E. Dalton Negotiates a Book Deal. "Get the Best Offer You Can"

1p, 8.5” x 11” Single Page TLS Emmett Dalton, Hollywood, CA, Dated December 3, 1933. Signed “Emmett Dalton”, and addressed to John Tackett, who owned a photography studio in Coffeyville. Tackett would also collaborate with Emmett Dalton to write, film, produce and distribute a movie about the famous Coffeyville raid. Dalton discusses a publishing deal for one of his upcoming works and states “All I want is for it to be publishe(d) on a per-centage”.

Signature dark and bold. Expected folds from mailing.

Dalton writes, with numerous spelling and punctuation errors:

“MR J.B. TACKETT
COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS

DEAR JOHN:

I VEVER KEPT A COPPY OF THE LETTER I WROTE TO HALDEDMAN - JULLUS.
AS WELL AS I REMEMBER I ONLY ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD ME INTERESTED IN PUBLISHINH THE BOOK UNDER THE CONDITION PREVAILING BUT I HAVE NOT HEARED FROM HIM YET.
ALL I WANT IS FOR IT TO BE PUBLISHES ON A PER- CENTAGE. GET THE BEST OFFER YOU CAN AND THEN WE WILL CONSIDER IT. DONE BELIEVE I HAVE MADE ANYONE ANY KIND OF AN OFFER ONLY WHAT I HAVE TOLD YOU.
I DO NOT THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE AT PRE SENTTO WRITE SO, WILL RING OFF.

YOURS TRULY

Emmett Dalton

P.S. MRS DALTON WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THAT MEDICINE DID FOR YOUR BROTHER. E.D.”

The letter is accompanied by the original envelope which is postmarked “Los Angeles December 3 1933”, with a canceled 3-cent N.R.A stamp, and the printed address and return address.

Emmett Dalton (b. 1871) was an American outlaw, train robber and member of the Dalton Gang in the American Old West. Emmett's older brothers briefly worked as US deputy marshals in Indian Territory, and shared a position held by their older brother Frank Dalton after he was killed in the line of duty. They hired Emmett to serve as a guard at the jail at Fort Smith, in present-day Arkansas. The elder two started working for the Osage Nation to help them set up a police force, but fled after being pursued for stealing horses. Shortly after, they began to conduct robberies of banks, stagecoaches, and trains. Emmett would later join them forming The Dalton Gang.

The Dalton Gang ended on October 5, 1892 when the crew attempted to rob two banks on the same day in Coffeyville, Kansas with the hope of making enough money to flee the country. Four of the gang were killed in a gunfight with law enforcement and townsmen. Emmett Dalton survived but was severely wounded. It is said that he had the chance to escape, but upon seeing his brother Bob hurt, he turned back to help him on his horse. It was then that he was injured, receiving more than 23 gunshot wounds. Upon capture, Emmett was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment in Lansing. Dalton, considered a model prisoner, was pardoned by the state governor, and released after 14 years.

He would later move to Oklahoma and write two books including “When The Dalton’s Rode”, which would later be adapted into a movie of the same name directed by George Marshall and starring Randolph Scott, Kay Francis and Brian Donlevy. Universal announced the project in March 1940, nearly three years after the death of Dalton and began filming in May 1940 The script was written by Stuart Anthony and Lester Cole.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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