The Dalton Gang - Historical Text

Coffeyville Raid Historic Text

<<Previous 1 2 3 Next >>

In the spring of 1889, the gang turned up again in the Indian Territory, and when Oklahoma was opened to settlement the Dalton boys secured a choice claim for their mother near Hennessey, where she still lives, supported by one of her sons. At the time of the opening Bob Dalton was a United States deputy marshal, being selected on account of his peculiar fitness to deal with desperate characters. After the opening he returned to his life of outlawry and he and Grant [Grat] were then joined by their brother Emmett, the youngest of the brothers. They were at that time also joined by Texas Jack and soon gathered about them several desperate characters.

Train Robbery Re-enactment.

It was then that the most successful period of the Daltons' career, from their standpoint, began. Their attention was first directed to the robbing of express trains, and they perpetrated many successful "hold-ups," the most noted of which are the robberies of the Santa Fe at Wharton, at Red Rock, of the Missouri Pacific at Adair, and of the 'Frisco near Vinita. The Wharton robbery was perhaps the most dramatic of all. The robbers went to Wharton on horseback, and entering the station there, asked the operator if the train was on time. He replied he would inquire, and was about to do so when one of the band, fearing the operator had recognized them, shot him dead upon the spot without a word of warning. When the train arrived it was held up after the regulation manner. In the pursuit of the robbers which followed, outlaw Ed [Charles] Bryant was captured at Enid by Deputy United States Marshal Ed Short, known throughout the entire territory as a most brave officer. Short placed the captive in the baggage car of the Santa Fe train to take him to Guthrie. He had disarmed him, placing a brace of revolvers on a convenient trunk, and placed the desperado in irons. When the train reached Adair, Short disembarked to send a telegraphic message. When he re-entered the car Bryant had secured one of his weapons and holding it in his manacled hands fired and fatally wounded Short. The officer, however, had strength to raise a Winchester and put four bullets into Bryant's body, expiring as he pulled the trigger the last time.

There were no fatalities attending the Red Rock robbery, but the Adair robbery resulted in the deaths of two men. The express car was guarded and a hot fight took place between the guards and the robbers. The place where the train was held up was in the midst of town. One stray bullet passed into the room of a physician, and striking him in the head, killed him instantly. Another physician, hearing firing, went in its direction and was also shot and killed.

The last train robbery committed by the gang was that of the 'Frisco near Vinita. The amounts secured by the robbers in their various raids will probably never be known. It was very great, however, and has been estimated at $300,000.

After the 'Frisco robbery, the Daltons seem to have diverted their attention to the robbery of banks. They rode into El Reno one day and attacked the only bank in town. The only person in the bank at the time was the wife of the president, who fainted at the first sight of the ugly revolvers. The bandits leisurely took all the money in sight and remounting their horses rode away. This raid netted them $10,000, which was such a severe blow to the bank it was forced into liquidation. Today's was the next and last raid of the gang, and with it ended the existence of a band equaled only in the desperate character of its undertakings by the James and Younger bands.

October 7, 1892 - David Elliott, Editor, Coffeyville Journal

Death Alley Postcard where the Dalton Gang

was killed, all courtesy Kansas Historical Society

"After crossing the pavement the men quickened their pace, and the three in the front file went into C.M. Condon & Co.'s bank at the southwest door, while the two in the rear ran directly across the street to the First National Bank and entered the front door of that institution. The gentleman [the observer] was almost transfixed with horror. He had an uninterrupted view of the inside of Condon and Co.'s bank, and the first thing that greeted his vision was a Winchester in the hands of one of the men, pointed towards the cashier's counter in the bank. He quickly recovered his lost wits, and realizing the truth of the situation, he called out to the men in the store that 'The bank is being robbed!' Persons at different points on the Plaza heard the cry and it was taken up and quickly passed around the square.

At the same time several gentlemen saw the two men enter the First National Bank, suspecting their motive, followed close at their heels and witnessed them 'holding up' the men in this institution. They gave the alarm on the east side of the Plaza. A 'call to arms' came simultaneously with the alarm and in less time than it takes to relate the fact a dozen men with Winchesters and revolvers in their hands were ready to resist the escape of the unwelcome visitors.

Just at this critical juncture the citizens opened fire from the outside [of the Condon Bank] and the shots from their Winchesters and shot-guns pierced the plate-glass windows and rattled around the bank. Bill Power and Dick Broadwell replied from the inside, and each fired from four to six shots at citizens on the outside. The battle then began in earnest. Evidently recognizing that the fight was on, Grat Dalton asked whether there was a back door through which they could get to the street. He was told that there was none. He then ordered Mr. Ball and Mr. Carpenter [two bank employees] to carry the sack of money to the front door. Reaching the hall on the outside of the counter, the firing of the citizens through the windows became so terrific and the bullets whistled so close around their heads that the robbers and both bankers retreated to the back room again. Just then one at the southwest door was heard to exclaim: 'I am shot; I can't use my arm; it is no use, I can't shoot any more.'

He [Bob Dalton] then ordered the three bankers to walk out from behind the counter in front of him, and they put the whole party out at the front door. Before they reached the door, Emmett called to Bob to 'Look out there at the left.' Just as the bankers and their customers had reached the pavement, and as Bob and Emmett appeared at the door, two shots were fired at them from the doorway of the drug store… Neither one of them was hit. They were driven back into the bank… Bob stepped to the door a second time, and raising his Winchester to his shoulder, took deliberate aim and fired in a southerly direction. Emmett held his Winchester under his arm while he tied a string around the mouth of the sack containing the money. They then ordered the young men to open the back door and let them out. Mr. Shepard complied and went with them to the rear of the building, when they passed out into the alley. It was then that the bloody work of the dread desperadoes began."

Added May, 2007

Note: These are not always exact quotes, as spelling errors and minor grammatical changes have been corrected.

Also See:

The Deadly Dalton Gang

Historical Accounts of the 19th Century

Complete List of Outlaws

Free eNewsletter

Our eNewsletter features articles on the Old West, travel destinations, ghostly legends, and subscriber only specials from our Rocky Mountain General Store. Sent directly to your inbox, grab a cup of coffee and travel the historic paths of the American West. Sign up today!

<<Previous 1 2 3 Next >>

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Vintage Photographs of the Old West - From our personal Photo Print Shop, you can now order prints that provide dramatic glimpses into the rich heritage of the American West. From notorious outlaws, to Indian Chiefs, buffalo roaming the range, and pioneers on the trail, this varied collection grows daily.