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1858 - 1896 Doolin Dalton Gang
- The Wild Bunch
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Bill Doolin was born in Johnson County,
Arkansas in 1858.
The Doolin Dalton Gang consisted of a number of outlaws
towards the end of the 19th century. The Dalton brothers Grat, Frank, Bob, Bill and Emmett were raised on the border
of Indian Territory (I.T.) near Coffeyville, Kansas, USA.
They had worked as law officers for sometime but eventually
went crooked and, with the gang, became a scourge of the
west.
For a while Emmett Dalton worked on the Bar X Bar Ranch near
the Pawnee Agency, on the Cimarron River, Oklahoma and here
also worked William St. Power, "Tulsa Jack" Blake
and Bill Doolin. Several other gang members also came from
the ranch. Bill Doolin was 23 years old when, after numerous
jobs, he got work at this ranch in 1881. He worked here as a
cowboy for Oscar D Halsall, of Texas, who he had met in
Caldwell in Kansas. Doolin became the top hand.
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The Daltons are believed to have committed their first train
robbery on 6 February 1891 at Alila, California. They fled,
Grat and Bill Dalton were arrested, and Bob and Emmett went
back to the ranch and joined up with the others of the gang.
In May they robbed the train at Wharton, O.T. making off with $1745.
Bill Doolin then fell into trouble with the law in a
shoot-out and wounding of two officers in Coffeyville, Kansas
over a keg of beer for a 4th July party in 1891.
The gang's then robbed the Katy train at Leliaetta, Wagoner,
IT of $2500 on 15 September 1891. The gang were now Bob and
Emmett Dalton, 'Bitter Creek' Newcomb, Bill Powers, Dick Broadwell, Charlie Pierce and Bill
Doolin. Later Grat escaped
and rejoined the gang.
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On 1 June 1892 the gang, including Bill Doolin, robbed the a
train at Red Rock Station. Just as the train entered the
station, the gang carefully positioned, spotted something
wrong with the coaches and held back to rob the next train of
only £50. However, if they had of taken on the first train
they would have had their work cut out because it had $70,000
protected by a train full of armed guards.
Their last train on 14 July 1892 was at Adair IT. They
escaped with cash after a terrifying shoot out with Deputies
on the train in which two bystanders were shot, one killed.
The gang then split up. The Dalton boys and some others, but
not Bill Doolin, went to rob two banks in Coffeyville, Kansas
on 5 October 1892. They were quickly recognised and the
townspeople armed themselves. In a fierce shootout four of
the brave townsmen lost their lives but for of the five
bandits were also killed. Emmett seriously wounded later
stood trial, and was sentenced to life for the crime.
We do not know why Bill Doolin was not there on the day. Some
say he was as a mysterious sixth gunman. Some say there had
been a big falling out with the jealous Bob Dalton who
considered Bill Doolin to be a 'loose cannon'.
Bill Doolin, Bitter creek Newcomb and Charlie Pierce were
still on the run. On 12 October 1892 in Caney, Kansas, just
eighteen miles west of Coffeyville another train was robbed
of $1,500 by four masked men.
The gang was joined by Ol Yantis to rob the Ford County Bank
at Spearville, Kansas on 1 November 1892. The gang split to
avoid the posse which followed Ol Yantis and shot him dead.
The gang were then joined by Bill "Tulsa Jack" Blake, Dan
"Dynamite Dick" Clifton, George "Red Buck" Waightman and
Bill Dalton the last of the Dalton boys.
The gang were now feared in this part of the West with
regular robberies occurring in the vicinity. But Bill Doolin
had a private life and married Edith Ellsworth of Ingalls, OT
on the 14 March 1893 in Kingfisher, OT. Their married
relationship was always kept a secret. |
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Shortly after, on 11 June 1892 Bill's gang was robbing a
train near Cimarron, Kansas. The posse chased him and shot
him in the left foot. While he escaped his foot was badly
damaged and he would limp for the rest of his life.
The gang was joined by Roy "Arkansas Tom Jones"
Daugherty. Almost as soon as he joined he was caught in an
violent ambush by Marshalls, in the gang's hideout in Ingalls
OT. This occurred on 1 September 1893. Thirteen Marshalls and
seven of the gang shot it out. Three Marshalls and one
bystander were killed. Two of the bandits and one bystander
were injured. Arkansas Tom was tried and imprisoned for 50
years.
The gang carried on with robberies throughout 1894. Bill
Dalton split from the gang to form his own but killed in a
shootout in Ardmore IT on 8 June 1894.
The gang, now known as the Wild Bunch, committed it's last
robbery on a train at Dover OT. They robbed the passengers
and on there way back to Ames, OT, they were skillfully
followed by a posse. In the gun battle Tulsa Jack was shot
dead and the rest of the gang split up.
Rewards were high and the gang on the run. On 1 May 1895 they
were in hiding in Dunn's Farm. Bill, John and Dal Dunn shot
Bitter Creek Newcomb and Charlie Pierce while they were
asleep. They then collected $5,000 from a Marshall in Guthrie
for their bodies!
After the deaths of the gang members Bill Doolin tried
desperately to negotiate a lighter sentence for turning
himself in but this was refused. So, Bill left the territory
for New Mexico and spent the summer of 1895 in hiding with
Little Dick West. Edith was at home with their son in Ingalls, Oklahoma and eventually Bill went back to them an
took them off to 'start again' in Burden, Kansas. Despite a
false name of "Tom Wilson" Bill Doolin was followed
to Burden and on to Eureka Springs where he was captured by
Deputy Marshall Tilghman who had killed other members of the
old gang.
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Locked up Bill was no longer a threat and the Marshalls
easily rounded up, or shot, the remaining members of the
gang. In prison together on 5 July 1896 Bill Doolin and
Dynamite Dick escaped with twelve other prisoners. Bill fled
to Edith in Lawson OT and made plans to move on. However,
Marshall Heck Thomas was on the trail with his posse and
caught up with him 24 August 1896. Thomas arranged an ambush
for Doolin and shot him dead. |
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