Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-10-06
A ssnsuinary Fight With Robbers.

As stated in yesterdays GAZETTE,
the Dalton band of desperadoes, six in
number, made a descent upon two
banks in the town of Cofieyville, Kan;
Yesterday The citizens resisted, and
in the fight which ensued four men
were killed on each side. The fifth out
law was fatally wounded and the sixth
escaped. fcrec citizens were badly
wounded
1t had been rumored q month ago
that the Dalton gang was contempiat-
ing an immediate raid upon the banks
of the city. Arrangements were made
to give them warm reception, and Tor
over week a patrol was maintained
night and day to give warning Of the
gangs approach.
II was o'clock yesterday morning
when the Dalton gang rode into town.
They came in two squads of three each;
and passing through unfrequented anu
deserted streets all rendezvoused in the
alley in the rear Of the First National
Bank. They quickly tied their horses,
and. without losiaS Il moment time,
proceeded to the attack on the banks.
Robert Dalton, the notorious leader OF
the gang, and Emmett, his brother,
went to the First National Bank. the
other four, under the leadership OF
Texas Jack" or John Moore, going to
the private bank Of c. NJ. Congdon 4
| Co.
In the mean time the alarm had al
ready been given and City Marshal
Connolly was quickly notified OF their
arrival, and almost before the bandits
had entered the banks he was collect
ing posse to capture them if possible,
| to Kill them if necessary.
While the marshal was collecting his
forces the bandits, all ignorant of the
trap that was being laid for them, were
proceeding deliberately with their
work of robbing the banks. Texas
Jacks" band had entered Congdon 5
bank, and with tleir Winchest rs lev
eled at Cashier Bell and Teller Garpen-
ter had ordered them TO throw up their
hands. Finding them to be unarmed,
Cashier Bell was ordered to open the
safe. The cashier explained that the
safes door was controlled by Il time
lock and that it could not by any means
short of dynamite be opened before its
time was up, which would be 10 o'clock,
or in about twenty minutes. We'll
watt said the leader, aod he sat down
ut the cashiers desk. How about the
money drawers % he asked, suddenly,
and jumping up he walked around 70
the cages of the paying and receiving
tellers, aud taking the money, amount
ing in all to less than $500, dumped it
into a flour sack with which he was
supplied, and again sat down while the
time lock slowly licked Off the seconds
and the hands of the clock tardily NOV
ed toward the hour of 10.
Bob and Emmett Dalton in the
meanwhile were having better luck ut
the First National Bank. When they
entered the bank they found within
Cashier Ayers, his son, Albert Ayers,
and teller w. II. Shepherd. None Of
them were armed, and with leveled re-
volvers, the brother bandits easily III
undated them. Albert Ayers and
Teller Shepherd were kept under the
muzzle of Emmett Dalton's revolvers
while Bob Dalton forced Cashier Ayres
to strip the safe vault and cash draw
ers of all the money contained in them
and place it in sack which had been
brought along for that purpose.
At this oppOrtune moment the Mar
shall and his posse arrived on the scene
and battle cnsued. in which four Of
the desperadoes were killed outright
and one was so badly wounded that he
has since died. The other escaped, but
is being holly pursued. OF the attack
ing party four were. killed, one was ia
tally and two were seriously wounded.
The outlaws killed were: Robert Dali
ton, Grant Dalton, Emmett Dalton,
Joseph Evans and John Moore, alias
"Texas Jack" T. c. Connolly, City
Marshal, was shot through the body,
and l.. NJ. Baldwin. bank clerk, and
G.. w. CuDine, IL merchant, were shot
throu III the head. c. W. Brown, Il
shoemaker. was shot through the body.
Several of the Marshals posse were
more or less injured.
After the battle was over search was
made for the money which the bandits
had secured from the two banks. 1t
was found in the sacks where it had
oecn placed by the robbers. One sack
was found under the body of Bob Dial
ton who had fallen dead upon it while
he was escaping from the First Nation
al Bank. The other was found tightly
clinched in Texas Jacks hand. The
money was restored to its. rightful
owners.