Chris Madsen, superintendent of the Union Soldiers’ Home, has had a rare career as a “soldier of fortune.” Madsen served in the Franco-Prussian war, saw service with the Foreign Legion of France, and later came to America, where he fought Indians for a time, then became United States Marshal in Oklahoma Territory. Madsen has told his life story to Curtis Ward, an Oklahoma News reporter.

Several installments of this story, with much local interest are herewith reprinted.

Bill Dalton Wily Bandit

“Probably the bet organized gang that ever operated in Oklahoma was the Dalton gang,” Chris Madsen, Danish soldier of fortune and early day United States deputy marshal, said as he finished the story of Manuel Herrick’s attempted train robbery.

“I was chief deputy at Guthrie when this gang attempted thee most daring bank robbery of the Wild west’s wildest time—robbery of two banks at one time in Coffeyville, Kansas.

“Within an hour after words of this raid and the killing of four members of the gang and the desperate wounding of the fifth reached the marshal's office in Guthrie, Bill Dalton, a brother, was in from the gang’s rendezvous fifteen miles in the country.

Gang Keeps Watch

“A hanger-on of the gang had been in town all day to find out what luck the gang had, as he knew the marshal’s office would be the first place notified.

“I told Bill, who had not yet turned outlaw, that the word we had was that his brothers Bob and Grat had been killed, as well as two other members of the gang, Dick Broadwell and Bill Powers, and that Emmett was badly wounded and not expected to live.

“Bill Dalton was an unusual fellow. He served a term in the California legislature before this. He later turned active outlaw and was killed between Ardmore and Duncan.

“One time when I was attending federal court at Kingfisher I was sitting in the lobby of the hotel with Henry M. Furman, the federal judge, and Bill came in and talked to me quite a little while.

‘A short time later we got word that the Dalton gang had held up a train at Red Rock.

$50,000 Holdup

“I saw Bill the next morning and told him about it and that is was reported that the gang got $50,000.

“That’s fine,’ he said. ‘I will get my share when we meet and they divide up.’

“When Bill was killed, among his effects was a letter he had written his wife in California at the time, telling her of the train robbery and saying he had a perfect alibi.

“I had an odd experience with Bill in the summer of 1892. The Daltons were from Kingfisher County where their mother still was living.

“We had a man living near the mother’s place, who was watching for the return of the gang so we could go there and arrest them.

“One morning we got a telegram from this man that the gang was at the mother’s and that several of them were wounded.

Bill Shows Up

“We went to Kingfisher where Bill Grimes, the marshal, lived. We got there in the night and stayed in his barn. The informer was to meet us there.

“Along before daylight someone rode up to the barn and called. It was Bill Dalton.

“I never thought of you fellows coming down here,” he said. “I am sorry to put you to all this trouble. But you have spoiled my game, too.

“This man, calling our informer’s name,’ has been cultivating me, giving me cigars and whiskey, trying to find out something and I have been stringing him along so he would keep giving me his whiskey and cigars. Now you fellows have spoiled my game.’

“We found this to be true. None of the gang was at the mother’s place.”

Deputy Marshal Killed by Member Dalton Gang

“The first deputy marshal killed in Oklahoma after Grimes brought the law in here at the opening was Ed Short—my first partner. I was not with him at the time, however.

“Short had arrested a member of the Dalton gang at Hennessey. He had taken him to Waukomis to catch a train for Wichita; we kept all federal prisoners in jail there at that time.

“A group of riders could be seen approaching as Short waited. Thinking probably they were members of the Dalton gang coming to rescue their comrade, Short turned his pistol and prisoner over to the express messenger and stepped outside with his rifle to await the approaching horsemen.

“The express messenger stuck the pistol in a cubby hole and turned his back.

“The prisoner grabbed the pistol, flung the door open and shot Short in the back. The horseman had ridden up in the meantime and as Short had suspected they were members of the Dalton gang.

“The firing became general. When the gang rode away, Short and his prisoner both were dead, Short having killed him after being mortally wounded.”

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