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Execution of the outlaw Vasquez...
Execution of the outlaw Vasquez...
Item # 705401
March 20, 1875
NEW-YORK TIMES, March 20, 1875
* Tiburcio Vasquez execution death (1st report)
* Los Angeles, California outlaw bandit
The front page has: "Execution Of The Bandit Vasquez" "Hanged At San Jose, Cal., Yesterday--No Attempt At Rescue--He Is Cool To The Last."
The report about the execution of this colorful outlaw who claimed he never killed a man, reads in part: "The bandit Vasquez was executed today at San Jose...Everything passed off quietly Vasquez asserted to the last his innocence of the crime of murder at any time during his career, but acknowledged the justice of his fate, having been the leader of a murderous band. The coolness he displayed throughout his imprisonment did not desert him, but he maintained his fortitude to the last...He died without a struggle...".
Great to have this report on the front page, especially since reports concerning Vasquez are rather uncommon.
Twelve pages, browned and slightly pulpish at edges, various margin tears with some archival mends to page 2, loose at the spine, good condition. Fragile & should be handled with care.
background: The execution of Tiburcio Vásquez, the infamous Californio bandit and folk figure, took place on March 19, 1875, in San Jose, California. Vásquez, who had gained notoriety throughout the 1850s–1870s for robberies, cattle rustling, and stagecoach holdups across California, was captured in Los Angeles in May 1874 after a dramatic manhunt. He was convicted for his role in the Tres Piños (Paicines) stagecoach robbery of 1873, during which three men were killed. At his trial in San Jose, Vásquez tried to portray himself as a defender of the Mexican-American community against Anglo oppression, which earned him a degree of sympathy among Californios, though the jury found him guilty of murder. On the day of his execution, thousands gathered to witness the hanging outside the Santa Clara County Jail. Dressed immaculately in black, Vásquez maintained his composure, declaring his innocence in the killings while admitting his life of crime. At precisely 1:35 p.m., he was hanged, reportedly dying quickly. His death marked the end of an era of California banditry, but he lived on in legend as both a ruthless outlaw and a folk hero, with places like Vasquez Rocks later carrying his name into popular memory.
Category: Post-Civil War
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