Lives would be lost and with money on the line the Dalton Gang would stop at nothing to complete their daunting task. To better understand the true nature of the Dalton gang, certain aspects of their family history, the robbery in Coffeyville, and the life of the survivors in the famous shootout must be properly portrayed. Being one of the last gangs of the “Wild West” only meliorated their image as brutal and heartless thugs. Outlaws throughout history have been seen as slippery bandits that take the hard earned money of the citizens to fill their wallets and to support the shameful habits of a criminal. “Blood is thicker than water” and the Dalton gang lived this famous quote to the bitter and tragic end.

The brothers of the Dalton Gang consisted of Emmett “Em” Dalton (1871-13 Jul. 1937), Franklin “Frank” Dalton (1864?- 27 Nov. 1887), Grattan “Grat” Dalton (1861- 5 Oct. 1892), Robert “Bob” Renick Dalton (1870- 5 Oct. 1892), William “Bill” Marion Dalton (1863- 1894) (“Family History” 1). Emmett Dalton was born in Cass County, Mo. His spouse was Julia Ann Johnson. Franklin Dalton was bo

rn in Jackson County, Mo. His wife was Nancy E. Kestesson. Grattan Dalton was born in Douglas County, KS. His wife was Mary Hughes. Robert Dalton was born in Cass County, Mo. His spouse was Lucy Ann Johnson, she was the sister of Julia Ann Johnson who was Emmett’s wife. William Dalton was born in Cass County, Mo. His wife was Jane “Jennie” Bliven. James Lewis Dalton and Adeline Lee Younger were the parents of the five Dalton boys in the gang. William St. Power, Bill Doolin, Charlie Pierce, George Newcomb, Charlie Bryant and Richard “Dick” Broadwell were also members of the Dalton Gang.

The Dalton brothers grew up as cousins of the younger brothers, fellow outlaws who rode with Frank and Jesse James in the 1870's. But Bob, Grat, and Emmett Dalton started out wearing the tin star of a lawman. Their older brother, Frank Dalton, became a deputy marshal in 1884 and was shot to death while trying to arrest three bootleggers in 1887. Grat and Bob Dalton became deputy marshals in the late 1880's, and Emmett Dalton worked for Bob Dalton as a guard. Numerous accounts say the three Dalton boys leaned toward a life of crime even while working as lawmen. By the 1890's they were selling liquor and stealing horses in Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma. By 1892 their gang had committed a few train robberies, including one in which a man was shot and killed. (3)

Fig.2. Bill Powers, Bob Dalton, Grat Dalton, Dick Broadwell, Eyewitness to History 11 Oct. 2003.

William St. Power, alias Bill Powers, alias Tom Evans, drifted in to Territories from Texas with a trail herd from the Pecos. Bill Doolin was recruited by Emmett Dalton while working at the Bar X Bar Ranch near the Pawnee Agency. Charlie Pierce fled to the Indian Nation to avoid trouble in Missouri, and settled in Pawnee country. He spent time in the Fort Smith jail for whiskey peddling. George Newcomb, a.k.a. Bitter Creek Newcomb, at age twelve he began working for C.C. Slaughter on the Long S Ranch in Texas. He later drifted into the territories. Little is known about Charlie Bryant who hailed from Wise County, Texas other than he had a black mark on his cheek that earned him the nickname Black-Faced Charlie. Richard Broadwell came from a prominent family from Kansas. After staking a claim in the Cowboy Flats area he meet and married a young lady who had staked a claim next to him. She later persuaded him to sell both claims and move to Fort Worth, TX. were she disappeared with the money. He returned to the territories to began work on the ranches.

Some topics in this essay:
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