As I stare out at the vista of the tens of thousands of you time riders, I trust you’ll forgive. I forgot to wish all you Santa Clarita mom a Happy Mother’s Day. I tip my terribly-expensive O’Farrell in salute. This Thursday’s ride will take us back in time to peruse all manner of interesting terrain. There’s Death Valley Scotty and Tiburcio Vasquez, sheep, a whole passel of Smiths and one terribly honest hotel maid. There’s cults, pink Nazis and developers, along with some fine local poetry. It’s a fine parade we’ve assembled. Shall we mosey back to yesteryear? 

(PHOTO CAPTION: Depending on to whom you spoke, the Tony & Susan Alamo Christian foundation was either a helpful religious group or a dangerous cult. On this date, the mother of a 15-year-old girl who had just given birth, showed up at the Mint Canyon compound, demanding they release her daughter. The Alamos wouldn’t. The sheriff’s were called and complaints were sworn against a wide variety of parties. The brother of the girl was physically restrained by eight church members, whom the mother described as “hippie types,” and carried off the property. The brother signed a complained against one of the young men who helped cart him off, noting the fellow struck him and twisted his arm. The alleged arm twister? It was the young man’s brother, who was also a member of the Alamo Foundation. Did you follow all that? Tony (above) is serving the 2nd year of his 175-year conviction on 10 counts of interstate transportation of minors for illegal sexual purposes, along with charges of sexual assault, rape and contributing to the delinquency of minors. On the bright side, he and his wife donated the funds to build the bleachers at Canyon High…) 

 

WAY, WAY BACK WHEN —

— Back on May 14, 1874, the famous womanizing pistol fighter and bandito, Tiburcio Vasquez was captured at the home of “Greek” George Allen. Tibby was literally in the bedroom with his clothes off when L.A. Sheriff Billy Rowland surrounded the house. Vasquez jumped out a back bedroom window, naked, putting on his clothes, when he was shot from behind in the upper legs and buttocks. Some of you may have been at “Greek” George’s ranch. It’s the Hollywood Bowl, today. 

MAY 12, 1921 —

— The Signal editorial policy has always been top-knotch. Check out these front-page words of wisdom from 90 years back: “Giggle, giggle, by the hour, Helps to sweeten when you’re sour.”

— On this date, Wm. S. Hart’s “The Testing Block,” premiered. It was also written by the silent superstar and was based on the life of the bandit, “Sierra Bill.” It would be a few more years until Señor Hart would retire and move to Newhall. 

MAY 12, 1931 —

— Death Valley Scotty visited a Newhall friend 80 years back. Walter Scott, the lovable con man famed for building that huge castle in the scorching wastelands of the Central California desert, was in town to sell Charles Kingsburry a flock of ibexes,  some rabbits and a horse. What made folks smile and whisper was the beautiful lady chauffeur Scotty had employed. Ol’ DVS actually had conned a Chicago millionaire, Albert Johnson, into a gold mining scam. Johnson paid Scotty $1.5 million and soon figured out he was being taken to the cleaners. But, he had such a good time, he didn’t care and the pair became lifelong friends — so good of friends that Johnson’s desert home would be called “Scotty’s Castle.”

MAY 12, 1941 —

— Los Angeles Sheriff’s Lt. Charles Rittenhouse sued his employers and testified against a ring of corruption involving millions of dollars in payoffs and bribes. Rittenhouse had previously served in L.A.’s vice squad, where he learned of graft going up to the highest level. When he released his findings, superiors banished him, “…to the Siberia of the Newhall sub-station.” 

MAY 12, 1951 —

— It may be the most heinous discovery in the history of this valley. On this date, Trinidad Cervantes, foreman of the A & A Ranch up Soledad, snatched the body of a dead, 1-month old baby from the jaws of hogs. Someone had wrapped the infant in newspaper and thrown in the hog pen. An autopsy later revealed the Los Angeles child had died of natural causes, although its body had been bruised beyond any recognition and being wrapped in paper (The Los Angeles Times) and handled so. We certainly hope it had a better life next time around than his brief visit here.

MAY 12, 1961 —

— The small town sensibilities of Newhall were violated when someone painted a large, pink swastika on Millie O’Neill’s car. Only clues were the paint was water-based and the prankster used a 2-inch wide brush.

N On this date, a stop sign was authorized for the Newhall and Lyons intersection. Now, it seems you can’t ride 20 feet through the SCV without hitting a traffic light.

MAY 12, 1971 —

— From the “How Low Can You Go?” Dept., a con man bought a box of Girl Scout cookies and paid for them with a counterfeit $20 bill.

— Residents of the Pinetree tract were up in arms over builder Kaufman & Braude. Seems the developers had promised a park, rec hall and swimming pool in their models and brochures, which is why many residents bought homes there. But, mysteriously, K&B tried to remove the amenities from the sales literature. They built a new sales model and the huge rec hall construction frame mysteriously burned to the ground and was replaced by a new home site. Said one new owner there: “I see why K&B stock rises on the New York stock exchange. They’re taking it out of children’s hides.” 

MAY 12, 1981 —

— How’s this for an honest woman? On this date, Amelia Montoya, found $6,000 in travelers’ checks but mostly in cash, wrapped up in a towel under a pillow. She returned it to the front desk of the Ranch House Inn. The hotel returned the money that day to Jack Hagel, of Artesia, who apparently didn’t realize it was missing.

— Pacific Bell came out with their 1981 phone book and, for the first time in history, the word, “Valencia” was printed more times than the word, “Newhall.” (That’d be 61-59.) The phrase, Santa Clarita, came in third with 41 listings followed by Canyon Country with 35. There were 204 Smiths listed locally. I’m almost embarrassed to confess. I just counted the Smiths listed in the most recent phone book and there are 351, not including our former and beloved mayor, Clyde, who spells his name funny.

— We will probably never see the likes of this again. On this date, traffic was stopped for about 20 minutes along Bouquet Canyon Road near the Exxon station. A flock of sheep was being herded from one ranch across the road to another for grazing. Guess you could say we were knee deep in sheep. 

— — — 

Hope I didn’t offend any bona fide cattlemen with herding sheep toward the end of our ride there. Range wars have been fought over less. Sure hope you have a fine Thursday and I strongly suggest we all get together next week and travel through time once again. Until then, dear saddlepals, vayan con Dios, amigos and see you back here under the warm glow of  The West Ranch Beacon!