Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-20
Misesllanruus 8sading.
HOW THE DALToNs MET DEFEAT.
Man Who Wiped Out the Gang Tells
the Story.

Man Who Wiped Out the Gang Tells
| the Story.
| In the annals of the southwest there
Is no incident so stirring so full OF
bloody and dramatic features as the
story of the last raid Of the Dalton
gang at Coffeyville, Wednesday, Octo-
Der 5, 1892, when that town was chang
ed In an hour from peaceful scene OF
commerce and pleasure to bloodshed.
The tale has been told many times. 1t
has been made the subject Of epic
verse, 1t has furnished material for the
author Of the penny dreadful" 1t has
been told In many languages, but the
author of the heroic deed that rid the
world Of the numbering band Of GRIM
inals has never before told the story
himself This man, says the Topeka
Capital. Is John J. Kloehr, who here
tells the story of that memorable day:
don't like to tell this story. have
never told 1t before, that is with any
thing like completeness.
Just a word or two about the Daltons
before beginning the story Of their final
raid They were Kentuckians, born
and bred. They were cousins by mar
riage of the notorious Youngers and
Jamcses. In them the lust Of slaughter
was Unborn. In 1889 the Dalton family,
father and mother and thirteen chill
dren among them the three who met
their death here-Bob, Emmett and
Gratton-came to Kansas. They set
lied OF a farm in Montgomery county,
where they remained until the opening
of the territory. Then began the life
Of adventure that proved their undoing.
First, United States deputy marshals,
then train robbers, whisky pedlers, and
bandits II the mountain passes Of CAL
irornia: then. the final act, bank rob-
bers.
On October 4, 1892 five men, Tim
Evans, or Powers, Graf Dalton. Bob
Dalton. Emmett Dalton and Dick Broad
well. the last having been enlisted In
the scheme a day or two before, rode
up from the Indian Territory from that
part known as the Cherokee nation.
They passed the night hiding in the
wooded Businesses along the banks of
the Verdlgris river, on which this town
stands. Early on the morning Of the
5th they took up their journey again.
their blooded horses refreshed by rest
and food.
For miles they followed one Of the
main roads into Coffeyville, the road
that becomes Eighth street when 1t en-
ters the town.
AS they neared the town they were
noticed by many people riding to and
from the city. The Daltons, who were,
of course, we'll known in Coffeyville,
were disguised by false boards and by
other means. Long cloaks concealed
their Weapons Winchester rifles and
heavy Colts revolvers. They looked
as they intended, like party Of dep
uty United States marshals riding into
the state on official business. This
was an occurrence too common to ex-
cite wonderment or remark.
AS they rode up Eighth street many
eyes were turned upon them, but with
out arousing the slightest suspicion.
1t was evidently their intention to tie
their horses on Eighth street, where
they would be readily accessible when
the need to flee came. However, the
street was torn up, pending certain
repairs, making this impossible. An
alley running directly off the street at
tracted their attention. They turned
down it, the only false move they had
made thus far, and tied their horses to
n paling back Of my livery stable.
Then In single file they emerged from
the alley, their long coats removed,
their spurs clanking, their guns swing
ing at their sides.
Three of them. Bob and Grafton Dali
ton and Powers, entered the Condor
Nationa! Bank, and covering the cash
icr with their Winchesters commanded
him to open the vault. Graf hurried
around behind the iron screen that
partitioaed the vaults and the business
opening heavy grain sack command
ed one of the three clerks to pour into
it all the cash In sight That done he,
with a fierce oath and threatening wave
of his gun, commanded the cashier to
open the vault and get the gold.
Il can't" replied the cashier. "The
time lock Is on the vault"
What time will 1t open?"
AT half past g." returned the cash.
ier The time was only a guess on his
part: 1t was after 10 o'clock then, but
Graf bit at the desperate expedient to
gain time. We'll wait" he announced.
All this time the citizens were not
idle. So completely by surprise had
the assault on the bank been that no
one was In the least prepared. Even
the town marshal, Frank Connolly,
was unarmed. The first intimation
that | had Of the affair was when some
one ran into the stable shouting that
Condon's bank was being robbed. had
no weapon In the barn, but running
fitted myself out with small Win
chester, the first thing that came up
on. Stationing myself on the street
began to fire on the Condor bank, hop
ing to Illustrate the plans of the band
it's. In this l was soon joined by 9TH
ers, who hurriedly procured weapons
from the hardware stores. The plate
glass windows of the bank were rid
died. the bank people narrowly escap-
cd death from the flying bullets but
the effect Of the fusillade was to make
the robbers chary of staying too long
I'm the bank. In the grain sack was
about $4,000 In silver and greenbacks.
Thu silver was discarded, Graf Dalton
stuffing the paper money into his coat.
Then they made their way to the rear
doors of the bank, driving the cashier
and his assistants before them. When
they swung open the door they were
confronted by George Baldwin. twenty
three years old, as brave and noble a
lad as ever breathed. In his hand he
held a pistol. toy compared to the