Horace Bell (1830–1918) had a spirit for adventure, and he found it out in the American West. In lawless, early California, Bell spent his life fighting for justice. In his later years, he built a writing career labeling himself a “Truthful Historian,” although some of his readers claimed he liked to exaggerate. Irrespective, Bell’s writings painted a vivid picture of what life was like in California in the mid-1800s.
Lawless California Territory
In his autobiography published in 1881 titled, “Reminiscences of a Ranger: Early Times in Southern California,” Bell detailed how violent and crime-ridden Los Angeles was when he first arrived in the city:
“It was a fact, that all of the bad characters who had been driven from the mines had taken refuge in Los Angeles, for the reason that if forced to move further on, it was only a short ride to Mexican soil, while on the other hand all of the outlaws of the Mexican frontier made for the California gold mines, and the cut-throats of California and Mexico naturally met at Los Angeles, and at Los Angeles they fought.
“Knives and revolvers settled all differences, either real or imaginary. The slightest misunderstandings were settled on the spot with knife or bullet, the Mexican preferring the former at close quarters and the American the latter.”
Two States Battle
In 1858, while in California, Bell received an alarming message from his family. Kentucky lawmen had kidnapped his father and brother in Indiana. They were arrested and charged with allegedly “enticing black people to run away.” After hearing the news, Bell rushed to Brandenburg, Kentucky. With two friends, he broke into the jail and freed his family members while the sheriff was away at lunch.
Although he was applauded as a hero in Indiana, his act greatly angered Kentuckians. In fact, a $500 reward was offered for Bell’s arrest. One day in October 1858, as Bell was walking down the road in his home state, he was ambushed by five men carrying guns. They brought Bell across state lines to Kentucky and locked him up in the same jail he had just freed his father and brother from.
The citizens of Indiana were outraged when they heard the news of Bell’s kidnapping. People in both states feared a civil war between the two states might break out over the issue, so Kentucky residents agreed to give Bell a speedy trial and release him on bail.
Bell later joined Benito Juarez’s army in Mexico to aid in fighting the Reform War (also known as the Mexican Civil War) in 1859. He then returned to Indiana to join the Civil War efforts as a scout for the Union Army.
Bell, now married with children, returned to the City of Angels in 1866. He devoted his time to writing. After publishing his first book, Bell started a weekly Los Angeles newspaper in 1882 called “The Porcupine.” He used the power of the press to stand up for the poor and fight corruption within the city’s government. Bell later became a lawyer to defend Hispanic Californians.
His life almost tragically ended in 1883. While he was the editor of his newspaper, the police chief of Los Angeles attempted to shoot him. Luckily, Bell’s son Charlie overpowered the lawman to save his father’s life.
Bell passed away peacefully in 1918. He was buried in Los Angeles’s Rosedale Cemetery in the city he called home for most his life.
