Dutch Van Der Linde

Dutch was born in the mid-1850s to a woman of English descent named Greta and a father of Dutch ancestry somewhere near Philadelphia. His father fought for the Union in the American Civil War and died in a battle that occurred in Pennsylvania; because of his father's death, van der Linde developed a sworn grudge against Southerners. Dutch was a disobedient child and rarely got along with his mother, eventually running away from home at the age of 15. His mother would later die in 1881 and be buried in Blackwater, although Dutch only found out several years later from an uncle of his.

In absence of any parental figure, Dutch educated himself entirely on his own, shaping the philosophy he would come to adopt. Van der Linde valued freedom and liberties above all else and dreamed of living an independent existence. To attain these desires, Dutch began to resort to a life of crime. In the mid-1870s, Dutch met a con artist named Hosea Matthews at a campfire on the road to Chicago. Hosea attempted to con and rob him only to realize that Dutch likewise had done the same and stolen from him. Impressed by the other's skills, the pair laughed and decided to partner up and face the future together, founding the famous Van der Linde gang.

Dutch and Hosea later found themselves in the town of Kettering, Ohio, where the two posed as international merchants, conning twelve locals into buying $300 worth of shares into a fictional Portuguese shipping company. Unfortunately, they were eventually discovered and arrested by Sheriff Carmichael. On March 9th, 1877, the pair managed to escape from their cell by unknown means, tying up and robbing the sheriff in the process.

Later that year, Dutch and Hosea encountered a 14-year-old street orphan named Arthur Morgan. The pair decided to take the boy under their wing. Teaching him how to read, write, hunt, fight, shoot and ride, Arthur became their first protege and alongside Hosea and Dutch, the trio would go on to comprise the old guard of the Van der Linde gang. Around this time, Dutch became romantically involved with a woman named Susan Grimshaw, who also became a member of the gang. He later ended his relationship with Susan as he met and deeply fell in love with a woman named Annabelle.

Around the late-1870s, Dutch met Leopold Strauss, a bookish Austrian immigrant and scam artist who would join the gang for protection. Strauss would serve as the gang's money lender, becoming a major provider.

In 1885, Dutch stumbled across a group of Illinois homesteaders who attempted to lynch a 12-year-old boy named John Marston, who had been caught stealing from them. Dutch intervened in saving the boy's life and inducted him into the gang. Dutch taught John how to read, write, fight, shoot and ride just like he had previously done with Arthur. Arthur and John became like brothers, and Dutch often read to them from books by Evelyn Miller and Waldo Emerson,[14] even though most of the concepts went over the young boys' heads. Over time Dutch and Hosea came to regard Arthur and John as their favorite 'sons'.

Sometime later Van der Linde met the infamous outlaw named Colm O'Driscoll who was the leader of his own gang, the O'Driscoll Boys. The two maintained a loose and uneasy partnership, as Dutch disliked how Colm treated his own men as disposable. Colm likewise mocked Van der Linde for his philosophy in making a 'better world'. Although the exact reason is unknown, Dutch broke the truce and killed Colm's brother. In retaliation Colm murdered Annabelle, leaving Dutch heartbroken and vengeful. This event caused Dutch and Colm to become arch-enemies and sparked a years-long blood feud between the two rival gangs.

Over the years Dutch would attract many new members to the gang, who would come to respect him as a protector and father figure. At some point, Dutch came across a lone young girl named Tilly Jackson. A former member of the Foreman Brothers gang, she was sleeping rough when he found her. Dutch took her in and taught her how to read. Dutch would also encounter Simon Pearson, a former Navy chef who was being harassed by loan sharks. After rescuing him, Dutch recruited Pearson as the gang's camp cook and butcher. At some point, a disgraced reverend named Orville Swanson saved Dutch's life in an unspecified incident. As a reward, Dutch inducted Swanson into the gang.

Eventually, Dutch would meet Molly O'Shea, a young Irish noblewoman prior to 1899. Infatuated with Van der Linde, Molly would become his lover and live with him going forward.

In 1893, Dutch and Hosea encountered a drunk veteran named Bill Williamson who attempted to rob them. However, having previously stolen Bill's ammunition, they simply laughed at him and his disorderly conduct which infuriated Bill at first, but Dutch encouraged him and inducted him into the gang. Although Bill lacked conventional intelligence Dutch came to value his loyalty.

In 1895, Dutch was stealing some chickens, where he came across a young Mexican exile named Javier Escuella who attempted to do the same. Alone and starving, Dutch fed him, wrapped him in warm clothing and soon inducted him into the gang. Javier came to idolize Dutch's philosophy and became one of his most loyal members.

One night, Dutch and Hosea went to a bar in North Elizabeth where they encountered a young Irishman named Sean MacGuire, who became fixated on Dutch's fancy pocket watch. Overconfident, he followed the pair out down an alleyway and attempted to rob them. Dutch and Hosea simply laughed at him as Sean discovered that they had spotted him earlier and unloaded the bullets out of his gun. Instead of killing him, they recruited Sean into the gang.

Not long after arriving at the new camp location, Micah is arrested in the town of Strawberry. Knowing he can't go to Strawberry himself due to being wanted in the area, Dutch sends a reluctant Arthur to break Micah out.

Dutch also learns from Josiah Trelawny that Sean MacGuire has been captured by Ike Skelding's bounty hunters. He then sends Arthur, Javier, and Charles Smith to rescue him.

Later, Arthur reports to Dutch that he was approached by the Pinkertons, who know roughly where the gang were set up. Arthur then urges Dutch to relocate, but Van der Linde says that it's merely an attempt to scare the gang into doing something unwise and has the gang stay put for the time being.

Dutch and Leopold Strauss go to Valentine to see John and Arthur after their rustling of sheep. During the visit, Leviticus Cornwall and his hired guns capture Strauss and John outside the saloon, and demand that Dutch come outside. Dutch and Arthur rescue them, before fighting their way out of the town back to camp. Realizing that they can't stay in the area, he decides to move further east, and sends Charles and Arthur to investigate an area in Lemoyne for a new camp location.

Back at camp, Dutch begins making plans to rob the trolley station in Saint Denis. Arthur agrees to ride with Dutch, although Dutch suggests taking Micah as a third gun. Arthur disagrees, and instead asks for Lenny, which Dutch accepts. Immediately afterwards, the camp is assaulted by the O'Driscoll gang, who send Kieran's decapitated corpse into Shady Belle on horseback, before the two gangs face off in a brutal shootout. Dutch and his gang take shelter inside the Shady Belle manor to fight off the O'Driscolls. During the shootout, Dutch tells Arthur to find Sadie and get her inside the building and helps fight off the O'Driscolls from inside the manor. Ultimately, the Van der Linde gang emerges victorious and is able to repulse the O'Driscolls. After the battle, the gang sees to disposing of the enemy corpses, and Dutch orders Reverend Orville Swanson to bury Kieran's remains nearby.

Soon afterwards, Dutch decides to start working on the tip given to him by Bronte. He, Arthur and Lenny go in and rob the trolley station, only to discover that it contains almost no money at all, and they are forced to fight their way out, hijacking a trolley to escape out of the city. During the escape, the trolley that the three are in derails and crashes, with Dutch suffering a concussion in the crash, as well as a head injury that he insists is nothing to worry about. After escaping, he vows revenge on Bronte for betraying him.

Dutch later gets into a dispute with Hosea over going after Bronte. The latter believes the former wants revenge, which he denies, saying he only wants to take down the crime lord so that they can rob the bank in Saint Denis. They call Arthur for his input and he ends up backing Dutch's decision to go after Bronte, much to Hosea's dismay.

Along the way, the ship is caught in a storm and perishes, and all the gang members besides Arthur jump overboard and swim over to the nearby shore of Guarma, regrouping there. Not long after Arthur finds his way back to them, where the local military lead by Levi Simon, under orders of Colonel Alberto Fussar, find and arrest them and chain them together in shackles to transport them to jail. Along the way to the jail, the soldiers are attacked by rebels and a shootout ensues. In the scuffle, Arthur manages to unlock their shackles and the gang attacks and kills the guards in the area, but Javier is shot and injured and unable to escape. Hercule Fontaine, the revolutionary leader, tells the gang to follow him leading the remaining gang to a small rebel outpost, stocked with Bolt Action Rifles. Army reinforcements soon arrive, but they get defeated. The gang then retreats to the rebel outpost of La Capilla.

Dutch and Arthur rest for a short time at La Capilla, before they both go to rescue Javier, who was captured in the battle with the Guarma military. Going to a nearby cave, Dutch pays elderly woman named Gloria gold to lead them through the cave, to Aguasdulces. It is then that she demands more money, and when Dutch doesn't pay her, she pulls a knife on him. Dutch grabs her by the throat and chokes her to death, much to Arthur’s dismay, although Dutch responds by saying that she would have betrayed them later anyway, which Arthur highly doubts. The pair then enter Aguasdulces, where they see Colonel Fussar and a group of soldiers leading a donkey that is dragging Javier along. Dutch quickly sees a way to cause a distraction in the sugar refinery. Dutch and Arthur cut up the bags of sugar, spilling the sugar on the floor, which blows up the furnace. In the ensuing chaos, they rescue Javier, before fighting their way out of the settlement.

They then set out making their way to the ship. While fighting in Aguasdulces, Dutch breaks into the workers’ cabin and finds Arthur being held at gunpoint by Levi Simon. Dutch points his gun at Simon before Fussar enters, where he and Dutch hold each other at gunpoint. The standoff ends when Arthur kicks the ship captain his rifle, who kills Simon by shooting him in the chest and Fussar flees the cabin. With Fussar shooting at them from a tower with a machine gun, Dutch and Hercule draw his fire and allow Arthur to eliminate Fussar by bringing down the tower with a cannon. With Fussar and his troops gone, they finally reach the port. They then set sail for the mainland, heading back to America.

After coming back to the gang at Lakay, the gang is attacked by Pinkertons. They narrowly fend off the attack, killing several Pinkerton agents, and Dutch tells Arthur and Charles to go north to investigate Beaver Hollow for a possible new camp location.

Van der Linde begins to grow increasingly paranoid and begins to tighten his hold over the gang and demand loyalty; he orders Arthur and Sadie not to rescue John from Sisika Penitentiary, believing that he is a traitor and after they rescue him anyway, Dutch is infuriated by their insubordination and perceived disloyalty. Later, Dutch goes to Annesburg with Micah and Arthur for a "social call" with Leviticus Cornwall. Van der Linde confronts Cornwall after he arrives in his yacht, and eventually offers Cornwall his life in exchange for ten thousand dollars, his boat and safe passage away from the place. Cornwall laughs at this and refuses, so Dutch decides to pull the trigger on Cornwall in a seemingly spontaneous manner and shoots him in the chest. With Cornwall killed, Dutch, Arthur, and Micah are forced to fight their way out of the town.

At some point, Colm O'Driscoll is caught and sentenced to death by hanging in Saint Denis. Aware that Colm had escaped the past two times, Dutch and Arthur attend his execution disguised as police officers with Sadie to sabotage any rescue attempt. The sabotage succeeds and Colm is successfully hanged, although Sadie is unable to contain her rage and opens fire on the O'Driscolls, initiating a firefight with first the O'Driscolls and then the police. Afterwards, Dutch and Sadie return to Beaver Hollow.

During this time, suspicions begin to arise that the Pinkertons may have an informant inside the gang; a mole who feeds them information, thus allowing them to chase after the gang much more effectively than before. This only further worsens Dutch's paranoia, and he becomes increasingly suspicious of everyone and everything.

Eagle Flies later rides into Beaver Hollow and tells the gang that the United States Army stationed at Fort Wallace have taken their horses, and requests help in getting them back. Dutch, seeing an opportunity to distract the government’s attention away from the gang, agrees. He calls for Charles and Arthur to follow him, and the four men ride east where they plan on stealing horses from a government ferry. The four of them swim to the boat, sneak on board, and knock out the guards. They then grab the horses and flee back to shore. After reaching the shore, Dutch accompanies Eagle Flies in taking the horses back to the reservation, while they plan their next move.

Eagle Flies later arrives at Beaver Hollow with a large force of warriors from the reservation and angrily tells the gang that the army raided the reservation for oil. He then asks for the gang's help in destroying the distillery at the oil fields in retaliation. Rains Fall then steps in and begs his tribe not to go to war again, still remembering the death and destruction they suffered in their previous campaign against the military. Eagle Flies ignores his father's warnings and rides off with his men, leaving the gang behind. After a quick discussion in which Dutch learns of Arthur assisting Rains Fall behind his back, the majority of the gang follows Eagle Flies. The group arrive to find the battle all but over, with many Wapiti warriors having been slain and Eagle Flies fighting for his life amidst the chaos, as well as a small group of warriors who have been surrounded near the warehouse. The gang assaults the distillery and is able to save the remnants of the Wapiti force; they then split into two groups, with Dutch leading a force to take the warehouse to find a stash of state bonds stored there. Under heavy fire, they make little progress until Arthur's force arrives to assist them, at which point they begin to drive back the enemy. After fighting to the warehouse doors, Dutch and Arthur search the building to find the state bonds, which Dutch eventually finds. As they leave, however, a pipe bursts, incapacitating Arthur and leaving him to the mercy of the approaching soldiers. Dutch exits the warehouse upon witnessing this and leaves Arthur to his fate, making no attempt to save him. After Arthur is saved by Eagle Flies - who is mortally wounded in the process - Dutch denies leaving Arthur to die when confronted and rides with the others back to camp.

After plenty of planning, Dutch and Micah decide to carry out a robbery on a train carrying army payroll. He tells Arthur that Uncle, Pearson, Karen, and Mary-Beth have all fled, calling them cowards and traitors. After Arthur suggests letting John and his family go too, Dutch becomes furious, but quickly calms down and seemingly agrees, although it is apparent that he does not take the agreement seriously. Van der Linde then leads the gang to Saint Denis, where they intend to board the train and subsequently carry out the robbery. During the robbery, John gets shot and falls off of the train; Dutch claims that he'll try to save John and leaves for a while, but when he comes back without John, he claims that he had died.

Following the robbery, the gang learns that Abigail has been arrested for murder. Despite the gang's code, Micah quickly points out the risks of making a rescue attempt and presses Dutch to abandon her. Dutch agrees with him and the gang head back to camp, infuriating Arthur and Sadie, who go after her themselves.

When Arthur returns to camp, he reveals that Micah was Agent Milton's informant. This initiates a standoff between Arthur and Micah, who draw on each other. Arthur tries to convince Dutch that Micah is the rat, while Micah denies it and says to Dutch that they can achieve a lot together, although Dutch remains silent, seemingly undecided. Soon afterwards, John appears and reveals that not only did he survive the train robbery, but that Dutch made no attempt to rescue him. He sides with Arthur, followed by Susan Grimshaw, who points a shotgun at Micah and tells him to put down his guns. Javier then announces that the Pinkertons are coming, distracting Miss Grimshaw and giving Micah the opportunity to shoot her, resulting in Susan's death. Dutch finally draws his guns and joins Micah, with the majority of the gang united behind him. Dutch and the others point their guns at John and Arthur, and prepare to shoot them, but the showdown is cut short when said Pinkertons assault the camp; in the chaos, Dutch and his men slip away, leaving John and Arthur to fend for themselves. Shortly afterwards, Dutch is seen in a posse with Micah, Cleet and Joe, pursuing Arthur and John on horseback through the woods. Due in part to the abundance of hostile Pinkertons in the vicinity, the posse fails to kill Arthur and John.

John and Nastas investigate and scout Cochinay with the goal of locating Dutch himself. Nastas is injured while climbing the mountains, so John continues the climb alone. After killing a scout, John picks up his binoculars. When looked through, John observes Dutch executing a captured police officer. After looking away, John returns his glance on Dutch again only to see Dutch now aiming at him. A shot is fired, but it hits the binoculars, causing John to fall back and get knocked unconscious. Satisfied, Dutch holsters his pistol.

Later, Dutch and his gang surround the Blackwater Hotel while John and Professor MacDougal are inside. Shouting up at John, he announces that he plans on killing John and the Professor for "sport". However, John and MacDougal escape out of a window and across the rooftops before reaching a pair of waiting horses. John is then able to safely escort MacDougal to the train station at Manzanita Post. Not long after, the Bureau of Investigation receives word that Dutch's Gang has robbed the First National Bank of Blackwater and has taken hostages inside.

Later, the U.S. Army launches a full-scale assault on Cochinay. After weakening Dutch's forces by luring them out of Tall Trees and into the Great Plains where the army ambushes them, John Marston, Edgar Ross, and Agent Archer Fordham ride to Cochinay with a garrison of U.S. Army soldiers with the intention of killing Dutch and ending his gang. The army assaults Cochinay, gunning down most of Dutch's Gang. John tells the American Army Captain to tend to his wounded while he faces Dutch alone. Seeing John coming, Dutch mounts an armor-plated Browning Gun and attempts to use it to kill John. However, John shoots an oil lantern fixed behind Dutch, causing a fire that forces him off the gun. Dutch then flees into the caves with John chasing after him. The caves lead to atop a mountain cliff where John holds Dutch at gunpoint.

Dutch's prediction that the Bureau would not stop with his death came true, as very soon after, John himself became the next target of the agency and this subsequently led to his death.

Dutch's philosophy is reactionary, desiring a return to the older ways. While the New West of the 20th century promotes clothing, technology, culture and civilization, Dutch seems to want to move back to the Old West of the 19th century which promotes survival, discipline, resourcefulness and fitness by using skill and courage to overcome hardship. As the culture in the west progresses towards a modernist view that praises and rewards forced conformity, incorporation, order and employment on a large societal scale, Van der Linde would prefer people to remain civilized where they are and allow the Old West to survive in the way to which it has grown accustomed, and if the Federal Government will not allow him or his people to live their lives the way they wish, he will fight for his perceived right to live as he wishes.

Pre-1899

As seen in an old photograph on Arthur Morgan's wagon, Dutch is shown to be clean shaven and wears a closed vest with a shirt that has the sleeves rolled up and is unbuttoned at the collar, as well as a pair of striped pants and black shoes.

1899

In 1899, Dutch is an average built man in his mid-forties and is approximately 6 feet in height. He has tanned skin, a large roman nose, brown eyes and a cleft chin, along with a thick, black mustache and soul patch surrounded by a light stubble, and black, slick backed hair that curls at the end reaching his nape. He is always seen in elegant suits or fancy clothing, most often wearing a white and grey striped shirt, charcoal grey striped trousers with pointed black leather boots, an ornate black paisley waistcoat with a blood red silk back, and matching red pocket square, it has glittering gold buttons and is decorated with a gold pocket-watch with twin chains and ruby pendant. Along with a smart black jacket also with a red pocket square, and leather notch lapels, and a black felt homburg hat with a silk band. He also wears a chunky black gun belt with a square gold buckle and twin holsters, and two ornate gold rings, one on his pinkie and another with a large rectangular face on his forefinger. He also owns a red and cream plaid scarf which he wears both for warmth and as a bandana. During the Saint Denis bank robbery, he wears a gleaming white shirt, red velvet vest and black slacks with a long, black tailcoat complete with red silk lining. While stranded on Guarma, his appearance becomes unkempt: his mustache becomes scruffy and long, he develops thick stubble around his face, and his tailcoat is lost, while his white shirt and red waistcoat that he wore for the robbery become loose, dirty and tattered. After returning to the United States, Dutch's appearance returns to what it was before.

During the first chapter, he wears a black, knee-length overcoat in black fur with notched lapels, an upturned collar and two rows of brass buttons, along with his plaid scarf, and dark brown rifleman gloves. When he attends the mayor's party, he wears a black three-piece suit and a top hat, but with his bow tie and waistcoat being an off-white silver.

1907

During the Epilogue of Red Dead Redemption 2, Dutch briefly appears with a bushy beard and even longer hair, both tinged with grey. Wearing a long, thick, double breasted overcoat in black with shaggy tan fur shawl lapels and cuffs, as well as thick fur legwarmers and black leather gloves.

1911

By 1911, Dutch has aged considerably and has large white streaks through the sides and top of his hair. His hair is also cut much shorter than it was in 1907, and his hairline appears to have receded slightly, giving him a widow's peak. He has also gained some weight, has a bulkier look, and wears a faded orange shirt with no collar, brown pants tucked into brown leather moccasin boots with white fur, a dark brown gun belt and with a black cord necklace with a silver pendant. He has also shaved his beard off, sporting a thick mustache without a soul patch, with a stubble covering the rest of his lower face.

Red Dead Redemption:

"Great Men Are Not Always Wise"

"And The Truth Will Set You Free"

Red Dead Redemption 2:

"Outlaws from the West"

"American Venom"

Colm O’Driscoll’s brother - Murdered in vague circumstances.

Muriel Scranton - Murdered in pure sadism when escaping from John and the law.