When that town was looted during the revolution in 1899, Marco's father was among some looters who had stolen what they thought was a chest of coins or jewelry but when it was accidentally dropped in the river it became so heavy that they realized that it was full of papers, which were apparently the Pavón manuscripts.
Noong dinambong ang bayan sa himagsikan ng 1899, ang ama ni Marco ay isa sa mga mandarambong na nagnakaw ng isang baul na sa akala nila ay puno ng salapi o alahas. Ngunit nang mahulog ito sa ilog, bumigat ito at natanto nilang mga papeles lamang pala ang laman. Ito raw ang mga kasulatan ni Pavón.