Photo of the building containing gas chamber at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City, in 1931, a few years prior to Otis McDaniels' long walk on Valentines' Day in 1936.
Sheriff William Wesley Dunlap was shot and killed with his own weapon when he was overpowered by two prisoners. Both prisoners were brothers responsible for the starvation death of an aged sheepman they had robbed, gagged, tied up, and then left to die in his cabin. Sheriff Dunlap was transporting the prisoners from Glenwood Springs to Cortez for a trial when they overpowered him in San Migual County, says Officer Down Memorial Page honoring police officers killed in the line of duty.
On February 14th, 1936, one of the subjects, Otis McDaniels was executed in the gas chamber. The other brother, Herbert, was sentenced to life.
On February 14th, 1936, one of the subjects, Otis McDaniels was executed in the gas chamber. The other brother, Herbert, was sentenced to life.
"His calmness broken in the final minutes, Otis McDaniels, 30, was executed in the Colorado Penitentiary Gas Chamber for the shooting of Montezuma County Sheriff W.W. Dunlap," said wire clipping in the Clovis (New Mexico) News Journal, of Feb. 15, 1936.
"With the stoicism that marked his actions during the last two weeks, McDaniels sat in his cell and heard Warden Roy Best read the death warrant," the paper said.
"In the execution chamber as the white death fumes drifted slowly upward over McDaniel's body and toward his face, his composure broke. Teeth clenched and lips sealed, he held his breath after the first wisp reached his nose and inhaled sparingly when forced to."
"He required nine and one-half minutes before the three official physicians said he was dead. Ordinarily the procedure is over in a minute," said the Clovis News Journal report.
"It started on May 5, 1935. James Westfall, a 77-year-old man, was bound and gagged and died alone in his home. Herbert and Otis McDaniels had gone to his home to rob him. Thinking he would be found, they left him unable to free himself. After the capture of the pair of murderers, people in Dolores, Montezuma and La Plata counties were so incensed that talk of lynching became common," according to a history column in the Cortez Journal on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.
"To secure the prisoners, they were taken all the way to Glenwood Springs. A week later Sheriff Wesley Dunlap and his deputy, Lem Duncan, headed off to bring the two back to Cortez. When they reached Placerville they chose to follow the river and go by way of Norwood and Dove Creek," said the Journal article.
"They had gone only a couple of miles when they came across an overheated car. Sheriff Dunlap stepped out of his car to see if he could help and left his revolver on his seat. Otis was able to grab the gun and ordered the deputy to get out and lie face down. While Herbert stood with his shackled foot on the deputy's neck, Otis turned the gun toward the sheriff. Thinking he could talk Otis out of the gun, Dunlap started walking toward Otis. Otis however aimed at the sheriff and shot. The first shot wounded him but Otis was not through. He stooped down and placed the barrel of the gun behind the right ear of the sheriff and pulled the trigger," said the Journal history column.
Accordingly, Otis then told the frightened deputy to take off as fast as he could back up the road. After retrieving the keys from one of the sheriff's pockets, the McDaniels brothers removed their shackles, jumped in the car and took off down the road. The manhunt covered Colorado, New Mexico and even the border into Mexico. On the first day, there were 300 men combing the hills around Placerville, said the Journal history column.
According to reports at the time, rumors began to emerge, and on day two the men were seen at Dunton, Rico, Priest Gulch and down near Norwood. Knowing the men were armed and might even have a rifle with them, the order came out to kill on sight. On day five, men from Cortez, Rico, Dolores, San Miguel, Telluride and counties throughout western Colorado joined in one of the biggest manhunts ever staged in western Colorado.
"The two brothers were finally found on day 22. They tried to give false names but were found out and easily handcuffed since they had no weapons of any kind. They were taken to trial and found guilty of first degree murder for the deaths of Westfall and Sheriff Dunlap. Herbert was given an unconditional term of life imprisonment," says the Journal report.
On Feb. 12, 1936, Otis walked to the death chamber and fourteen minutes later was declared dead. He was the fiftieth person to be executed in the Colorado prison.
"It started on May 5, 1935. James Westfall, a 77-year-old man, was bound and gagged and died alone in his home. Herbert and Otis McDaniels had gone to his home to rob him. Thinking he would be found, they left him unable to free himself. After the capture of the pair of murderers, people in Dolores, Montezuma and La Plata counties were so incensed that talk of lynching became common," according to a history column in the Cortez Journal on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.
"To secure the prisoners, they were taken all the way to Glenwood Springs. A week later Sheriff Wesley Dunlap and his deputy, Lem Duncan, headed off to bring the two back to Cortez. When they reached Placerville they chose to follow the river and go by way of Norwood and Dove Creek," said the Journal article.
"They had gone only a couple of miles when they came across an overheated car. Sheriff Dunlap stepped out of his car to see if he could help and left his revolver on his seat. Otis was able to grab the gun and ordered the deputy to get out and lie face down. While Herbert stood with his shackled foot on the deputy's neck, Otis turned the gun toward the sheriff. Thinking he could talk Otis out of the gun, Dunlap started walking toward Otis. Otis however aimed at the sheriff and shot. The first shot wounded him but Otis was not through. He stooped down and placed the barrel of the gun behind the right ear of the sheriff and pulled the trigger," said the Journal history column.
Accordingly, Otis then told the frightened deputy to take off as fast as he could back up the road. After retrieving the keys from one of the sheriff's pockets, the McDaniels brothers removed their shackles, jumped in the car and took off down the road. The manhunt covered Colorado, New Mexico and even the border into Mexico. On the first day, there were 300 men combing the hills around Placerville, said the Journal history column.
According to reports at the time, rumors began to emerge, and on day two the men were seen at Dunton, Rico, Priest Gulch and down near Norwood. Knowing the men were armed and might even have a rifle with them, the order came out to kill on sight. On day five, men from Cortez, Rico, Dolores, San Miguel, Telluride and counties throughout western Colorado joined in one of the biggest manhunts ever staged in western Colorado.
"The two brothers were finally found on day 22. They tried to give false names but were found out and easily handcuffed since they had no weapons of any kind. They were taken to trial and found guilty of first degree murder for the deaths of Westfall and Sheriff Dunlap. Herbert was given an unconditional term of life imprisonment," says the Journal report.
On Feb. 12, 1936, Otis walked to the death chamber and fourteen minutes later was declared dead. He was the fiftieth person to be executed in the Colorado prison.
"Men Charged With Murder of Sheriff Will Be Arraigned"
A wire piece in the Craig Empire Courier, Aug 14, 1935, related some of the story of the trial in Telluride. Colo.
Aug. 12—(UP)— In a frame, weather-beaten building here, which represents justice In this district, two brothers, both, killers, will face one of two first degree murder charges. They are charged with having slain Sheriff W. W. Dunlap of Montezuma county and an aqcd Cortez sheepman James Westfall. The bnthcrs. Otis and Herbert McDaniels, will be tried in district court, here, for the slaying of Sheriff Dunlap and. If they escape the death penalty or life imprisonment in the state penitentiary, then they will bo tried at Cortez. Colo., for the murder of the sheepman. To people who knew the McDaniels boys by sight, few knew them personally, they appeared law-abiding citizens. They lived about 20 miles east of Durango. Otis, the older of the two who is 30 they knew was married. They also knew that Herbert. 20. was courting a 16-year-old La Plata county girl. He even had told a few persons his intentions of marrying her Otis was marked by prison terms in New Mexico and Utah. None knew of this, however, for it never was revealed and no one asked. Then on May 6. the body of Westfall, who lived not far from the McDaniels.’ was found dead in his cabin. He had starved to death. Also, ho had been beaten on the head and tied hand and foot. The cabin had been ransacked. Apparently robbery was the motive, authorities believed. The police then grew suspicious of the McDaniels boys and after considerable investigation arrested them. Police said they confessed to the crime, after their arrests. It was learned after the arrest that Herbert had married, and part of the money obtained from Westfalls cabin was used for the marriage license. Feeling ran high in the sheep country and for safe-keeping they were taken to jail in Glenwood Springs. Then came the day when they were to face arraignment or the charges Sheriff Dunlap and his deputy, Lem Duncan, went for them. On the return trip they stayed overnight at the Grand Junction jail, because of the long trip, then they resumed. Near Placerville the party came upon a wrecked automobile. Sheriff Dunlap stopped the automobile to investigate. While the the sheriff investigated the accident, Otis grabbed a gun from the automobile, according to Herbert’s story, and fired, killing Dunlap who begged him not to shoot. Duncan ran from the scene, the McDaniels brothers said, and they escaped. The two killers then fled into the mountainous terrain and managed to elude sheriff’s posses for 22 days. Their capture August 6 resulted when they applied for work near Guffey, Colo."
Aug. 12—(UP)— In a frame, weather-beaten building here, which represents justice In this district, two brothers, both, killers, will face one of two first degree murder charges. They are charged with having slain Sheriff W. W. Dunlap of Montezuma county and an aqcd Cortez sheepman James Westfall. The bnthcrs. Otis and Herbert McDaniels, will be tried in district court, here, for the slaying of Sheriff Dunlap and. If they escape the death penalty or life imprisonment in the state penitentiary, then they will bo tried at Cortez. Colo., for the murder of the sheepman. To people who knew the McDaniels boys by sight, few knew them personally, they appeared law-abiding citizens. They lived about 20 miles east of Durango. Otis, the older of the two who is 30 they knew was married. They also knew that Herbert. 20. was courting a 16-year-old La Plata county girl. He even had told a few persons his intentions of marrying her Otis was marked by prison terms in New Mexico and Utah. None knew of this, however, for it never was revealed and no one asked. Then on May 6. the body of Westfall, who lived not far from the McDaniels.’ was found dead in his cabin. He had starved to death. Also, ho had been beaten on the head and tied hand and foot. The cabin had been ransacked. Apparently robbery was the motive, authorities believed. The police then grew suspicious of the McDaniels boys and after considerable investigation arrested them. Police said they confessed to the crime, after their arrests. It was learned after the arrest that Herbert had married, and part of the money obtained from Westfalls cabin was used for the marriage license. Feeling ran high in the sheep country and for safe-keeping they were taken to jail in Glenwood Springs. Then came the day when they were to face arraignment or the charges Sheriff Dunlap and his deputy, Lem Duncan, went for them. On the return trip they stayed overnight at the Grand Junction jail, because of the long trip, then they resumed. Near Placerville the party came upon a wrecked automobile. Sheriff Dunlap stopped the automobile to investigate. While the the sheriff investigated the accident, Otis grabbed a gun from the automobile, according to Herbert’s story, and fired, killing Dunlap who begged him not to shoot. Duncan ran from the scene, the McDaniels brothers said, and they escaped. The two killers then fled into the mountainous terrain and managed to elude sheriff’s posses for 22 days. Their capture August 6 resulted when they applied for work near Guffey, Colo."
"Last Chapter in the Lives of Otis and Herbert McDaniel is Recorded by Officers"
A Grand Junction Daily Sentinel article outlining Otis' and Herbert's criminal lives described them facing two trials:
"The brothers were tried in Durango and Telluride in two separate murder counts. The first was for the starvation slaying of James Westfall, aged Lewis, Colo. rancher. The second time, they stood before the Jury charged with the slaying of Sheriff W.W. Dunlap of Montezuma county," says the Sentinel.
"In the first trial, both were found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. In the second trial at Telluride, both were found guilty but the jury recommended that Otis die at lethal gas chamber in Canon City, and Herbert spend the remainder of his life behind bars."
"As the current Sheriff in Montezuma County, Colorado, and a Peace Officer here in southwest Colorado for 40 years, I learned about and have honored all who have made the ultimate sacrifice. After Sheriff Dunlap was killed, a plaque in his honor was mounted in a wall design in the Montezuma County Courthouse honoring his service, where the Sheriff's Office was once located. When I took office in 2015, I had the plaque removed and is now mounted for public display at the current location of the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office located at 730 East Driscoll Street in Cortez, Colorado, where it belongs for all who enter to view, know and remember," says Sheriff Steven D. Nowlin, Montezuma County Sheriff, in May 18, 2017 post regarding End of Watch Information on the national Officer Down Memorial Page honoring police officers killed in the line of duty.
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