Winchester Model 1876, 45-75 Caliber

Only recently it has come to light that this rifle had been mis-identified. It was displayed in the Wax Museum as belonging to Belle Starr. After review of the Winchester Factory letter on this gun as well as additional research in newspaper articles and family notes supported by the unique features of this rifle, it has come to light that it was originally owned by Grat Dalton, one of the notorious Dalton Gang and later by Henry Starr, the nephew of Sam Starr who was married to Belle Starr, "the Bandit Queen". It is surmised that over time, the museum felt that the Belle Starr connection might prove to be more exciting to the public, so they just switched the ownership. Careful examination would show that this rifle was shipped from the factory in March 1889, one month following Belle's murder. However, the family papers of Burton Schwend describe a rifle that is unique to the collection: "this gun can number a sheriff among its victims as can the rare Winchester rifle...which was owned by Grat Dalton and later by Henry Starr. It is a 45-75, four feet long, and in excellent condition". This model 76 is the only 45-75 that was ever in the collection and it measures exactly 4' long. It is also pictured in a number of newspaper articles about the collection published prior to the creation of the Wax Museum. It is surmised that Grat Dalton was the original owner and the rifle was used by him prior to the abortive raid on Coffeyville, Kansas on October 5, 1892 that saw the demise of Grat, brother Bob Dalton and co-horts Dick Broadwell and Bill Power at the hands of the armed citizens of Coffeyville. How it then came into the possession of Henry Starr can only be speculated. Starr evidently used it to kill US Deputy Marshal Floyd Wilson near Nowata, I.T. in early 1893. It is the only recorded murder that Henry Starr committed in his 32 year career as an outlaw. Eventually he was shot in the back during a bank robbery on February 18, 1921 and died 4 days later. The day before he died, he proclaimed to doctors that he "robbed more banks than any man in America". What a legacy!!!