Volume 17 , Issue 33

NW Okie's Journey

As we search the archives for information to who, what and why of the nineteenth century outlaw gang infamously known as the Dalton gang, we found in "The Pittsburgh Daily Headlight," dated Thursday, 6 October 1892, where Emmet Dalton confessed and told the story of the bank robbery in Coffeyville, Kansas. Emmett claimed he was forced along, and that his two elder brothers had a crude against Coffeyville and wanted to ill people. They were also full cousins of the Younger outlaws.

Found on Newspapers.com

Coffeyville, Kan, Oct. 6 (1892) -- Emmet Dalton, the fatally wounded desperado, had made a confession. Emmet at first tried to deny his identity, but finally acknowledged who he was and identified the dead robbers. The Dalton boys were aged as follows: Grat 31, Bob 28, Emmet 21. They were well known here, having lived in Coffeyville for a number of years, and it was while they lived here that they committed their first murder while acting as United States marshals. They were well known by all old citizens and there would have been no trouble in identification had Emmet not made it certain. Following is Emmet's statement under oath which was secured by Attorney Dooley, partner of cashier Ayres:

"On the 1st day of October, 1892, I met the boys south of Tulsa and they asked me how much money I had. I told them about $20. I asked them how much they had and they said about $300. I asked them what they were going to do with it and they said this town (Coffeyville) had been talking about them and some of the people had been trying to capture them. I told them I knew that they used to have lots of friends here, but Bob said that he could discount the James boys' work and go up and rob both banks at Coffeyville in one day. I told them I did not want any of it at all. He said I had better go along and help and get some of the money and leave the county, that if I stayed around here I was sure to get caught or killed by myself.

"On the morning of October 3 we saddled up north of Tulsa in the Osage nation and rode about 20 miles toward Coffeyville and walked it over that day, and I went for love of my brothers, for I knew that they would chase me just as hard as if I was a along, and I had no money to get out of the country. We camped at the head of Hickory creek in Timber hill, about 12 miles from Coffeyville, the night of October 4. During the night of October 4 we saddled up and rode to the bottoms of Onion creek, on the Davis farm, and in the morning we fed our horses some corn. I asked the boys if they were still coming up here. They said they were, and I told them, it would not be treating you people right as you had always befriended us. I asked them how they were going to do it. Bob said we would ride in about half past 9 in the morning. I asked him what his idea was for that. He said there would not be many people in town so early in the morning and there would not be so many to hold up and we would not have to hurt anyone. He told me he would like to have me go with him because I was quick on foot and that he and I would go to the First National bank and let the other boys go to C. M. Condon's, so he said we would ride in and hitch at the old C. M. Condon building. He said we would hitch there so that people would not see us until we got right into the banks. When we got to the lumber yards we saw the street was all torn up and Bob said, 'let us ride down in the alley and hitch.' All five horses belonged to Bob. He bought one on October 2 and one that next morning.

"I am full cousin to Bob and Cole Younger. My mother was a sister of Cole Younger's father."

Emmet also testified that Bob and Grat were connected with he California robbery, and they were in the Adair robbery some weeks ago. He claims he had only been with the gang since October 1. He says they held a three hours' consultation on the prairie south of town and he warned them of the result if they came in. Had they succeeded in getting to their horses they would have killed many more, as he says Bob and Grat wanted to kill many of our citizens. Too much credit can not be given to our brave citizens who so effectually defended the city. T. A. Reynolds, clerk in Isham Bros., was shot through the foot. Charles Gump had his wrist broken by a ball and lewis Dutz was slightly wounded. A sad part of the affair is that the families of all the men killed were away from the city. Connelly and Cubine headline insurance in different lodges, but Brown and Baldwin carried none. The latter was the support of a widowed mother.

The large rewards from time to time offered by various corporations and state governments for the capture of the outlaws, dead or alive, will, if the wishes of the people are respected, go to the families of the murdered citizens.

Good Night! Good Luck!
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