Today in History—October 5: The Dalton Gang Tries to Rob Two Banks at Once

On this day in 1892, three Dalton brothers—Grattan, Bob, and Emmett—and two associates rode into Coffeyville, Kansas. They tied their horses up in an alley. They had a plan. And they had more than half a dozen train robberies under their belts.

Taking inspiration from their cousins—who had been members of the more famous Jesse and Frank James outlaw gang—the Dalton gang decided to rob two banks at once. In broad daylight. On the town square. (There’s a lot going on in this family. Thanksgiving must have been fun.)

Bob was determined to outdo Jesse James, and you couldn’t do that with train robberies—snatch-and-grab jobs that only netted pocket change.

Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.

SIGN UP

By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Coffeyville, near the Oklahoma border, was once home to the Dalton family, so they knew it well. The town had been changing, even getting a new bank in 1890. Now there were two banks, conveniently located across the street from each other.

At that point, Jesse had been dead for a decade, and Frank had been tried for crimes three times—in Missouri, then Alabama, and back to Missouri again. It was perhaps not the best example to imitate.

On this Wednesday morning, Grattan, William “Bill” Powers, and Richard “Dick” Broadwell ducked into C.M. Condon & Co. Bank. Despite disguises, they were recognized by a man outside, who raised the alarm.

Inside, the quick-thinking clerk insisted the vault had a timed lock.

Grattan famously said, “I’ll wait.”

The gang would soon pay dearly for those minutes.

Meanwhile, Bob and Emmett crossed the street and entered First National. Here, a teller slowly handed over the loot, one piece at a time. While the men were still loading their haul, bullets started flying.

On the way out, they fired indiscriminately, killing four townspeople.

Outside, there had been a development. As word had spread, the town had taken defensive measures. Aided by both banks’ employees buying time, citizens had taken guns and ammunition from the hardware store. The gang now faced a dozen armed men blocking their escape.

Gunfire erupted. When the smoke cleared, three of the Dalton gang lay dead; Emmett was wounded but survived. The fifth man had escaped during the melee; he was found dead of his injuries a half mile away.

The men wanted to make history.

Well, they did.