The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-30
rzsours. DIED CAME
A Bs.dics Es.spsr,ity and ouiet Nerve .
Meeting Death.

Cotton. Cal. April pa party OF rapchmen
sat about the office OF the International Hotel
the other evening. waiting for the Southern
Pacific train to Los Angeles The train was
belated four hours by a washout on the Colo
RADIO desert. forty miles below here. and the
ranchmen had plenty OF time to tell stories 40
they smoked their pipes and cigars. A ma
jority Of them had been on the plains In the
West for over twenty years. and SOM had
come overland in the days OF OK teams and
bufraloes. Louis Phillips. who owns almost
as much property in Los Angeles county az
Lucky" Baldwin. and who is famous through.
out southern California for his wealth and
plain. common mode Of life. told the most In.
teresting "reminiscences OF the evening.
Il have seen at different times in my thirty
years Of life in California. Arizona. and New
Mexico over forty men hanged and shot for all
manner Of crimes. I have taken part In the
execution Of about twenty OF the must ruth
less bandits we ever Ind on the coast. and I
have seen several men dropped In the same
room with mo by ar assassin and outlaw. but
the most remarkable villain. and the least
moved man that ever saw or heard OF In the
presence OF death. was Tiburcio vasauez.
"Fasquez was a Mexican OF good family.
but he was rs bloody and bold q brigand 40
was ever pursued IN Arizona. His field OF
operations for ten or fifteen years was all the
way from Tucson to Stockton. Cal. The Vas
ouez bnnd was known all over the coast in
1858 and 1870. Part OF his gang was lynched
at hGnix In 1871. and two OF tho bandits
then confessed that they had taken the lives
OF over eighty men and boys on the coast and
along the Rio Grande in the course Of i've or
six years. They did not know how many
other men had been slaughtered by vasque1
and his fellows before they know the chief
bandit. At last Vasquez was caught and held
80 securely that he could not escape
trial and sentence OF death. It was in 1875
that he was confined IN the jail ut San Jos6.
and as I knew Sheriff Adams we'll I went to
see NasQuez OF whom many u time I had been
in terror. AS ]. In the company Of several
ranchmen. went into the jail corridor. Vas.
Quez was let out Of his cell to meet uA. He
was II dnppet little fellow. with bright. laugh
ing eyes. and We could not believe for a time
that he was really the famous bandit. He had
Just been writing his last letter. and came
forth nodding pleasantly to his visitors. Each
OF us handed him a cigar. L thank you. gem
tlemen.' he said. but / am afraid that l won't
have time to smoke oil those
He was SO polite that he would not be
seated until all OF us had chairs, He g~osslped
about the latest news from San Francisco.
about the political troubles In Mexico and
Central America. and was the most cheerful
man on the premises. Hc told me that he had
heard OF me many times. and said he believed
he once had got hold Of a horse with my brand
upon him. and that It was a fine animal
As he stood there. one hand on the arm Of
his chair. the newspaper In the other. and
showing a courteous interest In the efforts of
the busting deputy to find seats for his
guests. he was far from formidable in appear.
ancc. He was now but n short. broad-shoul-
dered. dark-skinned. plcasant-facei Mexican.
with nothing whatever about him forbidding.
his manner was engaging. The fellow
a gentleman. He showed it not only In
his politeness. but In the cool courage with
which he faced his dreadful end.
-" would rather talk about something else,
1t is agreeable to you. gentlemen he said
to a reporter who had Joined us. and began
business at once by asking vasquez about his
20 choice. $sse,FF And he shrugged his sh %%Ho
'c!eW Ra,y asked the reporter: ..,
,nswsred,, lighting GG' Q Gig cigar mug" :Wh ms'i I never ee
filled anybody myself permitted M men to
;oins to hanpen;w VIII sInes canhot help mSsslt
mem 81. II ask you to ak lII about S"ips som nett nsa else
han myselt I am glad to see you: / like COM
He l pss xe 5aes is is Ph'is s raa. e chair with an
sh9 wished to while away dragging hours. Is
Vas strong and firm. He. was in the
of NE and in perfect health: His
'iis'u%y y!si taa'' It sAu wonld have %of eiSen him na
' hat cS Ssasse would III have r. sn Sssn sake o. an ssee aed
ma hsn ascan for Il iba AZ ;I It YES bI he w smiled %,G cHfrd Italy
'osure. Ills polit.ness was @i' ine1hausti PM
Tho editor Of one Of the local newspapers came
n. greeting him with q boisterous hiiarity,
.srior intimacy with a, celebrated character.
.os e his poc ssees ansa. 'S Win E the so tsm % eis Paper sper
'ose you want to hear wnat;,I said about you
old columns about hfs crimes. the prepara-
Ions lon - fCT r. the hanging and a minute deserip-
rlminais who had stepped upon II. Vasauea
'ore 1t in silence. without q vince or 2 frown.
o tsssF' int Ads ths n si,saos w naa t Inn! M'H TSs1
whispered together. and the sheriff seemed
o be- trying to dissuade his charge from some
nicer, retired with a deprscatory showing Of
Is palms Soon there was a tramping Of, feet
nd followed. BY a coated undertakes
he, coffin, a fine one. studded with Silver:
,eaded nails. was placed on the ~trestles. and
nsp ssissnd t e Mfits II IIvs ,Sst i:t s!seped AZ " NM ND
quatted and ran his hand along the side.
Its too short he said; with surprise,
."o sho ~ s'o oVoe AAo Wu' dbsutoo
I'm that it was all right: that It should be
near the top, not near the bottom.
hen. pleased at the quality OF the coffin which
lad been provided by his friends. he put his
and inside. felt the padding. pressed tho lit
10 pillow. and. with an upward hirt OF his.
icSr, observed: Well. I shall sleep there very
On the next morning vnsquez walked out
nto the sunlit Jail yard. climbed the steps OF
ie scaflold. gazed indlfferently at the gaping
hob OF men below. threw a wistful glance be-
old the walls at the blue hills. over which he
"a ridden on many a, tray with his cut
hroats. and then gave all his attention to the
hastily business OF the moment. They sought
? nnbutton hts coat and collar; He waved
hem aside politely and did 1t himself. He
SISTED the hanGmsn ia adjusting the straps
MI rope. glanced down to. see that his feet
precisely, on the crack. kissed the cruel
x held out to him by the priest. and bore him
elf with patience aud dignity while they
rev over him a white shroud and placed on
~ am ready he said. serenely. closing his
yes. and that was the last OF Vasquez"