Missouri had Jesse James. New Mexico had Billy the Kid. And California in the 1870’s had its own Wild West outlaw. Tiburcio Vasquez was regarded by many as a dangerous thief and murderer, but many others idolized him and considered him a modern day Robin Hood. The many faces of California’s outlaw will be discussed in a new book to be published this fall called “Bandido. The Life and Times of Tiburcio Vasquez”. Author John Boessenecker will discuss his new book and the life of Vasquez before the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society at 2pm on Saturday, November 6, 2010. The talk and a book signing will be held at the Saugus Train Station at Heritage Junction within William S. Hart Park, a unit of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation System, 24101 Newhall Avenue (formerly San Fernando Road), in Newhall, California.
Tiburcio Vasquez was born to a well-to-do family in Monterey, California in 1835. As a teenager he was to witness the massive influx of Americans into California during the Gold Rush. Vasquez, along with many native Hispanic Californios, came to resent the American invasion as California was welcomed as part of the United States in 1850. After being accused of killing a lawman at a fandango in the late 1850’s, Vasquez began his life long occupation as an outlaw. He would later state that his ultimate goal was to take back California for the Mexicans.
After spending much of the 1860’s in and out of San Quentin Prison for various offenses, Vasquez cemented his place in history when he led his outlaw gang on a raid of the town of Tres Pinos near Hollister, California. Three citizens of the town were killed that day. Vasquez would later be held accountable for the death of Leander Davidson. After the sacking of Tres Pinos, the Vasquez Gang headed for the mountains of Southern California near Lake Elizabeth. There Vasquez was caught romancing the wife of one of his gang members Abdon Leiva. Leiva turned himself in to authorities at Lyon’s Station in the Santa Clarita Valley and would later testify against Vasquez.
Vasquez and his gang proceeded to stage renowned robberies in Kingston, Coyote Holes, and lastly at the Repetto Ranch in what is now Monterey Park. There Vasquez forced a boy to go to downtown Los Angeles to cash a check for the robbers. The boy notified authorities who rode out to the ranch. Vasquez was chased through the Arroyo Seco near present day Pasadena, then over the San Gabriel Mountains in to the Santa Clarita Valley. He eventually ended up at the home of his friend Greek George Caralambas on the Rancho La Brea (now West Hollywood). Los Angeles Sheriff William Rowland was notified of the outlaw’s whereabouts, and sent out a posse which captured him while romancing yet another woman at Greek George’s abode on May 14, 1874. He was taken to jail in Los Angeles where he spent several days receiving celebrity treatment and visits by numerous women.
Eventually Vasquez was transported up to San Jose, California where he was placed on trial in January, 1875 and received the death sentence for his part in the killings at Tres Pinos. He was hanged from a scaffold in San Jose on March 19, 1875. His last word was purportedly “pronto”. Vasquez has the distinction as being the only renowned convicted criminal in California history to have a state park and school using his name. Vasquez Rocks near Agua Dulce was a possible hideout for the Vasquez gang in between robberies. Vasquez High School in Acton, while actually named for Vasquez Rocks, bears the name of the outlaw as well.
A San Francisco attorney, John Boessenecker has a B.A. degree in history from San Francisco State University and a J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Since 1969 he has published numerous magazine articles on crime and lawlessness in the Old West. He is the author of Badge and Buckshot: Lawlessness in Old California (1988); The Grey Fox: The True Story of Bill Miner (1992); Lawman: The Life and Times of Harry Morse (1998); and Against the Vigilantes: The Recollections of Dutch Charley Duane (1999), all published by the University of Oklahoma Press, and Gold Dust and Gunsmoke (1999), published by John Wiley & Sons of New York. Boessenecker has appeared frequently as a historical commentator on PBS, The History Channel, A&E, and other television media.
The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society is pleased to host John Boessenecker at the Saugus Train Station. The general public is welcome. Admission will be free. For more information on this and other upcoming programs from the SCVHS, please call Pat Saletore or Alan Pollack at 661-254-1275. Website: www.scvhs.org.