The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-03
FORMER OUTLAW
 VISITS CAPITAL Partner of Jesse James Is Now
 Business Man WITH TULSA DELEGATION Emmet Dalton Served 17 Years in Pen itentiary, But Is Now Respect
 ed Citizen of Oklahoma.
 Is Modest Man.
WITH TULSA DELEGATION
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
 When the special train bearing the del- egation of Tulsans who are making a tour of the principal eastern cities in the interest of Tulsa, Okla, pulled out of Union station yesterday afternoon for Baltimore, solitary man stood on the rear platform of the last car and gazed wonderingly upon the great buildings, the sweeping thoroughfares, and the ma jestic pose of the Indian on the dome of the capitol. He was Emmet Dalton, once member of the famous outlaw band which thirty years ago, under the leadership of Frank and Jesse James, terrorized the western country.
 About five months ago Dalton was re- leased from the penitentiary on parole by direction of the governor of Kansas, after having served nearly seventeen years of the sentence for complicity in the outrages perpetrated by this notorious band. He is now a respected citizen of Tulsa. and conducts a meat store there with Scott Younger, a relative of the famous Younger brothers, who partici- pated in many of the expeditions of the James boys. Dalton is a member of the Tulsa delegation, and is viewing the won ders of the big cities for the first time.
 Not Proud of Past.
 Although his picturesque career has gilded outlawry with an allurement un- surpassed since the days of Robin Hood Dalton is desirous that his experience should prove no false lesson to American youth. He is not at all proud of his wasted years. He declares that man who chooses the career of an outlaw is either a natural fool or an innocent mad man. But Dalton does not beguile him. self He does not pretend to be a hero; he repels all efforts of the morbdminded to exploit him in heroic guise. And he Is respected by prominent men of Tulsa.
 Dalton is about fifty years old. He bears erect a six-foot, portly frame, clad in conventional black. His eyes are dark gray, his face ruddy with healthy com plexion He appears the middle-aged, prosperous citizen of excellent endow- ments. His countenance indicates also uncommon coolness, courage, tenacity of purpose.
 "To me" said Dalton, "the word out law is living coal of fire The past to me is a tragedy shrouded in bitter mem ories l was young and foolish. and association with men of adventurous pro- clivties eventually resulted in imprison- ment. And how many men can conceive what it means to languish in prison But I learned much in my lonely cell. l have learned to hope in a divinity; that surplus of energy and determination will conquer every weakness.
 Building for the Future.
 q do not desire to plunge deeply into my past I shall strive to build up a name that will be famed for sincerity and honesty And if directness of pur- pose can accomplish anything, l shall succeed. The wrong man commits should not live with him, mock his ef- forts, and constitute a perpetual embar- rassment. When man has paid pen atty for wrongdoing. he should be per- mitted to demonstrate the caliber of his character. If he fails to reform, then it is time for the condemnation of the world. "When I joined the wild band l was q mere youth. Perhaps my age accounted for the indiscretions I committed. When I became branded, so to speak. l never visited my home except by stealth Ev- erywhere the members of the band went around armed, on the lookout for enemies and detectives. Again and again we were charged with offenses committed at places that we never had seen. If a bank was robbed anywhere in the middle west, if q train or a stage coach was held up, the blame was laid at our door.
 q do not mean to deny that many out rages were perpetrated by the gang, but I do insist that we were frequently wrongly accused