday evening, April 21 1866, a man stationed himself at a conven- icht place on the road from You But to Nece's, and waited for some one to turn up. It was not long before the figure of it Chinan an was outlined against the stars, and the robber, after depriving bim of a loudly balf dollar, ordered him to sit down by the roadside. The next viethn was a Grinan, who was directed to sit by the member from China. Another Mon- golian appeared and was added to the silent band, as were also
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HISTOR OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
m American and a wan bring Swale Tw I'limun a fier- man an Aubriean and & Swere all sitting like gate ly the radio, ench one convinced that the other were a l robber nul that to reitor attempt to cape was certain death The In t victim was fi gge Haton, who saw the ha lows form ley the side of the road and in view of each hope ols, cher- Tally landed the robber sixty dollar Aware that the deep- tion mot soon be discovered and observing another man upprorching, the ingeni urs thief give his victims the command to ' get up and dust," while he vanish I amid the darkness of the night The emgres of nations that he hal assembled gaze leach into the others' faces, on which the expresions of astonishment and clogrin struggled for the nustory, and each thought what fools the others were to be decrivel by a little game like that an I then departed their several ways in silence.
Both the North San Joan and the Washington stages were reddred, May 6, 1866 nud the North San Juan again, Muy 15. An the stage was on the brow of the hill south of the South Vubm river, nud above Blick's crossing, at half-past four on the morning of the latter dlate, it was stopped by three tousked mon, the passengers ordered out and the driver com- manded to unhitch his horses. Two attempts were then made to Idow open Wells, Fargo & Co.'s trensure box, the last of which was successful. After appropriating the contents, $7,900, the box was returned to the stage, the horses again attached uuml the vehicle allowed to proceed. All haste was mule to Nevala City to give the alarm, nud a passe, consisting of Sheriff R. B. Gentry, Stephen Venard, James H. Lee, Albert tirulry and A. W. Potter, started in pursuit.
Vonard und Lee soon found the trail and followed for a mile and a half over extremely rough ground, until it became neces- sury for Leo to take a more cirenitous ronte with the horses, und Veunrd, armed with a Henry repeating ritle, followed the trail alone. lle soon came to Meyers' ravine, where it opens into the Yub, up which the robbers had evidently gone to a crossing that lay above. He was alone in that rugged gorge, with precipitous mountains frowning down on either side, while shrubs, trees and rocks on every hand offered ample concealment for an ambushed enemy. Where the waters of the ravine enme rushing and roaring over their bed of rocks, rose a rock, towering to The hight of twenty feet, surrounded by smaller ones, all forming an island, upon the lower end of which several trees raised their knotted limbs, the foliage sercening the jagged roek above. Below, the waters pitched down a precipice fifteen feet in hight. Here he decided to make the passage of the torrent. He crossed upon a log to a rock in the center of the stream, above which rose the huge mass of granite, the approach to which lay between two smaller rocks in front. Glancing up this alley, Venard saw George Shanks, alias Jack Williams, the leader of the bandits, sitting
upon the ground and in the act of taking aiw at him with his revolver Quick as thought, Venard aimed his ritle, and at the same instant discovered that another robber was aiming at him from over the top of a rock. There was no time for hesi- tation he tirel, and the leader full deal with a loillet in his heart The other Bub Flynn, alias Caton, endeavored to sladdl hits.If behind the rock, but as soon as his head appeared alive in the effort to aim his pistol, a bullet from the unerring rifle spel swiftly through his brain. Venard sprang forward, determined that the last of the three should not shoot him dowu from an mmbush. An instant, and he was among the roeks. Ilere lay the treasure and the bodies of the two rob- beers, but the third had escaped. Ho covered the treasure with earth and leaves, took the pistols from the lifeless bodies, and dashed across the stream. The Hecing outlaw was seen hasten- ing up the side of a hill some sixty yards in advance. The fatal rille was again leveled, and a bullet brought the fugitive to the ground, another shot and George W. Moore rolled lifeless down the hill.
Venard soon found his companions and related to them the incidents of the fight, regretting that he had wasted a shot on the last man when one ought to have been enough. They repaired to the scene, uncovered the spoil, and by two o'clock in the afternoon it was returned to Wells, Fargo & Co., at Nevada City. After the departure of the posse the express company had offered a reward of three thousand dollars, which Venard promptly received. They also presented to him a goldl mounted and tastefully inseribed Henry rifle. He was also appointed on the staff of Governor Low, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, for "meritorious services in the field." Upon the bodies of the robbers, when brought into town and identified, was found the property taken from the passengers in the stage. Mr. Venard still makes Nevada City his residence, where he is respected by all for his bravery and good qualities.
During the summer of 1866 robberies were of almost daily occurrence, one of which is worthy of being related in full. Captain Teal, accompanied by one Higgins who was a stranger to him, left Grass Valley, Sunday, August 26, 1866, for Marys. ville. When he had proceeded about two miles he was sud- denly confronted by two men with drawn revolvers, one of whom seized the horses by the head. The other leveled his pistoi at the Captain's breast and demanded his money. " Wait a moment and I will give it to you," he replied, as he reached for his revolver. " Don't pull that," said the robber, "or I will shoot you deal." Notwithstanding this threatening injunction Teal drew his weapon, and both fired at the same time, Teal being severely wounded in the left shoulder. He continued to fire in spite of his wound, and succeeded in beating off his assailants, who retreated to the bushes shooting as they went. At the first note of alarm Higgins felt himself constrained to
" ilve to the woods," where he remained until the victory was won. C'aptain Teal drove to the next house to get some one to pursue the robbers, and then hastened back to Grass Valley to have his wound dressed, the ball having broken the bone and passed through his shoulder. Marshal Snow and Officer Hale, of Grass Valley, immediately went upon the trail of the robbers, and tracked them as far as the Union Ranch, near Smartsville, where the trail was lost in the thick woods After much time spent in fruitless search they proceeded to Marysville where they spent the night. The next morning Marshal Snow set ont upon his return, and when near Simpson's bridge espied two men crossing that structure, whose appearance corre- sponded to the description given of the fugitives. He secreted himself and then followed the men into Marysville, noticing that their tracks were similar to those made at the scene of the attempted robbery. In company with his associate he arrested them at the What Cheer saloon and conducted them to Grass Valley, where they were identified by Captain Teal. The one who wounded Teal was Robert Williams, or Dare Devil Dick, a mere lad of seventeen years; the other was known as Rondo Jim, and was the one who held the horses and afterwards joined in the attack.
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