Joaquin (pronounced hwah KEEN) Murieta (pronounced moo ree AY tah) was born in 1830, so they say, they also say he was a vicious and abandoned character, brutal, low and cruel, most of all he was a thief and a cut-throat, so they say. There were as many as five bandits in the Gold Fields known only as Joaquin. In 1853, California rangers killed two Mexicans and later identified one of them as Joaquin Murieta. The legend goes, Murieta along with his bride, Rosita Feliz, moved to Northern California, and were lured to the mine fields. The white miners did not like the Mexican's sharing their Gold Fields, so they assaulted the couple, Murieta was beaten and his wife was raped, his half-brother was lynched. Soon afterwards, a miner was found dead outside his campsite, another miner was shot walking down the road. Murieta and his gang became the most feared and most wanted outlaws in California. The Governor of California, John Bigler authorized Captain Harry Love to track down Murieta. In June of 1853 Love and his army cornered Murieta and his gang. The Outlaws tried to flee, the posse began firing at the outlaws, Joaquin was shot to pieces along with his horse. Captain Love cut off the head of Murieta and placed it in a jar. The head was put on display and sent to locals fairs, where for a dollar you could see the Bandit King Joaquin Murieta. Was there a real Joaquin Murieta? Maybe. You can belive what you want, and carry the legend, be it fact or fiction. HOME
Joaquin (pronounced hwah KEEN) Murieta (pronounced moo ree AY tah) was born in 1830, so they say, they also say he was a vicious and abandoned character, brutal, low and cruel, most of all he was a thief and a cut-throat, so they say.
There were as many as five bandits in the Gold Fields known only as Joaquin. In 1853, California rangers killed two Mexicans and later identified one of them as Joaquin Murieta.
The legend goes, Murieta along with his bride, Rosita Feliz, moved to Northern California, and were lured to the mine fields. The white miners did not like the Mexican's sharing their Gold Fields, so they assaulted the couple, Murieta was beaten and his wife was raped, his half-brother was lynched. Soon afterwards, a miner was found dead outside his campsite, another miner was shot walking down the road.
Murieta and his gang became the most feared and most wanted outlaws in California.
The Governor of California, John Bigler authorized Captain Harry Love to track down Murieta.
In June of 1853 Love and his army cornered Murieta and his gang. The Outlaws tried to flee, the posse began firing at the outlaws, Joaquin was shot to pieces along with his horse. Captain Love cut off the head of Murieta and placed it in a jar. The head was put on display and sent to locals fairs, where for a dollar you could see the Bandit King Joaquin Murieta.
Was there a real Joaquin Murieta? Maybe. You can belive what you want, and carry the legend, be it fact or fiction.
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