The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-06
THRILLING FIGHT
WITH DALTON GANG
Brothers Careers Brought to a
Close at CoffeWille, Kan.
TERRORIZED THE TOWN
Robbed Two Banks While Citizens
Were Firing on Them and Then
Retreated to an Alley to
Their Horses.
TERR0RlZED THE TOWN

Topeka Kan, Saturday.-In the annals
of the southwest there is no incident so
stirring, SO full of dramatic features as
the story of the last raid of the Dalton
gang at Coffeyvile Wednesday, October
5, 1892.
This is the way John ]. Kloehr, the
man responsible for Kidding the world of
the numbering band of criminals, told his
story for the first time to the reporter
of the Hopeka Capital:
Just a word or two about the Daltons
before beginning the story of their final
raid. They were Kentuclians, born and
bred. They were cousins by marriage of
the notorious Youngers and Jameses. In
them the lust of slaughter was Unborn.
In 1889 the Dalton family father and
mother and thirteen children, among
them the three who met their death here
Bob, Emmett and Grattan-came to
Kansas They settled on farm in Mont
gomery county, where they remained
until the opening of the territory. They
began the life of adventure that proved
their undoing. First, United States dep
uty marshals then train robbers, whisky
peddlers and bandits in the mountain
passes of California; then, the final act,
bank robbers.
On October 4, 1892. five men, Tim Evans,
or Powers, Graf Dalton, Bob Dalton,
Emmett Dalton and Dick Broadwell, 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
Verdigris river, on which this town
stands. Early on the morning OF the btu
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 be-
comes Eighth street when it enters the
town.
Looked Like Officials.
AS they neared the town they were no.
ticed by many people riding to and from
the city. The Daltons, who were. OF
course well known in Coffeyville, were
| disguised by false boards and by other
means Long cloaks concealed their
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS rifles and heavy
Colts revolvers. They looked. as they
intended. like a party of deputy United
States marshals riding into the state on
official business. This was an occurrence
mark.
AS they rode up Eighth street many
ewes were turned upon them, but with
out arousing the slightest suspicion. 1t
was evidently their intention to tie their
horses in Eighth street, where they would
be readily accessible when the need to
fee came. However the street was torn
up, pending certain repairs, making this
impossible. An alley running directly Off
the street attracted their attention. They
turned down 1t, the only false move they
had made thus far, and tied their horses
to a paling back Of my livery stable
Then in single file they emerged from
the alley. their long cloaks removed. their
spurs clanking, their guns swinging at
their sides.
Three of them, Bob and Grattan Dali
ton and Powers. entered the Condor Ma
tional hank. and, covering the cashier
with their rifles, commanded him to open
the vault. ''Grat" hurried around behind
the iron screen that partitioned the vault
and the business part of the bank from
the front. and. opening heavy grain :
sack commanded one of the three clerks
to pour into it all the cash in sight. This
DONE he with fierce oath and threaten
ing wave of the gun. commanded the
cashier to open the vault and get the
gold.
II can't" replied the cashier THE
time lock is on the vault
cat what time will 1t open?'
AT half-past nine returned the
cashier The time was only a guess on
his part: it was after 9 o'clock then. but
tGrat'' bit at tho desperate expedient to
gain time. well wait" he announced.
Citizens Were Not Idle.
All this time the citizens were not idle.
The assault on the bank had been so
sudden that no one was in the least pre-
pared. Even the town marshal. Frank
Connolly was unarmed. The first inti-
nation 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. run
ming across the street to hardware
store, | fitted myself out with small
Winchester, the first thing / came upfs1.
Stationing myself on the street began to
fire on the Condor bank, hoping to frus-
trate the plans of the bandits In this !
was soon Joined by others, who hurriedly
procured weapons from the hardware
stores. The plate glass windows of the
bank were riddled and the bank people
narrowly escaped death from the flying
bullets. but the effect of the fusilade was
to make the robbers chary of staying too
long in the bank In the grain sack was
about $4,000 in silver and greenbacks. The
silver was discarded, Graf Dalton stuff
ing 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 con-
fronted by George Baldwin. % years
old. as brave and noble lad as ever
breathed. In his hand he neld a pistol. a
toy compared to the weapons carried by
the robbers.
"Ill have to get that man. said Bob
Dalton, and raising his Winchester to his