The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-10-07
BOLD WESTERN BANDITS.
OosBERS WHO RIVAL THE JAMES
AND YOUNGER BROTHERS.

D6A-~rr q 81
IN. Notorious Dalton Erothers.
rheir Operations in the Indian Terri
THE Express Robbery at Adafr.
rain robbery and highway bandits
- been themes of general discussion
the West for some time past. The
ia bold-up OF a Missouri, Kansas and
T.~as Messenger train in the Indian Ter
-;+orv has occasioned renewal of a subject
rhich few years ago would have at
,..cted much attention in the West on
.ocount of the frequency of the occur
-orre but since the breaking up of the
r.r,ss the Younger and other desperate
nos that infested Missouri and Kansas
Western people have felt comparatively
Genre from depredations of this charac-
=, savs the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Three or four years ago Texas was the
,ovorite arena for the exploits OF the
treebooters, but the constabulary of that
state became so vigilant and merciless in
the pursuit and punishment of the
scoundrels that they have all apparently
been killed or driven out OF Texas, as no
train robbery has occurred there recently.
The Indian Territory seems to be now
tbe only rendezvous left for the gentle
linen
rben the conditions there are considered
n is no little wonder that outlawry of
This nature is not even more rampant
than it really ls
The Daltons, who robbed the Pacific
EXPRESS car CO she Missouri, Kansas and
TEXAS at Adair, are by al odds the bold
eat and most audacious bandits who have
ever piled their calling in the Territory.
There are four of the Dalton brothers who
are known to have committed train rob-
beries in the past. Only two of them
Ed and Charley-were in the Adair hold
m. The other two boys a year ago were
captured in California after desperate re-
sistance and convicted of robbing a
Wells Fargo Express car on the Southern
Pacific Railroad at Toulare, near Los
Angeles.
They were sentenced to life in the Cali
fornia Penitentiary and are now serving
their terms. All four of the boys were in
the California robbery, but Ed and
Charley eiuded capture and made their
way back to the Indian Territory. They
had been driven out of the Territory only
after bloody war between themselves
and their sympathizers on the one hand
and the officers and cattlemen on the
other. This was inaugurated three years
ago and cost the life of many good cit
izen and deputy United States marshal.
It will be remembered that the posses
in pursuit of the bandits were led by
Deputy Marshal Hec" Thomas, one of
the most intrepid officers who has ever
had to deal with the lawless elements of
the Southwest. Various times he was
reported killed, but he always managed
10 show up smiling about the time his
Friends had ordered Grape. He pursued
the Daltons farther into their rendezvous
han had anybody before or since. He
succeeded in penetrating far into the
bushwhacker country right among the
Friends of the Daltons, and came out un-
cathed though empty handed.
Prior to this time the Daltons were not
known to have committed any train rob-
berries. They had confined their rascality
10 stealing cattle and driving them
b. through the public lands" into New
Mexico and selling them along the route.
Then when they got ready to return to
he Territory they would steal bunch of
cattle in New Mexico and bring them
nome to sell, always returning by a diff
Ierent route. 1t did no good to indict
HEM Their friends dominated the local
pourts, and even if they were ever brought
trlal they got off scot free. Honest
fattlemen OF the Territory finally grew so
Fxasperated at their thievery that they
organized to rid the country of the Dali
Fons and Waged bitter war upon them. 1t
vas then that the cattle thieves per force
gult their old practices and turned their
lttent1on to train robbery.
IL is ever SO much easier anyhow to
cd train than to steal few head of
Fattle. SO they found their new business
ncomparably safer and more remunera-
i've. situated as the Daltons were, the
uslhess was especially attractive to
nelh. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas
nu the Santa Fee Railroads ran right
nrough the country over which they
au ranged ever since emigrating from
nrAansas when mere stripplings of boys.
ney knew every Indian trail and deer
aVn IN 1t. Not a man or woman I'M
'ieholy to them had been allowed to live
tne section they claimed for their own,
III so every circumstance was most
uoptlous to them in their new calling.
icy llVed for the most part on bald
aIrle east of the " Katy" road in an
inhabited country between Pryor
reek and Chouteau stations on the rail-
load.
AGAR, the scene of their latest depre-
aVlon, is only twenty or thirty miles to
nc north OF them, and Leliaetta, where
uey held up train last September and
Ooureo u 500 in booty from the Pacific
Apress Company, is but a few miles
pu'n OF them. A little southwest of
nese Two stations begins what is known
1ne Coweta district. 1t is heavily tim
eleu and abounds in deep ravines and
rpent1ne paths. They know every foot
IT, Through the Coweta district they
ash INTO the Fox and Sac country, and
Sen leisurely make their way down to
nc canadian River and cross to the
minoie reservation, until they feel like
'"'uring back to their prairie home.
Longer still.
no