Amador ledger., 1904-12-30
One of the Highwaymen Captured.

Sheriff Norman on Saturday evening
brought from San Francisco Vincent
Paleti, one of the three .::;n wanted for
the hold-up of Vincenzo Moropito, near
the east shaft of the Kennedy mine on
December 2. 1t will be remembe bered
that Moropito came to Jackson few
days before the robbery, bringing with
him an Italian named Mateo Vatasso,
whom he had met in Sacramento, with
the other two concerned in the robbery
MOropito was known to have money,
as he was seen to draw the 5000 from
the bank, and the conspiracy was con-
cocted by the trio to capture this
treasure. Vatasso came on as the ad-
vance agent in the scheme, and the
other two followed the day before the
robbery occurred. Oh the I'd of De-
cember the four set out from Jackson
on the plea of looking for work in the
mines. About dusk Moropita was en-
ticed to suitable spot between the
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lieved of all his money, amounting. to
$3.50 and a nickel watch. They gener-
ously left him 20 cents and bound his
| hands and feet and left him on the trail,
to be cut loose by the first passenger
The three men having accomplished
their purpose made their escape. They
| III ut No fo1l So
station and in the neighborhood of
Mount Echo. They separated soon
after the crime, the short man Vatasso
taking one direction, and his con-
federates, Paleti and Casavelo another.
Paleti was run down in peculiar
manner. 1t seems he and Casavelo
made their way to San Francisco, by
way of ckton, and arrived at the
bay about December Z, five days after
the holdup. They secured lodgings
on Pacific street. In the meantime de-
scriptive circulars had been sent out
broadcast from the sheriff's Office in
Jackson, describing the three men and
Offering reward ofs25for their capture
Last week the authorities arrested a
man in San Francisco on charge of
carrying concealed weapon. Paleti
was with him, and the officers took
him into custody on suspicion of being
concerned in the murder of policeman
G. w. Brown of Oakland. He gave
| h ic 1o+i -l = l.; al
officers to look up the circular sent out
by Sheriff Norman, only to find that
the description, as we'll as the name,
tailed with the prisoner.
The sheriff started for the city Fri
day morning, taking with him one who
had known Paleti here, and who was
able to identify him. He at once recog-
nized the captive as one of the men
wanted. Paleti was thereupon turned
over to Sheriff Norman, who brought
him to Jackson and landed him in jail
Saturday night-just in time to greet
Santa Claus from prison cell,
Paleti had only 30 cents, left when ar
rested. He had logged himself out in
Stockton with new suit of clothes,
new hat, etc. A new valise was also
in his possession, and in this was found
the old clothes he had on when the
robbery was committed.
On Sunday Paleti was confronted
with his victim, Moropito in the county
jail. The latter at once identified the
prisoner as one of the robbers, and in
excited tones accused him of taking his
money. Paleti denied that he had ever
seen him before; that seemed the only
defense left for him.
1t is believed that Casavelo is still
around San Francisco, and strong
hopes are entertained of landing him
with his pal Paleti before long.
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