Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1892 — THE DALTON QANG [ARTICLE]

THE DALTON QANG

Attempt to Rob a Bank at Coffeyvllle, Maness, Wednesday Morning. The notorious Dalton gang of highway robbers, murderers and general desperadoes was virtually wiped out Wednesday, but not until four citizens of Coffeyvllie, Kan., yielded up their lives In the work of extermination. Six of the gang rode Into the town and robbed the two banks of the place. Their raid had become known to the officers of the law. and when the outlaws attempted to escape they were attacked by the marshal’s posse. In the battle which followed four of the desperadoes were killed outright, and one was so badly wounded that he has since died. The other escaped, but Is being hotly pursued. Of the attacking party four wer« killed, one was fatally and two wero seriously wounded. There Were five boys and three girls in the Daltop faially. Of the boys two are engaged in farming—one in Oklahoma where the mother of the family lives, and one near Coffeyville, where three of the brothers met their death. Tho Daltons were second cousins of the noted James boys, the f&inons Missouri outlaws, and through them were related to tho Youngers, who are now serving life terms of imprisonment in the penitentiary in Mfnnessota. Bob Dalton was the first of the boys to enter on a career of crime, while he was scarcely more than a boy lie became a cattle thief and did a thriving buslness.drivlng off cattle from Cherokee Strip herds and taking them across tho Indian Territory into Colorado, where ho woufiTsell them. He was joined soon after he entered the business by his brother, Grant Dalton. Their depredations become so frequent and troublesome that the cattlemen organized to drive them from the Strip. A posse of cowboys was formed for that purpose and gape the Daltons a hard chase, finally losing them In New Mexico, The next heard of the Daltons was In California, whero they took to train and stage robbery. While robbing stages there, one of the passengers was killed in the attack. This spurred on the extraordinary efforts to effect tho capture of the gang, and Grant Dalton was finally captured. While being taken to a place for safe keening be was rescued by the other members of the gang, the whole party finally escaping, after being chased in California and through a good part of Arizona.