Vasquez the Bandit at Priest Valley
Mrs. Trescony, who lived to 97, remembered the day the bandit Vasquez came to her parents' Priest Valley ranch as a charming young man.
Mrs. Julius Trescony, who passed away at the age of 97, recalled when Vasquez who led the assault on Tres Pinos visited her parents’ Priest Valley ranch. “He was a young man then,” she related. “He was very polite when he came to our house. He never killed anyone as far as I knew. None of his gang would stop. Just him. We never asked any questions.”
Other old-timers of the Priest Valley area told of the times Vasquez was fed at their ranch. Within the next few days they’d find a haunch of venison, or other food, left on their porch, usually there in the dead of night - the bandit’s way of saying thanks.
Griffin, father of Mrs. Julius Trescony, was once nearly shot by Vasquez. Mrs. Trescony recalls hearing her father relate the time Vasquez nearly mistook the Priest Valley rancher for the sheriff who was pursuing him. Vasquez recognized him just in time.