Notorious Bandit Been in Prison Fifteen Years

Last Survivor of Robber Gang

July 18, 1907—El Reno American—Kansas City, Mo., July 15—Bewildered by the busy scenes And new sights confronting his eyes, Emmett Dalton, the ex-train robber, is enjoying the first bit of freedom he has spent outside of prison walls in nearly fifteen years. A week ago he was granted a four months’ parole by Governor Hoch and released from the Kansas Penitentiary at Lansing in order that he might come to the city to receive treatment for a would in the shoulder, received I the famous skirmish at Coffeyville, Kansas. It is believed that a pardon is in sight for the ex-bandit and it is probably that he will not be obliged to stay in prison long after the expiration of his present parole. His aged mother, who is now with him, has been working for his freedom for years and recently her efforts have received the endorsement of many prominent Kansans.

Emmett Dalton is the last surviving member of the Dalton gang of outlaws, which included the three brothers, Bob, Gratton and Emmett, who first sprang into public notice in 1899 and were wiped out in 1892 at Coffeyville, Kansas, where they attempted to rob the Coffeyville National Bank. Bob Dalton had been a deputy marshal in the Indian Territory, where he acquired a reputation for nerve and daring. In 1889 he was discharged from the service for accepting bribes from criminals. Accompanied by his brothers, Gratton and Emmett, he proceeded to California. They had not been there long before there was a train robbery near Attila, in which the fireman of the train was killed. The Daltons were accused and indicted. They left the sate and for the next eighteen months they made criminal history faster than it had been made since the days of the Younger and James boys.

The Santa Fe train robberies at Wharton and Red Rock, the Missouri Pacific robbery at Adair and the San Francisco robbery near Vinita all followed in rapid succession, Between jobs the gang hid in the Indian Territory, Arkansas and Kansas. The railroad and express companies heaped up rewards until they amounted to $25,000, but there were no captures. The Coffeyville raid was the pet scheme of Bob Dalton. He had lived there, knew the banks, and was anxious to outdo the James and Younger exploits by riding boldly into the town in broad daylight and plundering both banks at one haul. The raid occurred in October 1892. The gang rode into the town and hitched its horses in an alley and started for the banks, each man carrying a Winchester in the hollow of his arm.

But the purpose of the gang was quickly realized and a cry of “Robbers in the bank!” brought the citizens out in force. The defendants of the town rushed into hardware stores and armed themselves with rifles and guns. They stole out on the tops of buildings, in alleys and back lots, while some few stood boldly out in the street. In the National Bank Bob and Emmett Dalton had compelled the bank force to hold up its hands and had dumped $20,000 in cash into a sack. Coming to the bank window, Bob engaged in battle with the townspeople, killing one man and wounding three others.

Meanwhile there was more serious trouble for Grat Dalton at the Condon bank. The bank had a time lock, which frustrated the efforts of the gang to open it. Grat swept up the cash he found lying around, exchanging a few shot with the citizens until he was forced to flee. The gang hurried to the alley where their horses were tied, and where they wee hemmed in by the citizens to such an extent that the Dalton boys, only Emmett, swifter of foot than the others, gained his horse. Emmett rode but a short distance, when to the astonishment of the citizens he turned back to help his brother Bob, who had been mortally wounded.

When the smoke of battle cleared away there were eight dead men. The robbers had lost bob and Grat Dalton, Joe Evans and John Moore, and their fifth man, Emmett Dalton, had been shot until it was thought he could not live. The citizens had lost the city marshal, a bank clerk and tow merchants of the town. Several others had been severely wounded. After Emmett recovered fro his wounds he was tried and sentenced to be hanged, which in Kansas means a life sentence in the penitentiary. He was but 18 years old when captured and has been confined in the penitentiary nearly 15 years. He has been spoken of at all times as a model prisoner.

FOR DEPUTY MARSHAL

Brother of Famous Dalton Desperadoes Seeks An Appointment

February 3, 1906—Oklahoma State Capital—Simon Dalton, a brother of the famous desperadoes known as the Dalton gang, is seeking appointment as a deputy United States marshal. He was in Guthrie Wednesday to confer with John Abernathy before his trip to Washington, as he believes that Abernathy will be appointed marshal by the president.

Dalton is about twenty-four years old and lives with his mother on a farm four miles northeast of Kingfisher.

Transcribed & submitted by: Mollie Stehno

|  Mollie's Corner Page  |  |Home  |