William M. Dalton

William Marion "Bill" Dalton
Born William Marion Dalton
1866
Cass County, Missouri, United States
Died June 8, 1894 (aged 27–28)
Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States
Resting place
 Turlock Memorial Park
37°29′47″N 120°51′54″W / 37.49639°N 120.86500°W
Nationality American
Other names William Marion Dalton
Occupation
  • Bank & Train Robbery
  • Old West Outlaw
Spouse(s) Jane "Jennie" Bliven
Children
  • Charles Coleman "Chubb" Dalton
  • Grace M. Dalton
Parent(s)
  • James Lewis Dalton
  • Adelaine Lee Sullivan Younger

William Marion Dalton (1866–June 8, 1894), called Bill Dalton, was an American outlaw in the American Old West. He was the co-leader of the Wild Bunch gang and he was the brother of the founders of the Dalton Gang, Gratton, Bob and Emmett.

Early life & career

Dalton was born in Kansas. For a time, he was one of the two success stories of the Dalton family, for a time being a member of the California legislature. His older brother Frank Dalton was a highly respected Deputy US Marshal. However, by 1890 he was tired of politics, and joined his brothers in a train robbery outside Los Angeles, California. He and his brother Grat Dalton were captured, but later escaped. When his brothers were killed in the infamous 1892 raid on Coffeyville, Kansas, Dalton moved to Oklahoma, where he met Bill Doolin, and the two formed their own gang. They called the gang by two names, the Doolin Dalton Gang and the Oklahombres, but it became best known as the Wild Bunch.

Bill Dalton became obsessed with becoming more famous than his brothers, and he and Doolin went to great efforts to see that happen. For three years they committed bank robbery, stagecoach robbery, and train robbery in various places around Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas. On September 1, 1893, they were trailed to Ingalls, Oklahoma and became involved in the Battle of Ingalls, during which he shot and killed Deputy US Marshal Lafeyette Shadley.[1] Bill Dalton decided to leave the Doolin Dalton gang and form his own Dalton Gang. On May 23, 1894, Dalton and his new gang robbed the First National Bank at Longview, Texas. This was the only job by the gang. Various posses would kill three of the members and send the last one to life in prison. On June 8, 1894, a posse tracked Dalton to his home in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He leaped from a window with a pistol in his hand and charged the posse, ignoring orders to halt; the posse opened fire, killing him. His wife identified his body, and had him shipped back to California for burial.

In popular culture

The song Doolin Dalton, a hit for the Eagles, was inspired by the gang. Furthermore, Desperado, the album on which the song Doolin Dalton appears, is considered a 'concept album' inspired by the antics of the various players from this era including a song called 'Bittercreek'; a passing lyrical reference to a barmaid named 'Flo'; and of course the iconic photo on the back cover of said album which features the members of the band lying face up, hands tied and appearing to be dead, much like the infamous historical picture of the Dalton Brothers 'lying dead in Coffeyville'.

References

  1. ↑ "Deputy Marshal Lafayette "Lafe" Shadley". Officer Down Memorial Page. Retrieved May 19, 2008.

External links