Dalton Gang's Last Raid
Longview, Gregg County, Texas
Marker Inscription
A bloody day (May 23, 1894) in early Longview. Bill Dalton, leader of armed gang presented a note for money at First National Bank. A gunfight erupted when Sheriff Jack Howard, City Marshall Mat Muckleroy and citizens resisted. Three local men-- J. W. McQueen, Geo. Buckingham, Charles Learn-- and one outlaw died of gunshot wounds. Bank president J. R. Clemmons and cashier Tom Clemmons were held as hostages for a short time as outlaws made getaway into Oklahoma. Forged $20 bank notes led to capture of survivors.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On May 23, 1894, outlaw Bill Dalton led his gang into Longview and presented a note demanding money at the First National Bank, triggering a furious gunfight as Sheriff Jack Howard, City Marshal Mat Muckleroy, and armed citizens fought back. Three local men and one outlaw were killed, and the gang fled into Oklahoma with two bank officers briefly held hostage. Forged $20 notes later led lawmen to the surviving raiders.
Why it matters
It captures the violent last chapter of the Old West outlaw era, when frontier banditry collided with the settled towns and citizen defenders of a modernizing Texas.
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Related people
- · Bill Dalton
- · Sheriff Jack Howard
- · Mat Muckleroy
Related events
- · Dalton Gang's Last Raid
Themes & tags
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