The Rose of Cimarron – Hanging With the Doolin Gang
Rose Elizabeth Dunn, forever immortalized as the "Rose of Cimarron," remains an enigmatic figure of the Old West. Her story, intertwined with the notorious Doolin Gang and a romantic entanglement with outlaw Bitter Creek Newcomb, evokes images of a bygone era of rugged landscapes, daring heists, and the blurred lines between law and lawlessness. She was more than just a pretty face caught in the crossfire; she was a woman who lived on the fringes of society, her life a captivating blend of romance, danger, and resilience.
Born on September 5, 1878, in Winfield, Kansas, Rose’s early life offered few hints of the notoriety that awaited her. Her parents, William H. Dunn and Sarah C. Brenner Dunn, raised a large family of ten children in humble circumstances. Despite their financial struggles, Rose received a formal education, attending a convent in Wichita, Kansas. This exposure to culture and learning would later contrast sharply with the rough-and-tumble world she would inhabit. Eventually, the Dunn family relocated to Ingalls, Oklahoma, a town that would become synonymous with her legend.
The trajectory of Rose’s life began to shift as her older brothers delved into the world of petty crime, becoming minor outlaws themselves. This exposure to the criminal underworld profoundly influenced her formative years. She learned to ride horses with unparalleled skill, expertly wield a rope, and handle firearms with surprising accuracy. The untamed spirit of the West resonated with her, and she embraced the freedom of riding across the vast sandbars of the Cimarron River. It was this skill and affinity for the land that earned her the iconic nickname, "The Rose of Cimarron," a moniker that captured her beauty, independence, and connection to the wild landscape.
As The Rose of Cimarron matured, her association with her outlaw brothers introduced her to a dangerous cast of characters, including George "Bitter Creek" Newcomb. Newcomb, a former member of the notorious Dalton Gang, possessed a charismatic aura that captivated the young Rose. Their connection deepened, and she found herself drawn into a world of outlaws, robberies, and constant peril.
In 1893, Newcomb joined the ranks of the Doolin Gang, led by the infamous Bill Doolin. This gang became a scourge upon the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), terrorizing communities with their brazen robberies of banks, stagecoaches, and trains. Their criminal activities stretched across Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, leaving a trail of fear and uncertainty in their wake. The name The Rose of Cimarron became increasingly linked to this dangerous group.
The afternoon of September 1, 1893, marked a pivotal moment in the legend of The Rose of Cimarron. Several members of the Doolin Gang, including Newcomb, were holed up in George Ransom’s saloon in Ingalls, Oklahoma. U.S. Marshals, determined to bring the outlaws to justice, surrounded the saloon and demanded their surrender. Bill Doolin’s defiant response, "Go to hell," ignited a fierce gun battle that would forever be etched in the annals of the Old West.
Amidst the chaos and flying bullets, Rose, who was staying at Mrs. Pierce’s hotel, allegedly risked her life to deliver a Winchester rifle to her lover, Newcomb. This act of bravery, or perhaps reckless devotion, solidified her image as a woman deeply entangled with the Doolin Gang. The gunfight resulted in numerous casualties, including the deaths of lawmen and the wounding of several outlaws, including Newcomb himself. "Arkansas Tom" Jones, another member of the gang, was captured.
By May 1895, Newcomb’s capture carried a hefty reward of $5,000. When he and fellow outlaw Charlie Pierce stopped to visit Rose, her own brothers, driven by greed or a desire to distance themselves from the gang, betrayed Newcomb by informing the authorities of his whereabouts. Lawmen ambushed Newcomb, fatally shooting him. This betrayal cast a dark shadow over Rose’s reputation, leading many to believe she had orchestrated Newcomb’s demise. The story of The Rose of Cimarron took a tragic turn.
Following Newcomb’s death, accusations swirled that Rose had deliberately set him up, revealing his location to her brothers. These claims painted her as a femme fatale, a woman who had used her charm to manipulate and ultimately betray the man she claimed to love. However, Rose vehemently denied these accusations, and her brothers later corroborated her story, stating that she had no prior knowledge of their intentions and did not reveal Newcomb’s hideout to them. The truth of the matter remains shrouded in speculation, adding to the mystique surrounding The Rose of Cimarron.
After the death of Bitter Creek Newcomb, Rose sought to distance herself from her outlaw past. In 1897, she married Charles Noble, an Oklahoma politician, signaling a desire for a more respectable life. A few years later, she, her husband, and two of her brothers moved to New Mexico, seeking to escape the lingering shadow of her association with the Doolin Gang. She wanted to start anew, far from the whispers and judgment that followed her in Oklahoma.
Rose’s life took another turn when her first husband, Charles, passed away in 1930. In 1946, she remarried, this time to Richard Fleming. The couple then relocated to Washington State, where she spent the remainder of her life. She lived as a respected citizen, shedding the image of the outlaw’s sweetheart and embracing a life of quiet dignity.
Rose Elizabeth Dunn, the "Rose of Cimarron," died on June 11, 1955, at the age of 76 in Salkum, Washington. Despite her attempts to leave her past behind, her name remains inextricably linked to the Doolin Gang and the romanticized era of the Old West. Her story serves as a reminder of the complexities of human nature, the allure of the outlaw life, and the enduring power of legends. The Rose of Cimarron will forever be remembered as a captivating figure, a woman who lived on the edge of society and left an indelible mark on the history of the American West.