Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-05-14
THE DALTON GANG.
Robbery Of a Santa Fee Train In
Oklahoma.
The DESPERADOES NEATLY FOOLED.
They Get Only q Small Sum and Papers
Worthless to Them-Hot Pursuit of the
Gang-Heavy Rewards For Capture
Already Existing.


Already Existing.
GUTHRIE, Ok, May 1.-THE south
bound passenger train on the Sarta Fe
road was held up Saturday night at
about 11:3O o'clock by five masked men,
supposed to have been the notorious
Dalton boys, who have been seen in
this neighborhood recently
The men boarded the train at Whar-
ton and detached the engine and ex-
press car and then proceeded two miles
south and robbed the express car of all
the money in it
The passengers were not molested
but a more frightened lot could not be
imagined. The boys informed them
when they proceeded with the engine
and car that they were to remain with
the coaches in order to secure them
selves They obeyed.
ACTIVE PURSUIT.
GUTHRIE, Ok, May IA large posse
of well armed men left this city early
yesterday morning in pursuit OF the
Dalton gang, who held up the Santa
Fe passenger trains express car.
There is no doubt as to the personnel
of the desperadoes- The marshals are
in hot pursuit and it is believed they
will be run down.
It is known that the men are carry
ing large sum of money on their per
sons taken from cattlemen and settlers
heretofore.
The robbers succeeded in getting only
$500 Saturday night, and this was
brought about by the shrewdness of
the express messenger who secreted a
large sum in the stove and fooled
the thieves by pointing to a pouch
and telling them that it contained a
large sum of government money, when
in fact it contained some papers of no
value to them.
There was a deputy United States
marshal named Payne on the train at
the time, but he was powerless owing
to the odds against him.
The train robbers are outlaws and
have frequently said that they would
never surrender alive. They are sup
posed to be in hiding near Turkey
| creek in the Indian country. The
| marshals left here for that point.
The amount of reward now offered
| for these men is very large, as they
| have been outlawed in Texas, Kansas
and Oklahoma, and rewards offered by
different corporations and individuals
|
ened and hid their money and valuables
as best they could, but it appears that
the pouch story given the outlaws by
the express messenger satisfied them
and in their hurry. believing they had
secured a considerable sum, they fed
| without molesting the passengers or
| the mails
| The force in pursuit numbers twelve
| or fifteen good men and it is confident
ly believed that the desperadoes will
| be brought to bay. The result is
anxiously waited for here.
Enough is known to positively fix
the guilt on the two Dalton boys. a
desperate known as six Shooter
jack" who used lay around Guthrie
last winter, and young character
named Norton.
The little station known as Wharton,
where the men boarded the train, was
the scene of the killing of young Smith,
the telegraph operator, some months
ago by six Shooter Jack" and it now
has become known that he, with two
or three others, had been loafng in
that neighborhood for several days
Four or five detectives from Texas
were here for some time hunting fol
them Several days ago the detectives
| IL.
abandon the capture.
Only twenty-four hours before $50 OO(
passed through here in charge of the
express company for parties in Texas
1t is believed that the gang had knowl
edge of this shipment, but miscalculate6
trains. This is substantiated by the
fact that after holding up the express
messenger and securing all in sight they
then asked him for his watch, which
he handed over with this remark
''Boys, you should not take my watch
I have to work hard for all 1 get ano
here you have a large sum of money il
that pouch you have taken"
The outlaws than abandoned every
thing else but the cash and the pouch
which was worthless.
The pouch was found by an Iowa In
dian late yesterday afternoon Thi.
Indian reports that he is satisfied tina
the gang passed through the Iowa land.
late last evening, but it is believed tina
they simply crossed the Cimarron a
the Perkins Ford and have gone on I.
the Cherokee lands.
A posse of nine from Oklahoma Cit,
passed through Guthrie last night t,
join in the pursuit and a number from
l Arkansas CITY and towns north of her,
!, are also in pursuit
The robbers will never surrende
. alive. They are desperate men an,
know that to surrender means life i'm
prisonment or death. as large reward
have been offered for them before thi
last theft and the inducement to follow
, them by detectives, cowboys and brav
, men is very great
E Concealed By His Friends.