Three Issues :Thursday, October 6, 1892, Friday, October 7, 1892 And Saturday, October 8, 1892, Of The San Francisco Chronicle. With The Sensational Headlines Of The October 6 Issue Being "Their Last Raid...Bloody End Of The Dalton Band...Five Notorious Bandits Shot Down...Three Citizens Killed In A Battle...Two Banks Robbed In Broad Daylight...Bob And Grat Dalton Dead And Emmet Dying ...A Liveryman’S Unerring Aim".

THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Publication: The San Francisco Chronicle, 1892, San Francisco

Three complete issues of The San Francisco Chronicle are provided to describe the aftermath of the Daltons infamous raid on Coffeyville, Kansas.

Three Daltons, Bob, Grat and Emmet, Dick Broadwell and Bill Powers wanted to do what no one had ever done before….rob two banks at the same time. After camping on Onion Creek, west of Coffeyville, they rode into town on horseback heading east on Eighth Street early on the morning of October 5, 1892. The Dalton brothers, being former residents of Coffeyville, wore disguises. They had planned to tie their horses between the two banks, but because Eighth Street was torn up, they tied them in the alley close to the jail. That was their first mistake.

Killed were the four gang members...Bob Dalton, Grat Dalton, Bill Powers and Dick Broadwell who died shortly after the fight. Plus...City Marshal Charles T. Connelly, Lucius Baldwin, George Cubin and Charles Brown. Only Emmett Dalton would survive after having been hit with 23 gunshot wounds.

The October 6th issue fills nearly 3 full front-page columns including three sketches of the outlaws Grat, Emmet and Bob Dalton. The next day, October 7th 1 1/2 columns are devoted with headlines, "One Fatal Mistake--The Daltons Deceived by a Cashier--A Quick-witted Lie Saved the Banks--Most Sensational bit of Border History since the James Boys' Exploits." October 8th remains front page news but only 2/3 of a column is devoted to the aftermath of the killings, plus a short segment on the disbursement of various rewards offered for the killing or capture of members of the Dalton gang.

The plan for the raid was that on October 5, 1892, Bob, Grat, and Emmett Dalton, along with Bill Powers and Dick Broadwell, would rob the C.M. Condon Bank and the First National Bank simultaneously. “Three of the bandits - Grat Dalton, Bill Powers and Dick Broadwell - went into the Condon Bank; Bob and Emmet entered the First National. When the gang demanded money from the safe at the Condon, the quick thinking bank employee told him that the safe would not open until 9:30 a.m. It was twenty past nine at the time. Grat said, "I’ll wait," which was their second mistake. That ten minutes (the vault did not have a time lock on it) gave the townspeople the time they needed to get to Isham Hardware, grab some guns and ammunition and begin defending the town. When the raid was over, which lasted 12 minutes, four of the Dalton gang were dead and four of Coffeyville’s citizens were killed. Three of the citizens - George Cubine, Charles Brown and Lucius Baldwin - were killed near Isham Hardware, Marshall Connelly died in what is today known as Death Alley. Bob and Grat Dalton and Bill Powers were killed in Death Alley and are buried in Coffeyville’s Elmwood Cemetery. Dick Broadwell escaped on horseback and died about a half mile from the downtown. He was buried at Hutchinson.”

“The Daltons were "laid out" in the city jail following their death prior to burial. There were souvenir hunters even in the Dalton’s days. Portions of the manes and tails of the Dalton’s horses were cut off and all the strings from the saddles. In addition, pieces of clothing from the gang members were cut off.”

“Emmet Dalton, the youngest of the Daltons, survived the Raid but received 23 gunshot wounds. These were removed, he was given a life sentence in the Kansas penitentiary at Lansing and pardoned after 14 years by Governor Edward W. Hoch in November of 1907 allowing for his immediate release based on his youth at the time of the crime, exemplary behavior in prison, and strong rehabilitation. He moved to California and became a real estate agent, author and actor, dying in 1937 at the age of 66.”

“The banks were robbed of approximately $25,000. After the day’s banking business was completed and the books were balanced, the Condon came up $20 short and First National was $1.98 over, so fortunately for the banks most of the money was recovered.”

Each issue measures 22 3/4" x 17" and is 12-pages and disbound, Stanford University stamp at upper left corner of each issue. minor tiny nicks and tears to the fore-edges, evidence of a horizontal fold, but overall very good copies. Of special interest are the front illustrations of the Dalton Brothers.