The inside of the dust jacket for "Dynasty of Western Outlaws" reads as follows:
When Quantrill's marauders terrified the countryside at the end of the Civil War, a pattern was set that did not exhaust itself for a century. In a direct bloodline from Quantrill to Jesse James, to the Younger brothers, and on through one villainous troop after another down to Pretty Boy Floyd in our own time, this is the true story of the bad seed that took one hundred years to exhaust itself.
Robbing almost at will throughout Missouri, enlarging their field of activity to the surrounding states, these gangs, one after another, terrorized banks and trains until they were gradually snuffed out - but not until infamous reputations had been made by the Daltons, the Doolin gang, Belle Starr (the Brushwood Courtesan), the Younger boys, Al Jennings, and Pretty Boy Floyd.

Inside the book is a chart, somewhat like a genealogy family tree, which outlines the "connections" described in the book. Here is a picture of that chart: http://www.oklahombres.org/dynasty.jpg

The premise of this book, in my opinion, is that there were "direct bloodlines" linking these various outlaw gangs. An example would be the relationship between the James family, the Younger family, and the Dalton family. The idea of direct bloodlines is probably OK up to this point. But when the author tries to connect the Younger family to Belle Starr, Belle Starr to Henry Starr, the Henry Starr gang to the Al Spencer gang, etc, the idea of direct bloodlines totally falls apart. Even if you were to substitute the word "connection" for bloodlines, I do not believe direct connections can be made between all of these people.

It is not my intention to be critical of Wellman, the author of Dynasty of Western Outlaws. My goal here is to open this topic up to discussion. I think the relationships (or lack of relationships) between these outlaws is absolutely fascinating. I would love to hear from you concerning the "Links" outlined in this books - (a) did a specific link exist, and (b) does that link have any special meaning?

An example would be outlaw Frank Nash, who was indeed a member of the Al Spencer gang and was also present at the Kansas City Massacre in which he was killed. Nash is a direct link between the last train robbery in Oklahoma (1923) and the gunfight at Union Station in Kansas City in 1933. The deaths of federal agents in that gunfight led to the dramatic federal laws which created the modern FBI.

But what about the other alleged links?


Dee Cordry
okhombre@ionet.net
Oklahombres.org webmaster

While a well written work and a major contribution to outlaw literature, Wellman's theme is flawed and badly undermined by much undocumented, speculative, and just plain erroneous information. Connections can easily be found between many gangs that were contemporary or near-contemporary with one another, i.e. Al Spencer via Frank Nash to the later Barker-Karpis gang and Pretty Boy Floyd and the Union Station Massacre, but direct links between non-contemporary outlaws are much more difficult to explore. Even the James-Younger-Dalton bloodline (and if I'm not mistaken there is some question as to whether the Jameses and Youngers were actually related to one another though Youngers and Daltons were) is a very tenuous tie in relation to their criminal careers, considering that the outlaw Daltons flourished nearly 20 years after the James-Younger gang. On the other hand, none of these gangs were really permanent associations, men constantly drifted from one gang to another, we'll never know for certain who participated in each and every robbery (these guys didn't go in for advertising and people often wanted whoever robbed their hometown bank to be someone well known). Many of these outlaws' careers lasted for years, overlapping with one another in the same geographic region. Direct or indirect, there are probably a great many links that Wellman wasn't even aware of which may be uncovered yet through research.

As to bloodlines, I seem to recall that the Kimes boys, whom Wellman barely mentions, were related to the Poes, of the earlier Poe-Hart gang. Also, can't help but wonder about Matt Kimes' associate Raymond Doolin?

There is a direct connection from Henry Starr to Ed lockhart and Charley Brackett who together robbed the Harrison bank.Lockhart was in turn a crime partner of Charlie and Bee Dotson, Mount Cookson, and "Kaiser Bill"Goodman's who all at various times robbed banks in the 1920s and 30s with Ford Bradshaw, Kip Harbeck, Wilber Underhill, and the Eno brothers.

geocities.com/ezlane2002/Homepage

Ron Morgan is the premier historian of the Cookson Hills gangs and I humbly submit that his books have provided more valid links between the "Old West" and the "Gangster Era" than anyone else to date.

[. Even the James-Younger-Dalton bloodline (and if I'm not mistaken there is some question as to whether the Jameses and Youngers were actually related to one another though Youngers and Daltons were) is a very tenuous tie in relation to their criminal careers, considering that the outlaw Daltons flourished nearly 20 years after the James-Younger gang. On the other hand, none of these gangs were really permanent associations, men constantly drifted from one gang to another, we'll never know for certain who participated in each and every robbery (these guys didn't go in for advertising and people often wanted whoever robbed their hometown bank to be someone well known). Many of these outlaws' careers lasted for years, overlapping with one another in the same geographic region. Direct or indirect, there are probably a great many links that Wellman wasn't even aware of which may be uncovered yet through research.[/QUOTE]


For what it's worth, shortly after Coffeyville Ben Dalton was asked specifically about his outlaw relations. He replied (St. Louis Globe Democrat, 16 October 1892,:
"What is the truth about these stories of a relationship between your family and the James boys and Younger brothers?"
"There is no kinship whatever between our family and the James family," Ben said. "The Youngers and the Jameses were not related at all. That is all a mistake. We are distantly related to the Youngers in this way. The father of the Younger brothers and our mother were half brother and sister. Harry Younger, the grandfather of the Youngers, had two wives. The father of Cole Younger was a son of Harry Younger by the first wife. My mother was a daughter of Harry Younger by the second wife. That is all there is in the relationship."

--meursault

Another interesting little connection is described in the book "Mean Men" by author Robert Winter on page 10: the "Central Park Gang" of Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1920's included the Barker brothers, and, Roy "Red" Nance who was shot by Tulsa police in 1925. Also shot in that gunfight was Douglas Starr, nephew of Henry Starr.

quote:

---

Originally posted by RDMorgan:
There is a direct connection from Henry Starr to Ed lockhart and Charley Brackett who together robbed the Harrison bank.Lockhart was in turn a crime partner of Charlie and Bee Dotson, Mount Cookson, and "Kaiser Bill"Goodman's who all at various times robbed banks in the 1920s and 30s with Ford Bradshaw, Kip Harbeck, Wilber Underhill, and the Eno brothers.

geocities.com/ezlane2002/Homepage

---

Dee Cordry
okhombre@ionet.net
Oklahombres.org webmaster

Another that comes to mind is Roy Daugherty of the Doolin gang, who was killed by Joplin police in 1924 not long after allegedly robbing a bank in, I believe, Asbury, Missouri. Don't recall offhand if his partners in this were identified or not but Daugherty's crime career at least made it into the "gangster era" even if, like Henry Starr, including brief stints of reformation. i.e. playing himself in a silent Western. Ron Morgan has given us considerable elaboration on the Jarrett brothers who provide links to the likes of "Sideshow Outlaw" Elmer McCurdy on the one hand and Wilbur Underhill on the other, amongst many others of course. Also, not sure if he could really be called "Old West" (though he certainly straddled both periods) but Bill Hale of Osage murders notoriety had links to many underworld types in the '20's such as Henry Grammer, Al Spencer, Blackie Thompson, Dick Gregg and even Kansas City mob boss Solly Weissman. After his release from prison, as I recall, Hale was employed at a ranch out West somewhere by Lester "Benny" Binion, the former Dallas rackets boss turned Las Vegas casino operator.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Maddog:
Another that comes to mind is Roy Daugherty of the Doolin gang, who was killed by Joplin police in 1924 not long after allegedly robbing a bank in, I believe, Asbury, Missouri. Don't recall offhand if his partners in this were identified or not but Daugherty's crime career at least made it into the "gangster era" even if, like Henry Starr, including brief stints of reformation. i.e. playing himself in a silent Western. .

---

The film Mr. Maddog is referring to is, I believe, The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws, produced by (among others) Bill Tilghman and Marshal Nix in 1915, in part responding to an earlier film by Al Jennings portraying many Oklahoma lawmen as fools and buffoons. Roy Daugherty (aka "Arkansas Tom Jones") plays himself in a depiction of the Battle of Ingalls. Some readers of this board may be unaware of a fairly recent made-for-cable tv movie starring Sam Elliot, titled You Know My Name, which is a must-see for anyone interested in this period of history. The movie contains scenes purportedly from the Passing of the OK Outlaws cut into the narrative. Don't miss the sequence where Bill Tilghman, the new lawman in town, stalks into the local saloon/whorehouse. Everybody expects a violent confrontation. Instead, Tilghman pulls out a sheaf of handbills advertising his movie, and implores the crooks, gamblers, and whores to attend.

--meursault

Another interesting link of sorts, admittedly a very tenuous one, is through Cole Younger, who after his parole from the Stillwater, Minnesota penitentiary was briefly employed in some capacity by St. Paul Police Chief John J. O'Connor. It was O'Connor who initiated the well-known St. Paul "layover system" prevailing from the early 1900's till the 1930's which gave safe haven to fugitive criminals who had money and committed no crimes within the city limits.

quote:

Originally posted by Maddog:
As to bloodlines, I seem to recall that the Kimes boys, whom Wellman barely mentions, were related to the Poes, of the earlier Poe-Hart gang. Also, can't help but wonder about Matt Kimes' associate Raymond Doolin?

wlkimes@msn.com

If you have any information or source of information on the Kimes boys or on a Kimes that rode with Quantrill, I would greatly appreciate the info.

Would it be possible to notify the Joplin Police department as to whether they have the serial number of the gun that Roy Daugherty was using at the time that he was killed? I have a gun that was supposedly used by Daugherty. thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Maddog:
Another interesting link of sorts, admittedly a very tenuous one, is through Cole Younger, who after his parole from the Stillwater, Minnesota penitentiary was briefly employed in some capacity by St. Paul Police Chief John J. O'Connor. It was O'Connor who initiated the well-known St. Paul "layover system" prevailing from the early 1900's till the 1930's which gave safe haven to fugitive criminals who had money and committed no crimes within the city limits.