SHOOT OUT IN COFFEYVILLE

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C.M. Condon Bank in the 1800's

C.M. Condon Bank Today

  On October 5, 1892 five members of the Dalton Gang rode into Coffeyville Kansas. The Daltons had been outlaws for about two years and had primarily been robbing trains prior to this day. The law was turning up the heat on the Dalton's and they wanted to score big by doing something that had never been done before. Rob two banks at the same time. Hopefully they would get enough money to hide out for awhile until the heat subsided. There were 15 brothers and sisters among the Dalton children. Two died before reaching adulthood. Four Dalton brothers decided to be outlaws after first being in law enforcement. Their oldest brother Frank had been killed as a lawman. The Dalton's were kin to the Younger brother's who had rode with Jesse James and were killed and captured during the Northfield Minnesota robbery that had gone bad. One of the four Dalton's decided to ride with the Wild Bunch. The five outlaws that rode into Coffeyville were Grat Dalton, Emmett Dalton, Bob Dalton, Bill Power, and Dick Broadwell. 

 Most criminals aren't the sharpest tools in the shed and apparently the Dalton's were no exception because they were from Coffeyville. They tried to disguise their identity by wearing wigs and fake beards. Many of the townspeople recognized them and realized what they were doing. Coffeyville citizens could see three of the robbers holding up the C.M. Condon & Co. bank clearly through the banks plate glass windows. They could also see Bob and Emmett Dalton enter the First National Bank across the street. The townspeople scrambled to arm themselves with Winchesters, revolvers, shotguns and ammunition. Many of them took up positions in a hardware store where they had a clear view of both banks. 

 This was the Northfield Minnesota ambush of the bad guys by the towns citizens about to be played out again. When the robbers realized they were trapped they tried to use the bank clerks as human shields but this didn't work. Under a hail of bullets all five robbers made it to a back alley but four of the five robbers were killed trying to escape. One robber managed to escape after being mortally wounded but he died less than a mile from town on the side of the road. Four of the townsmen were killed, including a Marshall. Emmett Dalton might have escaped with a bag filled with 20,000 dollars, and several wounds, but he turned back to help his dying brother, Bob Dalton, and was shot multiple times. He would survive and serve 14 years of a life sentence. Emmett Dalton would be pardoned in 1907 and he would die in 1937 at the age of 66.
C.M. Condon Bank  With Bullet Holes

Death Alley
Dead Robbers In The Death Alley

Bill Power, Bob Dalton, Grat Dalton, And Dick Broadwell

Bob & Grat Dalton
Emmett Dalton's Mug Shot

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