Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-05-16

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After some further conversation he
expressed q willingness to go over the
history of his life up to the date of his
capture. He understands English
very we'll, but speaks it imperfectly,
and the greater portion of the APP
pended statement was obtained
through Sheriff Rowland as inter-
prefer. Vasquez lay upon cot in
one of the front rooms of the Jail, and
turning his face toward his questioner,
he answered every question in a
prompt, unhesitating and apparently
truthful manner. The following con-
versation took place between the editor
and Vasquez:
Editor-What you shall say to me
will be telegraphed to the Associated
Press and published in the San Fran
cisco papers and those in the East.
You will not say anything that you 40
not wish published, or that may in
jure you on your trial.
Vdsgue=-I have nothing to conceal,
and will make a straightforward,
truthful statement.
@. Commence, then, with your boy
hood days, and tell me what you rec
Ollect up to the first fight or difficulty
in which you engaged.
A. l was born in Monterey county,
in this State, in the year 1887. l am
now thirty-seven years of age. The
first years of my life were spent in the
county of my birth, in the usual man
ner of the young of my life and class.
My first difficulty occurred in Monterey
in II ball room, when | was fifteen
years of age. / was engaged in a
tight, but no blood was shed.
@. After the fight what did you do?
A. | went to work, but the officers
came to arrest me; l resisted; fight
ensued, and 1 escaped. No one was
killed.
@. Have you ever taken a human
life?
A. No, sir; l have tied up and rob-
bed many men, but | have never shed
blood.
@. After your escape from the off
GERS in Monterey where did you go?
a. l took q few cattle and went into
the hills lear Ukiah, Mendocino
county. The officers soon learned
where was, and again attempted to
arrest me; but after another fight, in
which no one was killed, l escaped.
q. What time interviewed between
your fight in the ball room in Monte
rey county and the last attempt to
arrest you in Mendocino county?
A. Not more than seven or eight
months.
@. Where did you go after leaving
Mendocino county?
a. l went to my mother in Mon
terey county and asked her blessing,
and told her l was going out into the
world to suffer and take my chances.
@. What do you mean by "suffer
and take chances?"
A. That | should live off of the
world, and perhaps suffer at its hands.
@. Is it true that you were driven
to outlawry through injuries inflicted
by white men?
A. TO certain extent, yes. When
/ lived in Monterey county l kept a
dance house and sold liquor The
Americans used to come in and beat
and abuse me and maltrcat my
women.
q. Is the story true that your wife
was taken away from you and de-
bauched by white man, and were
some Of your relatives killed by Amer
leans?
A. | was never married in my life.
q. Do you think woman had
anything to do with your capture, or
in placing the officers on your track?
A. Laughing. No; Inever trusted
one with information that could harm
me.
@. You say you have never killed
anyone?
A. No; I have always avoided
blOodshed and always urged my peo-
pie not to kill or hurt those they
robbed.
@. In what part of the State have
you committed your robberies, or the
most of them?
A. In Santa Clara, Monterey, Fres-
no and Los Angeles counties. 1 have
committed many robberies in those
counties, but do not wish to name
them or give details. / robbed Fire
baugh's Ferry last November, and it
was | and my party who robbed the
bank in Fresno and created the terrible
commotiOn there some months ago.
Q. Were you posted on the move
ments of Morse and party?
A. Yes; | knew every movement
Morse made. i have been around his
camp night after night, but have
never been near enough to Morse to
recognize him, and should not know
him if | met him on the road. do
not know Sheriff Cunningham of San
Joaquin county. l know Sheriff
Adams of Santa Clara county. He is
a brave man. | could have killed him
several times. | never had Morse il a
sure place.
@. Did you ever have Sheriff Row.
land where you could have killed him?
A. Yes; several times. He has
The pursuit after the Rappetto robbery
was very close. Rowland passed
within ten yards of me as lay in the
brush after abandoning my horses in
Tejunga Canon. 1 had by my side
two Henry rifles and two revolvers.
so. Now give me your version of the
Tres Pinos murder.
A. l will tell you the truth, and in
order that you may hereafter know
that what say is true, L will give you
the names of my party. If these men
are captured they will substantiate
what say. At Tres Pinos my party
consisted Of five men, all told. Adon
Lebia acted as my Lieutenant, and
when l sent out a party he went as
chief. remained some distance away
from Tres Pinos and sent Lebia with
two men into the place, with instruc-
lions to drink and smoke, but to draw
no weapons nor do no violence until l
arrived. Chavis remained with me.
We soon followed the advance guard,
and when we reached Tres Pinos We
found the men tied and the murders
already committed. l scolded the men
G. l;nala..;,.o. ,,,,r 1.rlorc mud Id