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Authors: Pat Fitzhugh
Tags: Armand Press
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this
fact.
One of the most important things John Johnston
learned of the Spirit was its inability to read peoples’
minds. He asked the Spirit on several occasions
what he was thinking about, but a correct answer
was never given. But what remained a mystery to
Johnston and others was whether the Spirit was
really incapable of reading minds, or was only
making people think that was the case. Johnston
took solace in knowing that he was not the Bells’
only friend whom the Spirit expressed a strong
dislike for. One of his neighbors on Sturgeon Creek,
Frank Miles, was also strongly disliked by the Spirit.
Frank Miles is No Match
Frank Miles was one of the Bell family’s closest
THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT
59
friends and was especially good friends with John Jr.
Elizabeth Bell remarked later in life, “Of all of our
friends, none were thought of more highly than
Frank Miles. Brother John and he would have died
for each other without hesitation.” 15
Standing well over six feet tall and weighing close
to 250 pounds, Frank Miles was thought to be the
strongest and most fearless man in Robertson
County at the time. Where it would require two men
to carry one end of a large log, Miles easily carried
the opposite end by himself. It was also said that he
could uproot a tree more than one foot in diameter
with his bare hands. Like his best friend, John Jr.,
Miles strongly disliked the way Elizabeth was treated
by the Spirit and readily made it known.
As was the case with other friends of the Bells,
Frank Miles spent many nights at their home
distracting the Spirit with conversation so they could
sleep. It seemed that the Sprit would leave the Bells
alone when it Spirit had someone to pester and gab
with. Miles sometimes tried to sleep over, but rarely
ever slept because the Spirit pulled the covers from
his bed as fast as he could pull them back up. On
one occasion, he tried holding the covers in place
with all of his weight and strength. Despite his
weight and great strength, Miles’ efforts were useless.
The covers flew off the bed and he was left holding
small pieces of ripped fabric in his hands.
As is the case with anyone who has a temper
problem, Miles’ temper was his worst enemy. The
Spirit took great pleasure in taunting him as he ran
around the room with his arms extended in hopes of
catching it, exclaiming repeatedly, “You ol’ fiend from
hell, just stay still long enough fer me to git my arms
around ya, an I’ll crush the life out of ya!”
15 Dr. Charles Bailey Bell, The Bell Witch: A Mysterious Spirit , 1934.
60 P A T
F I T Z H U G H
In response to Miles’ frequent outbursts, the Spirit
would strike him all over his body. When he turned
in one direction, the Spirit would kick him in his
posterior region; then, when he quickly turned
around to “catch” the Spirit, it slapped his face and
began laughing — just before telling him he had
better leave the house before he gets knocked
unconscious. Frank Miles never succeeded in
catching the Spirit; and if anything, only made
matters worse for both Elizabeth and him when he
mouthed off.
After arriving at the Bell home one evening, Miles
called out to Elizabeth, “Come, sit by me, lil’ sis; I’ve
come to give ya’ a good rest; nuthin’ will bother ya’
while I’m here.” The Spirit’s loud and angry voice
was then heard all over the house, “You go home;
you can do no good here!” Instantly, the Spirit
grabbed Elizabeth’s hair and pulled her to the floor,
pinching her cheeks until they bled.
In a fiery rage, Miles jumped up and began pacing
the room as he cursed the Spirit and demanding that
it assume a shape so he could “choke the life” out of
it. The Spirit fired back screaming, “You have no
business here; leave Betsy alone and mind your own
affairs before I put you away for good.” “You’re the
biggest wuss ever; to visit this earth and torture
fact.
One of the most important things John Johnston
learned of the Spirit was its inability to read peoples’
minds. He asked the Spirit on several occasions
what he was thinking about, but a correct answer
was never given. But what remained a mystery to
Johnston and others was whether the Spirit was
really incapable of reading minds, or was only
making people think that was the case. Johnston
took solace in knowing that he was not the Bells’
only friend whom the Spirit expressed a strong
dislike for. One of his neighbors on Sturgeon Creek,
Frank Miles, was also strongly disliked by the Spirit.
Frank Miles is No Match
Frank Miles was one of the Bell family’s closest
THE BELL WITCH: THE FULL ACCOUNT
59
friends and was especially good friends with John Jr.
Elizabeth Bell remarked later in life, “Of all of our
friends, none were thought of more highly than
Frank Miles. Brother John and he would have died
for each other without hesitation.” 15
Standing well over six feet tall and weighing close
to 250 pounds, Frank Miles was thought to be the
strongest and most fearless man in Robertson
County at the time. Where it would require two men
to carry one end of a large log, Miles easily carried
the opposite end by himself. It was also said that he
could uproot a tree more than one foot in diameter
with his bare hands. Like his best friend, John Jr.,
Miles strongly disliked the way Elizabeth was treated
by the Spirit and readily made it known.
As was the case with other friends of the Bells,
Frank Miles spent many nights at their home
distracting the Spirit with conversation so they could
sleep. It seemed that the Sprit would leave the Bells
alone when it Spirit had someone to pester and gab
with. Miles sometimes tried to sleep over, but rarely
ever slept because the Spirit pulled the covers from
his bed as fast as he could pull them back up. On
one occasion, he tried holding the covers in place
with all of his weight and strength. Despite his
weight and great strength, Miles’ efforts were useless.
The covers flew off the bed and he was left holding
small pieces of ripped fabric in his hands.
As is the case with anyone who has a temper
problem, Miles’ temper was his worst enemy. The
Spirit took great pleasure in taunting him as he ran
around the room with his arms extended in hopes of
catching it, exclaiming repeatedly, “You ol’ fiend from
hell, just stay still long enough fer me to git my arms
around ya, an I’ll crush the life out of ya!”
15 Dr. Charles Bailey Bell, The Bell Witch: A Mysterious Spirit , 1934.
60 P A T
F I T Z H U G H
In response to Miles’ frequent outbursts, the Spirit
would strike him all over his body. When he turned
in one direction, the Spirit would kick him in his
posterior region; then, when he quickly turned
around to “catch” the Spirit, it slapped his face and
began laughing — just before telling him he had
better leave the house before he gets knocked
unconscious. Frank Miles never succeeded in
catching the Spirit; and if anything, only made
matters worse for both Elizabeth and him when he
mouthed off.
After arriving at the Bell home one evening, Miles
called out to Elizabeth, “Come, sit by me, lil’ sis; I’ve
come to give ya’ a good rest; nuthin’ will bother ya’
while I’m here.” The Spirit’s loud and angry voice
was then heard all over the house, “You go home;
you can do no good here!” Instantly, the Spirit
grabbed Elizabeth’s hair and pulled her to the floor,
pinching her cheeks until they bled.
In a fiery rage, Miles jumped up and began pacing
the room as he cursed the Spirit and demanding that
it assume a shape so he could “choke the life” out of
it. The Spirit fired back screaming, “You have no
business here; leave Betsy alone and mind your own
affairs before I put you away for good.” “You’re the
biggest wuss ever; to visit this earth and torture
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