Dalton Jail

While the Dalton Jail may look small to someone who has never seen a calaboose, it is actually on the larger scale of ones documented by us. The sign above the door to the jail says the calaboose was built in 1898, although the Chariton Courier reported on November 30, 1900, that “The News thinks Dalton ought to have a calaboose.” Leading us to believe this was built at the earliest 1900.

One of the reports of a prisoner in the calaboose that I could find included below:

Chariton Courier on July 3, 1903 – “Tude” Hunt of near Cazzell, who was locked in the calaboose at Dalton two weeks ago for some fracture of the village laws, but who made his escape from the bastile, ventured back there one day last week and was arrested by Marshal Tom Rogers. On a plea of guilty before Mayor E.V. Seigle, Hunt was fined $5 and costs, amounting to $9.50, for being drunk and disorderly, but not having the money to liquidate the defendant was locked in the calaboose. C.D. Turner offered to go Hunt’s security for the payment of his fine and costs but Mayor Seigle would not accept Turner as surety. Then Turner gave Hunt a check, and Hunt turned it over to satisfy the village’s claims against him, and was give this liberty but was nabbed again when it was learned that Turner had telephoned to the bank not to honor the check. Hunt next succeeded in borrowing the money and squaring the account, less $4 of the fine which Mayor Seigle remitted.

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