The most productive gold mine in the state of Arizona was the Vulture Mine. Its success lured many criminals to try their hand at robbery, but none as famous as Francisco Vega. Vega preyed on miners – he loved the gold the carried as they made their way to an assay office or into town for a good time. He would waylay them as they headed for town to spend their money. In addition, Vega also preyed on the unfortunate settlers in Arizona, including murdering an entire family for the proceeds of the claim they had just sold. In the mid 1860s, Vega and his men took over a town named Weaverville (eventually shortened to Weaver) and made it their base of operations. Thereafter, people gave the rowdy town a wide berth.

In 1880s, at the height of the Vulture Mine’s success, the only way to get the gold to the bank was by to haul it be wagon to Phoenix, which had the only bank vault for hundreds of miles large enough to hold the bullion. Of course the trek to the bank was fraught with danger — from the weather, rough terrain, snakes and more, however the mine superintendent, a man named Elmore, was a prudent and cautious man. Delivery dates of the gold were kept secret, even from the teams that carried it. In addition, Gribble sent several teams (wagon, horseback, buggy and more), by different routes to confuse the thieves. Sometimes the gold was with one of the teams, but sometimes none of them carried the gold, which was still back at the mine in safekeeping. For years, Elmore’s method was successful — Vega was never able to intercept a single shipment.

Then Cyrus Gribble became mine superintendent. He thought he was smarter than any bandit, and his arrogance cost him. He mocked Elmore’s methods and announced the delivery date and method boldly. He used a pair of the swiftest mares the southwest had ever seen, along with a driver and an outrider known to be fast on the draw. For months, his method was successful, and then came the fateful day in March 1888.

In an arroyo, just 20 miles beyond the mine, Vega hid two of his men in a clump of greasewood bushes in the bottom of the arroyo, while another man lay just past the lip of the arroyo in a hidden pit. The gunman in the pit shot down the outrider, while the two men in ambush leaped up and shot the driver and Gribble in the back. Gribble, fatally wounded, attempted to defend himself, but only managed to shoot one of the mares. A passerby came upon the scene and immediately rode for Phoenix to alert the authorities.

A posse, which included notable names like Frank Cox and Jim Murphy, was quickly on the trail of the bandits. Despite being many hours behind, the posse caught up with the gang. Rather than risk lives, the posse sent back to the Vulture Mine for more help. In the meantime, the gang buried the gold and split up and slipped from the area.

Needless to say, Gribble’s method of transporting bullion was never used again. And as for Vega, some say he was arrested in Mexico later that year, others say he lived to a ripe old age living off his plunder.