What happened to Sherman E. Dodge after 1903? - Part III

Yesterday I received the court and prison files for Sherman E. Dodge. Now known as F.E. Dodge, the Court records show the charges made against F.E. Dodge. Mr. Conner, the man he swindled, went to the U.S. Commissioner for the State of Oregon and signed a sworn complaint against F.E. Dodge on July 14, 1909. Based on the complaint, a warrant was issued for F.E. Dodge's arrest. F.E. Dodge was arrested on July 15, 1909, at Gresham, Oregon. The next day, an initial hearing was held. Witnesses were subpoenaed and F.E. Dodge was ordered to be held on $2,500 bail.

Complaint against F.E. Dodge

Warrant for F.E. Dodge's arrest

A Grand Jury was convened, and after hearing evidence and testimony, issued an Indictment, charging F.E. Dodge with three counts of unlawfully assuming to be an Officer of the United States with the intent to defraud Mr. Conner. The Indictment was issued on November 12, 1909.

Grand Jury Indictment against F.E. Dodge

A bench warrant for the arrest of F.E. Dodge was issued on November 23, 1909. He was then held on $3,000 bail. On November 29, 1909, F.E. Dodge entered a plea of not guilty and trial was set for December 9, 1909. Witnesses were again subpoenaed The trial commenced on December 13, 1909. He was found guilty the next day on all three charges. On December 16, 1909, F.E. Dodge was sentenced to 18 months at hard labor at the U.S. Penitentiary at McNeil's Island in Washington. He entered prison on December 26, 1909.

Prison Sentence

When F.E. Dodge arrived at McNeil's Island, he had in his possession $1.59 and '1 gold ring, small, with setting of 4 small rubies...and 3 small pearls on each side of ruby setting. The prison intake form gives his physical description: '5 feet, 8 inches; 138 pounds; brown hair; hazel brown eyes.' It also states that his parents and siblings all lived in Buena Vista, Colorado.

His medical record was also recorded shortly after he entered prison. According to his medical record, F.E. Dodge was a smoker. He had dislocated his left hip in 1908 and had lost 20 pounds due to his confinement. The medical record also lists a brief medical history of his parents and siblings. It states his father died of cancer at the age of 64 (his father, N.T. Dodge, died in 1926, from a cancerous growth on his face) and that he had a sister who passed away at the age of 20 from typhoid fever (he had a sister, Mildred, who passed away sometime after 1903; she was born in January of 1898). He lists six living siblings (3 brothers and 3 sisters). 

While in prison, F.E. Dodge was written up for a violation. On November 10, 1910, he spat on the floor of his cell in the new jail, resulting in the loss of tobacco for two weeks. This was his only violation of the prison rules. The written violation lists his name as Frank E. Dodge (another name change).

While in prison, he kept in contact with his family. He received and wrote letters to and from home. He wrote mainly to his sister Rachel Newitt, although he would also respond on occasion to letters sent by his parents as well as his brother Pat (Dwight) Dodge. He also received letters from one Elsie Brown, a lady friend, and a niece, Grace Dodge, both from Buena Vista. Both these individuals are unknown, and local records do not show either of these individuals living in Buena Vista. Grace Dodge could possibly be his youngest sister, Ann Dodge, although no records indicate she went by any other name.

Letters received by F.E. Dodge

Letters written by F.E. Dodge

F.E. Dodge was released from prison on March 9, 1911. He was released three months early for good behavior. His whereabouts are unknown after his release from prison.