OK, how's
this for a then and now...
Tiburcio Vasquez was a notorious Mexican bandit who in the mid 1800's had many adventures, robberies, arrests, and escapes all over California. After being caught for caught rustling horses in 1856, he was jailed at San Quentin. After his release he returned to crime in Sonoma County, was arrested yet again in Petaluma, and spent 3 more years in prison.
In 1870 he organized a new bandit gang, was arrested, and then escaped. When California offered a $15,000 reward for his capture he eluded posses and worked his way south towards Los Angeles. He wound up at the house of "Greek George", located just south of the present corner of Kings Road and Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood. On May 14, 1874, he was captured at the house by 6 armed men and taken to City Hall on Spring Street. He was convicted at trial in San Jose and was executed on March 19, 1875 at age 39. Vásquez was asked just before his execution, "Do you believe in an afterlife?" He replied, "I hope so... for then soon I shall see all my old sweethearts again". The only word he spoke on the gallows was "pronto" (quickly).
(In the late 1970's I lived in a penthouse at 1200 N. Flores St., just one short block from where Vasquez was captured. I knew there was plenty of interesting L.A. history just beyond my door -- more on this later -- but never had a clue that a notorious bandit had been caught a hundred years prior, right around the corner!)
The Vasquez hideout (Greek George's house) in West Hollywood is from Remi Nadeau's
City-Makers. "Now" is a Google Street View.
