Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-12
THEY WERE VERY GALLANT MEN.
Sheriff Rowland and Posses
Capture Of yasquez.
officers Who Combined Brains With
Bravery and Succeeded.
The Plan Brave Sheriff Rowland Evolved
for the Bandits Capture-How 1t
Was successfully Car
ried Out.

The diff Guilty that the detectives,
deputy sheriffs and special officers are
meeting with in attempting to capture
the Coils train robbers, brings to mind
some of the experiences that California
has met with in the past in the way of
bandits, as well as the methods adopted
to capture them. While the robbers
themselves have moved along and kept
pace with the times. as far as the means
which they adopt to carry out their
ends are concerned, the same cannot
be said of the numerous officers and de-
tectives who are now endeavoring to run
down Sontag and Evans. They are GER
tainly somewhat slow. The methods
which Detective Smith and his confreres
used when they had the two despera-
does cornered at Visalia, form a sorry
contrast with the clever tactics adopted
by ex-Sheriff William r. Rowland, of
Los Angeles county, when he captured
that king of California bandits, Vasquez,
many years ago.
Joaquin Murietta, in the days OF the
argonauts, was rated as the most skill
full, the most daring, and in fact the
foremost knight of the road of his time.
He stopped at nothing during the time
he held sway. For long time he de-
fed capture. Many man met his mas
ter in an endeavor to bring Murietta's
career to close. Finally, though, it
was claimed that this effort met with
success. 1t was asserted that Murietta
was killed, and, as proof of the asser-
, tion, his bloody head was produced.
There are those, however, who claimed
that Murietta never was killed, although
nothing substantial upon which to sus-
tain the allegation was ever presented.
Anyway, Murietta never turned up
again, after it was claimed that he had
been killed, and the advocates of the
theory that he was not made way with,
asserted that he had fed to Sonora.
Mexico, where be lived in peace.
In the latter days, though--that is to
say, down in the 70s-the most famous
California brigand was Vasquez. This
remarkable CT aracter was captured in
Los Angeles county, by a good Demo-
cratic sheriff, with the aid of some
equally as efficient Democratic deputies.
Vasquez, after career in the north,
fed to the southern part of the state. He
was tracked to Los Angeles county, and
was at the time sheriff Of the county, to
evolve plan for his capture. Vasquez
was bold, daring and wary fellow. He
knew that if he was taken, his life would
paw the forfeit. He realized that it was
battle to the death with him, and that
once he was taken he would surely dan
gle from a gallows tree. He had deter
mined never to surrender. Therefore to
"a, 49, focE n
which great risk attached for all partie s
engaging in the hunt. Nevertheless it
was done, and without the sacrifice of
human life.
Sheriff Rowland succeeded in locating
Vasquez at the house of Greek George.
on the road that leads to Cahuenga pass.
Now, having secured this information
the sheriff put himself to the work of
concerting plan whereby the desperate
man could be forced to surrender, and
his capture be accomplished without un-
necessarily sacrificing the life of anyone.
1t was known that Vasquez was ever
vigilant in keeping watch upon all
roads leading to or passing his rendez-
vous. He was always armed. and his
weapons were ever ready for instantane-
GUS use. The scheme was to surprise
him, surround him, take him unawares,
and capture him.
One day ranchero drove out on the
road leading to Cahuenga pass. He was
perched on the seat of large wagon
He appeared to be happy and contented,
and apparently was the only human
being anywhere near the big vehicle.
AS matter of fact though he was not.
In the body of the wagon were con-
cealed from view Sheriff Rowland, AL
bert Johnson, Gen. John M. Baldwin,
Capt. Emil Harris, newspaper man
named Beers, and others. They were
after Vasquez, and now observe the
contrast in the methods they adopted
to accomplish their end and the manner
in which Detective Smith and the Tu-
lare county deputy sheriff used to get
Sontag and Evans.
1t was afterwards ascertained that
Vasquez accommodated the apparently
lone ranchero, but as he appeared to be
perfectly harmless. and no one else be-
ing in sight, he was thrown off his
guard, became careless and threw aside
his arms. Here was the opportunity
the deputies hid in the bed OF the
ranchero's wagon were waiting for.
They Immediately took advantage of it.
| The house was surrounded, and Deputy
Emil Harris, without hesitation, walked
| into the house, and called on Vaequez
| to surrender. The bandit attempted to
kill Harris, but the latterwas the better
man of the two, and wounded the great
robber, and he was captured and
| brought to this city.
What sad contrast this is with the
stupidity manifested by the latter day
officers who have had the Coils case In
hand. The question has been asked:
rWhat has become of the men who
captured Vasquez, men who in the old
DAYS were not afraid OF man or devil?n
The reply is that there are plenty of
such men right here in Los Angeles, in
cluding the capturers Of Vasquez them
selves.