Los Banos Rotary Club History
Wilkinson Tells Of Joaquin Murietta

Warren Wilkinson, Dos Palos businessman, was guest speaker at the local Rotary Club luncheon Tuesday noon, speaking on the life of the famed early day California bandit, has talked to many people who either personally knew or knew of him, and in his early youth had seen on display in San Francisco, the supposed head of the bandit, together with the arm and hand of the bandit "Three Finger Jack," who was killed by California rangers at the same time.
Wilkinson stated that despite accepted proof to the contrary he does not believe that the bandit was ever killed or captured, although it is an accepted fact that from the day the Rangers raided the bandit camp in Cantua Creek canyon, in July, 1853, and wiped out 25 of the bandit gang without a single fatality to themselves, the name of Murietta as a bandit ceased to exist.

Wilkinson gave a brief resume of the bandit's life history, as he has been able to ascertain it from the maze of factual and fiction material that has been written and told of the man, from his birth in Sonora. Mexico, in 1829, his migration to California in 1849, and the repeated insults and injuries heaped upon him by rude, uncouth Americans in California that eventually led him to swear eternal vengeance upon all "gringos" and enter upon his brief career of crime and banditry that has had no equal in all California. All deeds, however, that were laid at Murietta's feet were not his, Wilkinson said, pointing out that at one time there were at least five bandits in the state all operating under the name and reputation of Murietta.

Wilkinson was introduced by program chairman Chas. Bates.
Rotary President Francis Buck announced that the annual Rotary-Lions Club dinner would be held next Tuesday evening at the Memorial hall at 7:00 o'clock. The dinner, aftermath of the so-called softball game between the two clubs at the close of the last softball season, is under joint sponsorship of the two clubs. T. D. Toscano and Louis Castellucci head the Rotary committee in charge, and will work with Jack Lopes and his committee from the Lions Club.

November 26, 1948

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