Longview’s Dalton Days celebrates citizens who fought back against infamous gang

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - With today being Dalton Days in Longview, Mark Scirto tells you about the historic day responsible for the creation of the event in today’s Mark in Texas History.

It’s been 127 years since the Dalton Gang rode into Longview to rob a bank. It’s reenacted every year.

Bill Dalton, the leader of the gang, brought a note for money to First National Bank. However, a gunfight erupted when Sheriff Jack Howard, the city marshal, and citizens fought back.

Three citizens and one of the outlaws died in the fight. The bank president and a cashier were held hostage as the outlaws got away.

The marshal’s life was spared when a bullet struck a coin in his pocket.

Dalton and the Nite brothers escaped with $2,000. Some of those notes were fraudulent and helped lawmen track them down two weeks later. Dalton was killed two weeks later in Oklahoma. One of the Nite brothers was killed in Central Texas, and the other was captured and sent to prison.

Copyright 2022 KLTV. All rights reserved.