Volume 17 , Issue 34

Bill Dalton, A Deputy Marshal (1892)

Here is an interesting news article dated Saturday, 24 December 1892, in "The Evening Kansan," in Newton, Kansas, concerning Bill Dalton, brother of the Dead outlaws at Coffeyville, Kansas. Bill Dalton was a Deputy Marshal in Uncle Sam's Service.

Found on Newspapers.com

Coffeyville, Kan., Dec. 24 (1892) -- It was a fact that many of the desperadoes, murderers and outlaws who infested the Indian territory had at one time or another been in the employ of the United States government, sometimes by direct appointment from Washington, often by commission from resident government officials. Bob, Emmet and Grat Dalton, the famous bandits, were at one time or another riding in the posses of Untied States marshals. Henry Starr, who shot Deputy Marshal Wilson a few days before this article came out, was also a deputy marshal at one time, and other outlaws of equal fame in their day had been vested with great authority.

As the news story of December, 1892 continued ... Now comes the amazing announcement that Bill Dalton, brother of the outlaws in the Coffeyville raid, held a special commission as deputy marshal from Colonel Yoe, marshal for the Indian territory, with headquarters at Fort Smith, Arkansas. This was rumored several days before, but until the date of this news article it lacked confirmation.

Accompanying the commission was a warrant for the arrest of Ed Chapman for horse stealing. Chapman was the man Bill was reported to have killed some days ago. The horse alleged to have been stolen was the one Emmet Dalton rode into Coffeyville for the memorable raid of October 6, 1892, and the warrant was issued at the instance of survivors of the Dalton gang. The appointment would give Dalton a chance to kill Chapman. That he would arrest him no one believes, for Chapman was considered a brave man and would be dangerous person for William to tackle.

That Dill Dalton should have been appointed a deputy marshal under any circumstances was condemned by all good citizens, for there were enough honest, respectable men who were willing to serve the government. When the fact that this warrant he was directed to serve had been issued on behalf of the surviving me hers of the dalton gang, it who'd a state of affairs that was arousing all good men. Bill Dalton was supposed by every one in Coffeyville to have been the banker for his villain brothers, willing to share the benefits of their raids, but unwilling to brave the dangers.
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