Condon Bank Robbery

[Shakey Jake]

Have a bit of time on my hands so I thought I'd post the newspaper account of the Dalton gang's comeuppance at Coffeyville, Ks 10-05-1892

"It was as sunny a day as was ever known in southern Kansas, the atmosphere balmy, yet bracing--just such a day in October as the people of the Southwest enjoy to the utmost. The first signs of autumn were beginning to show in the color of the leaves, the brown tinge that was being taken on by the grass at the roadside and the leaves that fluttered down from the trees--the early harbingers of fall.

As the morning wore away five men rode into the little city, but they attracted no particular attention at first. Those who saw them noticed without comment that they were mounted on good horses, that they had Mexican saddles and that all their trappings were bright and new. This was not unusual, for cattlemen were coming and going every day. It was not an uncommon sight for me to ride into Coffeyville as these men rode. Any casual observer would have said, had he been asked to name their occupation, that they were cattlemen following their herds.

From the side of their saddles hung the ordinary hair covered pockets, and there was no way of knowing that they contained six-shooters. Behind their saddles they carried "slickers" in compact rolls, as was the habit of those who rode the trails. They might have been a marshal and his posse, although no weapons were in sight. Such as they carried, including their Winchesters, were concealed by their coats. They wore the regulation broad-brimmed hats of the day, drawn well down over their faces, and they looked straight ahead as they rode quietly into the town.

The leader of the gang, Bob Dalton, wore a heavy false mustache and goatee, which was as good as a disguise as he could have chosen, for he grew no beard of his own. Grat Dalton's face was covered by a long, shaggy beard. Emmett Dalton also wore a false beard to conceal his face, while Dick Broadwell and Bill Powers, who rode behind, wore no disguise of any kind, since the were unknown there.

The three men rode at a slow trot along the principal street, the three Daltons abreast and the other two following, until they were within a half a block of the square. Then they wheeled to the right and rode a half a block, disappearing into an alley where the tied their horses. In a short time they came out afoot on the principal street of Coffeyville.

Many farmers were in town that day and as the bandits crossed the street many persons looked at them Among these observers was a merchant of Coffeyville, who saw at a glance that the men were disguised. There flashed into his mind the thought that they were bank robbers, and when three of them entered the Condon Bank he felt sure of it. The three men who went into the Condon Bank were Grat Dalton, Powers and Broadwell. At the same moment Bob and Emmett Dalton went into the First National Bank. The man who stood looking at them seemed to realize all at once what was going on. Unconsciously he had walked down the street and stood looking into the window of the Condon Bank. He saw Grat Dalton pointing his revolver at the cashier's head.

The man who had seen this ran back up the street and shouted to all he saw that the bank was being robbed. Another man had followed the bandits into the bank and witnessed the holdup but he was ordered to hold up his hands and was unable to give the alarm. As soon as the alarm was given it ran like an electric shock up and down the street. There was a rush for guns and revolvers and in a short time shots were being fired through the front doors and windows of the two banks at the bandits.

Coolness on the part of the robbers, such as was shown by them at this juncture, was marvelous. There was no panic on their part. With bullets flying all about them they went calmly about receiving the money that was handed out to them. It was placed in the sack they had brought or the purpose. The bandits worked fast and only a short time was required for them to get the money, but even then the street near the banks was filled with men, many of the armed with Winchesters and some carrying shot guns.

When the three outlaws came out of the Condon Bank they were met by a heavy fire from all directions, but they ran out with their Winchesters in their hands and many of those in the streets sought place of safety. The two Daltons had robbed the First National Bank and were ready to leave it at the same time, but when they started out they were met by the crash of falling glass and a rain of bullets. They turned back and made their way from the building through a rear door into the alley, fighting as the ran.

Grat Dalton and the two bandits with him came out at the front door of the Condon Bank, but with bullets pattering all about them. One of the bandits was already wounded when they emerged from the bank and blood was dripping from his sleeve. He carried a six-shooter in the other hand and was still as cool as any man in sight. But there was quick work, for dozens of men were there to receive the robbers when they cam out. Within fifteen minutes from the time they entered the banks, four of the outlaws had been shot and the fifth, Emmett Dalton, had been captured, with one bullet through his right arm and another through his left hip.

Emmet Dalton might have escaped, as he had succeeded in mounting his horse after running through the alley with Grat until they came to where the horses were tied, but he deliberately rode back, after having started away, to where his brother lay dying. He reached down, took hold of Grat's hand and tried to raise him to a place on the horse behind. While he was trying to rescue his brother, Emmett Dalton was stuck in the back by a heavy load of shot at close range. He released the dying man's hand, reeled in the saddle and fell to the ground.

Dick Broadwell had reached his horse when a load from a shot gun and bullet from a Winchester struck him about the same time. Bleeding from these fatal wounds he still clung to his horse, which dashed out and over the road by which the outlaws had entered the town. His dead body was found a little later by the roadside, the faithful horse standing beside it.

Four of the bandits were killed in the fight and four citizens of Coffeyville were dead. They were Lucius M Baldiwn, George B Cubine, Charles Brown and the city marshal, Charles T. Connelly. The bodies of the four dead bandits were take to the jail where they remained until the mother of the Daltons arrived, accompanied by their two brothers, William and Ben Dalton. When he was recovered sufficiently Emmett Dalton was removed to the jail at Independence, Kansas.

When quiet was restored it was found that the robbers had taken $11,000.00 from the First National Bank and $20,000.00 from the Condon Bank. All of this money was returned to the banks with the exception of $20.00 which was never found."

As a side note Bill Doolan was a member of the gang and would have been with them except for the fact that his horse came up lame and prevented him from being a participant.

Jake