BELL

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 at 06:49:28 :

The Marin Journal
Thursday, September 7, 1922
Page 1

Theo. Bell Killed in Auto Accident

A tragedy which shocked the entire state of California occurred last Monday night with the death in an automobile accident on the Fairfax-Bolinas road of Theodore A. Bell, widely-known politician and attorney.

Bell had spent the day as a guest at the Lagunitas Road and Gun Club and was on his way to a train in a machine driven by Lucio Mintzer, of Ross.

Mintzer’s version, given at the Emergency Hospital here that evening, was that in passing an approaching machine he was blinded by t he glare of the headlights and ran his car so far over the edge of the road that he was unable to get back. The machine then overturned two or three times, pinning its occupants underneath. Passing autoists were haled by Mintzer, who was able to extricate himself, and he and Bell were removed to the hospital. It is believed that Bell must have expired before he was taken from under the machine.

The body was taken charge of by Coroner J. Ray Keaton and the next day shipped to St. Helena, Napa county, the home of Bell’s sister, for burial.

Mintzer sustained a fracture of his right arm. He was removed to his home the night of the accident.

Bell was one of the best-known men in California. Born in Napa county, he rose to the position of District Attorney there and was elected to Congress on the Democratic ticket. Subsequently he became the leader in the state of that party and was nominated three times as its candidate for Governor, in each campaign making a close fight. The party leaders were astonished in 1920 when Bell announced that he had registered as a Republican, on the ground that he could no longer subscribe to the foreign relations policy of the Democratic party.

Bell was practicing law in San Francisco and residing with his wife and daughter in Berkeley. He had been a consistent advocate and leader since 1918 in the cause of light wines and beer.