Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-04-27
CALIFORNIA BRIGANDS.
Vasquez and His Gang.

Vasquez and His Gang.
The daring deeds of the bandit Thur
clio Vasauez in California, and the ac
completes he has had in the commission
of them, are thus sketched in the San
Francisco Bulletin: He has roamed
through the southern counties of the
State, gathering all the outcasts to-
gether under his command, and plan
ming and plotting the execution of raids
upon travellers, ranches and towns. He
has defed the authorities and baffied
every attempt at capture. The story OF
his repeated triumphs over law and
order has impressed many of his adven-
turous countrymen With the idea that he
is a chosen leader in rascality, and
ought to be assisted with kindly encour
agement in word and deed. The fellow
has actually recruited his gang on sew
eral occasions with young Californians,
whom he enticed by the narration of his
triumphs and the practice of the seduc-
tive arts in which he seems to abound.
Several members of his gang are boys,
who bore fair regulations tor honesty
prior to uniting their fortunes with the
outlaws. Others are young men who
never were promoted TO the grand
larceny grade until Vasquez admitted
them to his advanced class of rogues.
Three ex.members of the Vasquez gang
are at present drawing their rations at
the State prison. Capt. James Towle,
the executive officer Of the prison, acting
as warden in the absence OF Lieutenant
Governor Pacheco, called the attention
of the writer to this fact on the occasion
of a recent visit to the institution, and
allowed the prisoners to be interviewed
in the presence of officers. Teodoro
Moreno, the Oldest of the trio, had
nothing of interest to communicate,
seemingly labering under the impress
sion that he could not improve his stu
alton by relating his experience or that
of his leader. Moreno was convicted OF
murder in the second degree at Monte
rev, and sentenced to Imprisonment for
life. He is about thirty years of sge.
The next convict summoned was lgnacio
Ronkel. He is a tall and compact
Young man of about twenty-five years
of age, though he gave his age at twenty
two wears. Ronkel held a position in
the prison from 1866 to 1869, on account
of his inability to prove legal claim to
certain horses found in his possession.
He participated in the Vasquez raid on
the California ranch, in Fresno county,
and during one of the melees incidental
to the suppression of the people about
the hamlet had the palm of his hand
sliced open with a cheese knife. The
wound is still fresh and in bandage, and
looked as though it might be very pain
full. Ronkel hazards the opinion that
Vasquez will never allow himself to be
captured alive, and is prodigal in his
praise of the bandits Accomplishments.
Ronkel entered the prison on the 18th of
February for period of ten years. The
youngest and brightest of the trio is
Procello Anamantoria, of Fresno, who
is only seventeen years of age. Ana
mantoria is handsome in form, and
has a face feminine in its delicacy.
His dark eyes are large and lustrous,
and fringed with long lashes, and there
is manifest sadness in his presence. The
appearance of the youth naturally
awakens sympathy among those who are
acquainted with the fact that he has
fought under Vasquez, and deserves the
punishment meted out for an infraction
of the law. Anamantoria has soft and
pleasing voice, and tells the story Of his
wrongs with naivete that would be ire
sistble were it not that he brings his as
sumed innocence into very prominent
position in closing his conversation.
He entered the State prison from Fresno
county on the 9th inst. for six years.
The youth admits that he rode on the
highway with Vasquez, and says that
the bandit ensnared him with false
promises and rosy pictures of glory.
Vasquez is an old convict, and has a
notable prison record He entered the
State prison on the 26th of August, 1857,
from Los Angeles county, having been
convicted Of grand larceny and SEN
fenced to Imprisonment for a term Of
five years. The bandit was then only
nineteen years old. BE escaped June
Is, 1859, and the following August was
apprehended in Amador county on a
charge of grand larceny. He was con-
victed and returned to the prison to
serve term Of one year. The fact of
his previous escape does not seem to
have been taken into consideration by
the Amador Court. The term of his
Imprisonment began January Is, 1867,
when he was sent from Sonoma county
for grand larceny, and held TOR period
of four years. Since serving his last
term Vasquez has been constantly en-
gagged in robbing and numbering people
In the southern counties. He is still at
large"