The Dalton Gang's Ill-Fated Plan
The Dalton Gang, comprised of brothers Bob, Grat, and Emmett Dalton, along with Bill Power and Dick Broadwell, were no strangers to crime. Hoping to solidify their outlaw reputation and make a fortune, they devised a daring scheme: to rob both the C.M. Condon & Company's Bank and the First National Bank in Coffeyville simultaneously. Disguised with false beards and wigs, they believed they could pull off the heist undetected. They were wrong. The townspeople, familiar with the notorious Daltons despite their disguises, quickly recognized the outlaws.
A Town Rises Against Its Attackers
The alarm was raised, and the citizens of Coffeyville, rather than cowering in fear, armed themselves with whatever weapons they could find. A fierce gun battle erupted on the town's main street. What followed was a chaotic scene of gunfire and shouting, as townsfolk and outlaws exchanged fire. It was a shootout for the ages, and one that the Dalton Gang would not win.
The Aftermath and Legacy
The smoke cleared to reveal a scene of carnage. Four of the five gang members – Bob and Grat Dalton, Bill Power, and Dick Broadwell – lay dead in the street. Emmett Dalton, though severely wounded, survived. He was later tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison, though he was eventually paroled after 14 years. Four brave townsfolk also lost their lives defending their town.
The Dalton family's roots traced back to Kentucky, but they settled in the Coffeyville area in the late 1840s. Ironically, while some family members became notorious outlaws, others dedicated their lives to law enforcement. Several Daltons served as deputy United States marshals in the Indian Territory and as police officers, even chiefs of police, in the Osage Nation. Lewis Dalton passed in 1890 in Dearing. Afterward, his family relocated to Oklahoma.
Today, Coffeyville, located just two miles north of the Oklahoma border and about sixty miles west of Joplin, Missouri, embraces its unique place in history. Visitors from around the globe flock to the town to walk in the footsteps of the Dalton Gang and learn about the day that law and order triumphed over outlaw ambition. Emmett Dalton, in an ironic twist, even capitalized on his notoriety by later starring in a movie based on the infamous robbery.