The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-20
A Tale of the Early California Days
When Bandits Ruled the
Land.
Some Of the Deeds of the Notorious
Vesquez, Who Killed Many
Men.
At Els Death tho Mexicans Said His Soul
Entered His Horse. and 1t Terror
lied the Country.

from San Francisco 10 SaH Jose IutuDloS
around a sharp curve just outside OF ths
city of San Jose. awhile horse sprang OF
the track and raced down toward the towr
in front of the engine, says the Examiner
For a mile the train did not gain on him
Then the UNEQUAL footing of the cross-ties
and the pace began to toll on the white
steed, and the engine crept slowly up to
him. The engineer gave q few shrleks OF
the whistle to scare the horse from the
track. but he kept right on in front, run
ming with she speed Of a racer with his
long tail streaming in a straight line be-
hind him.
The pilot struck him, ground the life out
of him in an instant and then plowsd into
the dirt on the opposite side of the track.
The engineer swore a few choice oaths and
jumped out of the cab. The horse was as
dead az a door nail and the engine had left
the rails.
II was Vasouez's horse. The whole coun-
try knew it the next day. He was twenty
years old and totally blind when he met his
death in front of the freight train, and for
ton years had roamed over the unoccupied
land about the lower part of Santa Clara
county, free as a bird and feared by the
Mexicans more than q lion. He was called
bv them the"White Devil" and it was their
belief that he was possessed of a soul mort
gagged to the evil one-the soul of Vasquez.
It is a strange tale that the old Mexican
mothers tell of this white horse.
Vasauez was the most noted bandit of
California twenty years ago. He bid def
ance to the law, eluded the detectives aud
searching parties for years and killed and
robbed half a hundred men. He roamed
over the state of California from the north
to the south, leaving desolation and death
in his wake. He SUR unded himself with q
band of desperate Mexlcans ana terforlzeu
entire communities.
One day the stage was rafting down the
road from one of the mines. The
Wells Fargo box was heavy with bullion
and half n dozen armed guards sat in the
coach. The driver sat ON the box with a
Winchester between his knees and chatted
with another guard who sat beside him bal
ancing a shotgun across his lap. They
Were talking of Vasguez. "Ihey say he
alters rides q white boss and dresses like q
dandy said the driver. "Wlsh't he'd
jump ther gun-site stage onc't when the
boys is aboard"
Two horsemen, dressed in the tinseled
MexicBn cavalier costume, rounded a turn
in the road Just in front of the stage n
came riding toward il. One Of them be-
strobe a white horse. They cantered up.
The man on the white horse went to the
right and his companion TO the left of the
stage. Suddenly they refined up.
pardon. senior; will the senior give me a
light for me cigarette?"
The driver good-naturedlv pulled up and
leaned over from his seat, with the big
cigar which he raj smoking extended be-
tween his fingers. He was met with a snap
-I.-A -~s<t ~ h Hroy, AVID ALL
headlong into the dust. AT the same in
slant the guard lurched and fell forward
under the horses with a ball in his fore
head. A dozen men sprang from the under
brush beside the road and showed the muz-
zles of their rifles through the stage door
on either side.
On a dreamy August day in Southern Cal
ifornia the mayor OF Los Angeles and a
fellow official were driving along the old
road through the Arroyo Seco toward the
town. Over the brow of a hill half a mile
in front of them a group of horsemen APP
peared at a gallop. They swept down
the hill and met the buggy of the
mayo. The gallopinr horses were yanked
back upon their launches, and a swafthy
Mexican Upon a white horse showed a pistol
in the mayors face, and said, with q show
OF his teeth in a smile, Your money
senor."
Tbs mayor thought it was q joke, and
AdkeACI.
Quick, quick!' said the horseman, as
his weapon clicked. II am VaseueZ."
The mayor laughed again.
"Ee. you don't belief me, senor look"
He pointed back to the hill and there ap-
peared another group of horsemen riding at
full tilt from the town.
Quick" said Vasquez. 81 am no fool"
The mayor looked down the pistol barrel
at the pair of black, elittering eyes that
lined the sights, and put up his hands. He
was lightened of his channels bag of gold, as
was his friend, and the bold robbers
wheeled and were off at a run. the posse
from the town riding up five minutes too
late to catch them Or to save the mayors
coin. The band escaped into the chaparral.
Vasuuez made history in this wav for five
years. and then was caught like a rat in a
trap in an adobe house near the scene of the
robbery.o of the mayor, and was shot down
by a newspaper correspondent detailed to
accompany the search party. He survived
his wounds, was taken to San Jose, where
one of his earliest and most atrocious MUIR
ders had been committed, and there met
his death on the scatfold.
The night after Vasques was hanged a
white horse ealloped up the street to the
Jail, stood a moment at the door and gave q
neigh. The Mexicans heard in it a call to