The misapprehension that Richard Relhan or Dr. John Wilson was “Captain Thunderbolt” was one type of lore spawned by Michael Martin’s confession. Mistrust of “foreigners” and small-town parochialism had much to do those accusations, but there was also a strange pride that townspeople could take in claiming that a famous outlaw lived among them. Martin, like other outlaws, generated legends involving remote hideouts, treasure troves, and hauntings–as well as robberies in which he had no involvement. The articles (blog posts) listed below explore some of this mythology:
A Desperato Teaches Unruly Boys
Mike Martin Haunts the Cambridge Police
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot 