Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-30

city, was driving the northbound stage
over the mountain station. The late
Sheriff Mitchell was one of the passen-
gers.
The stage was halted by two road
agents, who contented themselves
with taking the wells-Fargo box.
When they arrived at the next station
the driver said he knew short cut
on which the robbers could be inter-
cepted, after they had rihed the box
on their way south, and called for vol
unteers. To his surprise, no one was
willing to go. Nothing daunted, he
took double-barreled shotgun and
announced that he would do the job
himself He started off on his short
cut, and approaching cautiously, he
found the thieves had carried the box
some distance off from the road. They
had stacked their rifles and were
busily engaged over their plunder. He
covered them and ordered Hands up!"
. command which was promptly
obeyed. He marched up to where their
rifles were stacked, took the two
pieces. and ordering his captives to
refill and carry the box, marched them
back to the station in triumph. 1 think
this will be accepted as about the
ceverest and bravest act ever. The
last time l saw this modest hero
he was an inmate of the Soldiers Home
at Sawtelle.
Vasquez, the Highwayman
Thirty years or so ago Tiburcio Vas
quez was the great highwayman of
Southern California. He and his gang
operated from San Jose to Los Angeles.
His depredations were continued for
years and many time he operated
almost in the city limits. There was
no telling when he would appear or
where.
Charley Miles had gone on a fishing
excursion up the San Gabriel river,
and on his return, within a few miles
of Los Angeles, he was stopped by
Vasquez and relieved of his watch and
ready money. This watch was found
on Vasquez when he was carried into
the Los Angeles county Jail and was
restored to the owner.
Repetto, who owned extensive lands
and focks of sheep south of the La
guna and near the Whittier hills, and
who was supposed to be enormously
rich, was one of the victims of the des-
perado. He was surprised by Vasquez
and his gang one day in his cabin on
the hill, compelled to write a check for
$10,000 gagged and bound and left in a
half strangled condition to suffer for
hours, until released by the accidental
arrival of sheepherder. Vasquez
Gid not profit by this outrage. how
ever. The Farmers and Merchants
bank on which the check was drawn,
did not possess any money of Re-
petto's and Vasquez' confederate had
his labor for his pains. The fact was
that Repetto transacted all his bust
ness affairs with Harris Newmark
who was his real banker. The old fell
low died some twenty years after his
adventure with Vasquez, leaving an
estate worth 100000 or 100000, after
having lived life of great squalor,
his wealth going to relatives in Italy
who neither knew him nor cared for
him. Vasquez would have been ex-
cused by the people of Los Angeles if
he could have got a COB of Repetto's
boards. 1t would have Mortified the
old sheepherder II he could have
known that, in the settlement of his
estate, the late Senator White received
a fee of 300 acres of his goodly lands.
Vasquez, during his blazing career of
robbery and murder. figured in all por-
tions of the state from Mendocino to
Los Angeles. He was a criminal from
his fifteenth year. With the exception
of six years spent in the penitentiary,
from 1850 to 1875, when he was hanged
at San Jose for murders committed at
Tres Pinos, he was always ready to
break the laws of God and man. His
notable crimes were those committed
at Tres Pinos and Firebaugh's Ferry.
But he was always unwearied in wrong
doing How he managed to escape
punishment for his misdeeds so long
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