Dalton brothers

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The bodies of Bill Power, Bob Dalton, Grat Dalton, and Dick Broadwell (from left), October 5, 1892

The Dalton Brothers, in the strict sense of the word, were a group of four bandits and are among the legendary characters of the Wild West .

History and career

The four Dalton brothers were Bob (Robert Rennick, 1869-1892), Grat (Grattan Hanley, 1861-1892), Bill (William Marion, 1863-1894) and Emmett (1871-1937). Her parents were Adeline Younger (aunt of the Younger brothers belonging to the James Younger gang ) and Lewis Dalton of Cass County , Missouri .

Bob and Grat Dalton and Bill Power grave in the old cemetery in Coffeyville

Another of a total of ten brothers was Frank Dalton (1859-1887), who became Marshal and died in 1887 in the service. After his death, Bob and Grat, who also worked as marshals for a time, as well as Bill and Emmett got more and more on the wrong track and were involved in shootings, railroad and bank robberies . They were also charged with horse theft .

On October 5th, 1892, Bob, Grat, Emmett and Dick Broadwell and Bill Power (Bill Dalton was in jail at the time), who were part of their gang, wanted to rob two banks at once in Coffeyville , Kansas . They were recognized and then brought to the CM Condon & Company's Bank by an armed contingent. Grat Dalton, Dick Broadwell and Bill Power were killed in the shooting. Bob Dalton succumbed to his injuries that same day. Only Emmett survived the shootout, despite numerous gunshot wounds. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and pardoned in 1907.

After Bill Doolin formed his own gang in 1892, Bill Dalton joined them. Bill Dalton died in a shootout in 1894. After his release, Emmett Dalton worked, among other things, in film as a historical advisor. In 1918 his report Beyond the law was made into a film. In 1931 his book When the Daltons rode was published , a presumably somewhat embellished description of past events. The book was made into a film in 1940 under the direction of George Marshall .

Film adaptations (selection)

Daltons in the Lucky Luke comics

Comic readers are familiar with the Dalton brothers as characters from the Lucky Luke comics by the Franco-Belgian draftsman Maurice de Bévère ( Morris ). This let the "real" Daltons die in 1951 as part of the comic story The Outlaws (Hors-la-loi) . In his version, Bob, Grat, Bill and Emmett (Dalton) appear together and perish together in Coffeyville. In the later Lucky Luke album nepotism ( Les cousins ​​Dalton , 1957) the fictional Joe, Jack, William and Averell Dalton are introduced as cousins ​​of the historical Daltons after they had already played in the band Lucky Luke against Joss Jamon ( Lucky Luke contre Joss Jamon , 1956) had a brief appearance. Emmett Dalton had another appearance in the tape My Uncle, the Daltons , where he had a child and Joe, William, Jack and Averell have to take care of the boy. On page four, it is noted that he survived the 23 bullets that hit him in the Coffeyville shooting.

literature

  • Emmett Dalton: I rode the Daltons. A classic western novel . Heyne, Munich 1984, ISBN 3-453-20555-3 .

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