Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1882-03-10
A NOTED CHARACTER.
AlessandrO Rsppstto Said to be Dsad-A Curl
GUS Chapter in Ills History.

GUS Ohapter in His History.
A rumor was pretty we'll circu
lated over Los Angeles yesterda.
that Alessandro Reppetto,
wealthy italian sheep man. hat
died Wednesday night, at his hom
on the hills above the Laguns
about elk miles from the Cour
House. The news was brought {,
this city by some of his neighbors
though by whom we could no
learn. Knowing that the Messrs
Vignolo and Rivara were intimat,
friends of Mr.. Reppetto a reporter
of the HERALD sought those gen
tlemen out and found them at tht
Esperanza store. They, also, hat
heard the rumor, but had been un.
able to verify 1t. They intend tC
drive out to his place to-day and
satisfy themselves beyond perad.
venture as to whether their friend
is dead or alive. Coroner Nadeau,
also, had heard nothing of the old
gentleman's death, but as there Il
no suggestion of violence or foul
play in the case this proves moth
ing.
Alessandro Reppetto was absui
fifty-six years of age. Mr.. Vignolo
fret met him in Sacramento, in
1858. He came to Los Angeles in
1858, with about a thousand or
twelve hundred dollars, and started
In the sheep bushes on the place
on which he lived at the time OF
his death. He soon bought the
range from its then owner, Mr.. @.
w. Childs, paying therefor the
sum of So, 500. 1t comprised exact.
ly five thousand acres and the de.
ceased made a large fortune from
1t in the sheep industry.
THE WAY PROPERTY HAS EN-.
HANGED
In value in Los Angeles county
could not oe better shown than by
the statement Of the fact that, last
Spring, Mr.. Reppetto told Mr..
Vignolo that he had refused an
offer Of $4,000 for this league of
land which originally cost $500.
He said, at the same time, that be
would accept nothing less than
500. 900 for it, and that he did not
believe he would even take that
sum.
Mr.. Reppetto, some years ago,
was man of tremendous avoirdu.
pois, weighing three hundred and
thirty-five pounds, and of great
physical strength as well. OF late,
either from illness or from his de-
votion to the Banting system, he
had reduced himself to 275. Only
short time ago he paid the HER
AID office visit and made
US a chart of the weather
during the twenty-four years
Of his residence in this county,
indicating the character of the sea.
SONS in rude but perfectly salts.
factory way. He was a man of
many eccentricitles. When Tenn
pie q Workman's kank failed, Mr..
Reppetto had $4,000 on deposit
there, every cent of which he lost.
He would never thereafter put a
cent In bank and Is credited with
having since kept his money with
q leading Los Angeles merca ntile
firm. Both the Messrs. Vignolo
and Rivara were emphatic in the
expression of the opinion that Mr..
Reppetto must have died possessed
OF at least one hundred thousand
dollars In money, to say nothing OF
his ranch and other effects. Mr..
Vign0lo was inclined to think that
he must have been worth fully
three hundred thousand dollars.
He was bachelor but, we are in.
formed, leaves brother and sister
in Italy, and son born out of
wedlock, also named Alessandro
ReppettO, and whom he acknowl.
edged, and whom he was educat.
ing. 1t lie, of course, very impor-
tant to know whether he left
will as, if he did not, the son
would experience considerable diff
ficulty in having his rights Of in
heritance recognized.
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO,
And just about this time OF the
year, Mr.. Rsppetto was one of the
actors in a highly sensational incl
dent which was ventilated very
freely in the press Of California.
That was the time in which the
famous brigand Vasquez was in
the heyday of his career. Mr.. Rep
petto's residence was on a little
hill which looks down on the
Laguna and commands splendid
view of all avenues of approach.
While the old gentleman was TAX
ing his ease in what Lord Chatham
would call his castle, Vssquez and
elk followers swooped down upon
him, covered him with their
Henry rifles and proceeded to bind
him securely with bale ropes.
After giving him pretty severe
deal, to find out whether he had
any money hidden about the prem
ises, they forced the confession
from him that he had money on
deposit in Temple & Workman's
Bank. Commanded to write u
check for $1,000, lie stoutly pro-
tested that he had only $500 on de.
posit there. One of his arms was
unbound and he was forced to
write check for that amount.
Alessandro Reppetto Jr, was.
mounted and sent off to get the
check cashed, with the most ex-
plicit declaration from the
Drigands that, ii ne failed to come
back with the money, or IL Sher-
lff's posse instead of the cash, were
put under way towards the Rep
petto domioiIe, the old mans