On May 14, 1874, Tiburcio Vasquez, one of California’s most infamous outlaws, was captured in the Soledad Canyon Raid.

Around 1:30 A.M., Vasquez and two of his gang members at a ranch house in what is now West Hollywood were captured by Sheriff William Rowland and a posse of armed men in a long-drawn-out manhunt.

The Californio bandido had long been sought for a series of violent robberies and murders throughout California. Vasquez was born on April 7, 1835, in Monterey Califonia where his life seemed to be headed on a positive track.

Then, as he grew up, he developed a taste for becoming an outlaw when he became a protégé of Anastacio García, one of California’s most dangerous bandits, in 1852. Vasquez Rocks was named after Vasquez, after using that area as one of his many hideouts.

Sheriff Rowland’s posse tracked him down using information about his location from “Greek George” Caralambo in Rancho La Brea, where Vasquez was taking residence at the time.

According to some accounts, an armed group surrounded the adobe house where Vasquez was staying and, through a carefully coordinated operation, captured him without a single shot being fired by Vasquez. Vasquez, at the time, was eating dinner with no weapons on or near him.

Although he had suffered bullet wounds, Vasquez remained calm and was transported to Los Angeles to be jailed, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on May 15, 1874. The article’s author, George Beers, accompanied Sheriff Rowland, who provided a firsthand description of the events that led to Vasquez’s capture.

Along with Vasquez’s capture were other various items such as three horses, four rifles, four six-shooters, 400 rounds of cartridges for the rifles, three new saddles, two binoculars, etc.

While imprisoned, the notorious outlaw attracted numerous visitors to his jail cell, most of them women. He also signed autographs and sat for photographs.

The money earned from the sale of his photographs helped fund his legal defense. Vasquez ultimately faced execution for his crimes and was hanged in San Jose on March 19, 1875, at the age of 39.

To read yesterday’s Today in SCV History, click here.

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