Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-04-26
A BLOODY BATTLE.

Desperate Fight Between Ofacers and the
Dalton Gang-The Latter Nearly Exter-
minated and the Fight, at Last Accounts
Still in PrOgress-One or More OF the
Deputy Marshals Killed-General Re
joicing.
PERRY, Okla, April 20.-A bloody
battle to the death was fought
Wednesday between six members OF
the notorious Dalton gang of outlaws
headed by Bill Dalton, and force OF
deputy United States marshals. The
bandits were wiped out of existence
by the bullets from the Winchesters OF
the posse which has been trying to eff
feet their capture for some time.
The worn out courier who brought
the news of the encounter yesterday
to this place was unable to give par
ticulars of the actual result in killed
and wounded on both sides, as he left
before the end of the battle. He be-
lieves that one or more of the marshals
have been killed.
The battle scene is reported to have
been sixty-eight miles southeast of
this city. near ingalls,, which is the
dividing line between the reservation
of the Creek Indians and Oklahoma.
The gang of outlaws consisted of Bill
Dalton. Bitter Creek Kid Three
Fingered Jack Boone" and two I'M
known men. On the side of the law
were eight United States deputy mar
shals, headed by City Marshal VIM.
Tilghman. of Perry, and his assistant,
Heck Thomas. Both these officers had
authority to act as United States mar
shals from United States Marshal Nix.
They had a reputation all over the
western states and territories for
bravery and being crack shots.
1t had been expected for some time
that the fight would be brought on,
and the desperate character of the ex-
tinct band of outlaws combined with
the determination of the officers of the
law to hunt them to their death gave
assurance of bloody battle. The
leader of the gang which has just been
exterminated, was a brother of the
more-famous Daltons who were killed
at Coffeyville, Kas., during raid by
the gang on the bank there. One
brother is living in California and an
other near Fort Smith, Ark.
The gang which has now been killed
off plundered the depot at Woodward,
only a few weeks ago, getting away
with $4,000.
Sheriff Scruggs left here last night
with a posse of twelve for the scene
of the battle. He will make forced
march, and will be joined by posses
which have left Guthrie, Oklahoma
City and Chandler for the battle
ground.
Bill Dalton has sister living near
this city, and there is great
on account of the news of the battle.
City Marshal Tilghman, who is re-
ported to have been the leader of the
posse of exterminators, was formerly
city marshal of Dodge City. Kas A
more daring officer of the law in this
section of the country is not to be
found. There is general rejoicing here
over the wiping out of the worst gang
of outlaws which has infested the ter
ritory since the original Dalton gang
met its Waterloo at the point of Win
chesters in the hands of the citizens of
Coffeyville.
Bill Dalton was a cousin to the noto-
rious Youngers, who were the terror
of Missouri for long time, and all of
whom are either dead from bullets or
in the penitentiary. The crimes of the
Dalton gang are too numerous to men
ton.