Weird A-Z. Z is for Zorro's Treasure

Weird A-Z. Z is for Zorro's Treasure

Joaquin Murrieta (1829 - 53) became known as Mexico's Robin Hood during the 1850's California Gold Rush, and was the inspiration for the character of Zorro. He was the leader of a band known as The Five Joaquins, who were notorious for cattle rustling, robberies, and murders in the Sierra Nevada from 1850-3. His men had stolen treasure from one of the northern gold mines, but a group of Native Americans attacked them and stole the gold.

The Native Americans hid the treasure in an old burial grave underneath a cliff ledge. Murrieta had also buried some of his stolen treasure somewhere between Burney, California and Hatcher Pass close to Highway 299.

Another cache is said to consist of $200,000 of gold dust, believed to be hidden near Highway 36 between Susanville and Freedonyer Pass.

One of his gang members was Manuel Garcia, 'Three-Fingered-Jack', who stole a strongbox from a stagecoach believed to contain 250 pounds (113 kg) of gold nuggets, which at the time would have been worth $140,000. He and Murrieta buried that treasure along the banks of the Feather River, close to Paradise, California.

None of his gold has ever been found. Murrieta's supporters claim that he was not a bandit, but was a patriot working to finance the recovery of the part of Mexico lost to the United States (Upper California and New Mexico) by the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo which was drawn up at the end of the Mexican-American War (1846-8).

In 1853, the California State Legislature passed a bill to hire a company for three months to hunt down the 'Five Joaquins' (Murrieta, Botellier, Carrillo, Ocomorenia, Valenzuela) and their accomplices. On 25 July 1853 Three-Fingered-Jack and another Mexican, said to be Murrieta, were killed in a stand-off at Pacheco Pass by the Rangers.