Job's Children: Goodnight Irene

While researching my last post, The Woman With Many Names , I came across a gentleman who had been born in Richmond County, North Carolina, but lived most of his adult life in the city of Montgomery, Alabama, and had spent most of his career with the Railroad. His name was James Pinkney Freid, althougth I had discovered he had been born an Arrowood. His mother had divorced Mr. Arrowood and ran off to Opelika, Alabama and married a Peddler named Ben L. Freid and changed the name of her two children, J. P. and Rosa. J. P. Freid was the grandson of my second Great GrandUncle, George Washington Solomon, so therein lies his seat among my family tree.

The focus of this story was the second wife of James P. Freid, a lady named Evelyn Irene Denton, whose life was so fascinating to me, I had to give her her own post.

Name:	Evelyn Denton
Gender:	Female
Marriage Date:	29 Nov 1935
Marriage Place:	Florida, USA
Spouse:	James P Freid

When Evelyn married James P. Freid in Escambia, Florida, in 1935, she had already been married twice before, and he once. All of those marriages had ended in divorce, as all of their spouses were still living. He was 51 and she was 42, and the marriage didn't last long. The relationship remained, at least until 1940, because when I find both of them in the 1940 census. They are co-habitating, along with her son, Harry Denton, back in Montgomery, Alabama. She has returned to the name of her 1st husband, Denton, and James Freid is listed as a boarder, not a husband.

Name:

Irene Denton

Respondent:

Yes

Age:

Estimated Birth Year:

abt 1889

Gender:

Female

Race:

White

Birthplace:

Kentucky

Marital Status:

Widowed

Relation to Head of House:

Head

Home in 1940:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama

Map of Home in 1940:

Street:

South Hull Street

Farm:

Inferred Residence in 1935:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama

Residence in 1935:

Montgomery

Resident on farm in 1935:

Sheet Number:

11A

Number of Household in Order of Visitation:

231

House Owned or Rented:

Rented

Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented:

Attended School or College:

Highest Grade Completed:

High School, 2nd year

Income Other Sources:

Neighbors:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Irene Denton	51	Head
Harry Denton	27	Son
James Fried	54	Lodger

Curious, I thought, and I just had to know why, so I started looking to see who Irene was, and I was in for quite a surprise.

Evelyn Irene Klee was born in the spring of 1893, near the turn of the century in Henderson, Henderson County, Kentucky, a beautiful old town on the Ohio River. Her father, William H. Klee, was an undertaker and he was born in Indiana, his parents in Germany. Her mother was Josephine "Josie" Bird, who was also from Indiana. Evelyn Irene was one of 6 daughters, Veronica, Josie, Louise, Matilda, Irene and Katherine.

Below is the family in 1910. As the next to the youngest daughter, Evelyn was still at home attending school. Soon after, she would marry Harry Clyde Denton, oldest son of a Henderson County farmer, who was sent to school for a better life.

Name:

Wm H Klee[Wm H Kley]

Age in 1910:

Birth Date:

1859[1859]

Birthplace:

Indiana[Kentucky]

Home in 1910:

Henderson Ward 3, Henderson, Kentucky, USA

Street:

South Main Street

House Number:

Race:

White

Gender:

Male

Relation to Head of House:

Head

Marital Status:

Married

Spouse's Name:

Josie D Klee

Father's Birthplace:

Germany

Mother's Birthplace:

Germany

Native Tongue:

English

Occupation:

Undertaker

Employer, Employee or Other:

Own Account

Home Owned or Rented:

Own

Home Free or Mortgaged:

Free

Farm or House:

House

Able to read:

Yes

Able to Write:

Yes

Years Married:

Neighbors:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Wm H Klee	51	Head
Josie D Klee	50	Wife
Evelyn R Klee	18	Daughter
Katherine V Klee	11	Daughter

In 1910, Harry was at home but working as a College professor.

Name:

Harry Denton[Harry Donton]

Age in 1910:

Birth Date:

1882[1882]

Birthplace:

Kentucky

Home in 1910:

District 7, Henderson, Kentucky, USA

Street:

First Street

Race:

White

Gender:

Male

Relation to Head of House:

Son

Marital Status:

Single

Father's Name:

L T Denton

Father's Birthplace:

Kentucky

Mother's Name:

Nollie Denton

Mother's Birthplace:

Kentucky

Native Tongue:

English

Occupation:

Teacher

Industry:

College

Employer, Employee or Other:

Wage Earner

Able to read:

Yes

Able to Write:

Yes

Out of Work:

Number of Weeks Out of Work:

Neighbors:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
L T Denton	56	Head
Nollie Denton	52	Wife
Harry Denton	28	Son
George Denton	26	Son
Eula Denton	24	Daughter
Chester Denton	22	Son
Lena Denton	20	Daughter
Jennie Denton	18	Daughter
Myrtle Denton	17	Daughter
Ellen Denton	7	Daughter

Irene, as we will call her from here out, probably thought her future was bright as a young bride. On a beautiful spring day, May 20, 1913, she gave birth to the true love of her life, her only son, Harry Clyde Denton, Jr., in Memphis, Tennessee.

Harry Jr. as a child

For reasons unknown, Irene would experience her first divorce, as Harry moved on with his life.

Above shows Harry in 1920, listed as divorced, and living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He listed Tulsa as his residence as early as 1917, in his WWI draft papers. In Tulsa, he was working as a Waiter in a restaurant. I wonder what happened between 1910 and 1920 to cause such a change in professions?

Oddly, Harry listed his son, Harry Jr., as his next of kin, who was just a little boy. He gave the child's residence as Argenta, Arkansas at the time. It can be assumed at this point that Jr. was living with his mother. Harry was at this point working as a Detective for a private firm, Kirk and Gustafson.

Argenta is now part of North Little Rock, and no longer a separate town. It's part of the 'Arts District '. In 1917, it was a typical small southern town.

From all evidence, Harry was an ordinary guy. The times were changing and the 'Turn of the Century " generation was changing with them. Families, especially those in the cities, were becoming smaller, and marriages were not as permanent as once thought. As divorces became easier to obtain, Hollywood influence spread, women more able to earn a living, and mobility increased, marriage became more temporary.

He married (and divorced) a few more times, settling down in his later life with a lady named Dorothy he seemed to stick to. He had no other children and lived a long life, mostly in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

As for Irene, it was sometime in these 'teen' years before the roaring twenties that she met the suave and charming Roy Ellis Dickerson. They would marry about 1919.

Name:

Roy S Dickerson

Age in 1910:

Birth Date:

1894[1894]

Birthplace:

Alabama

Home in 1910:

Montgomery Ward 5, Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Street:

Columbus Street

Race:

White

Gender:

Male

Relation to Head of House:

Son

Marital Status:

Single

Father's Name:

James E Dickerson

Father's Birthplace:

Alabama

Mother's Name:

Jesse E Dickerson

Mother's Birthplace:

Alabama

Native Tongue:

English

Occupation:

Call Boy

Industry:

Rail Road

Employer, Employee or Other:

Wage Earner

Attended School:

Able to read:

Yes

Able to Write:

Yes

Out of Work:

Number of Weeks Out of Work:

Neighbors:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
James E Dickerson	41	Head
Jesse E Dickerson	37	Wife
Claud Dickerson	19	Son
Vauda Dickerson	18	Daughter-in-law
Roy S Dickerson	16	Son
Jesse S Dickerson	14	Daughter
Sarah Dickerson	12	Daughter
Nellie Dickerson	7	Daughter
Hugh Fagan	17	Nephew
Jack Browder	45	Tennant

Roy Dickerson was an Alabama boy, born and raised in Birmingham. The 1917 WWI registration found him in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennesee. The same place Harry C. Denton was in at the time. The son of James and Jessie Griffin Dickerson, the 1910 census showed him working as a Call Boy at the Railroad at the tender age of 18.

Name:	Roy Ellis Dickerson
Race:	White
Marital Status:	Single
Birth Date:	11 Oct 1894
Birth Place:	Alabama, USA
Residence Date:	1917-1918
Street Address:	Majestic Hotel Linden St
Residence Place:	Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, USA
Draft Board:	3
Physical Build:	Medium
Height:	Medium
Hair Color:	Brown
Eye Color:	Gray Blue

His draft card described him as a medium-sized man with gray-blue eyes and brown hair. Seems so ordinary. Did war change him?

Name:	Roy Dickerson
Birth Year:	abt 1895
Age:	19
Date Sentenced:	5 Sep 1914
County:	Montgomery
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Series:	State Convict Records
Volume:	Volume 08: 1913-1916
Archive Name:	Alabama Department of Archives and History
Archive Location:	Montgomery, Alabama
Archive Roll Number:	SG007464

So Irene met and married Roy. At that point, did she know what type of man he was? Roy is seen as having a criminal career by age 19 in 1914, the year after Harry Jr. was born to Irene. Did the young couple fantisize about being the next Bonnie and Clyde? The next part of the story will be told in newspaper articles, with certain parts brought to light.

The Montgomery Advertiser

Montgomery, Alabama

08 Mar 1920, Mon • Page 1

"Roy Dickerson, late of Montgomery whose wife boasts for him 180 suceesful escapes from jails scattered all over the United States." This clipping from March 8, 1920 reports an escape from the Los Angles, California jail after staying in a Santa Monica hotel. Neither Roy or Irene is found in the 1920 census. It is supposed they had been traveling all over the USA.

Irene had grown up undeniably middle class. She seemed like an ordinary Kentucky girl. How did she, as a single mom, hook up with a bank robber like Roy Dickerson? How did he, an ordinary Alabama farm boy thurn into one?

One month after the first article, Irene was arrested in Seale, Alabama, where she would stay for awhile. She was givne 12 and a half years. Her 'boasting' had not served he well.

CLIPPED FROM

The Birmingham News

Birmingham, Alabama

03 Apr 1920, Sat • Page 1

The above article mentions several other 'partners in crime', brothers Rufus and Tom Ford, Herbert Shouse, William Crawford, Sam Sanders and Mattie Ford, who probably was married to one of the brothers. Who were they?

The Dickerson Gang

The Dickerson Gang consisted of around a dozen or two, mainly WWI vets and a few of their girlfriends or relatives. They came together almost immediatley after service and while the participation of some was sporadic, there was a core group of Roy Dickerson, the Ford Brothers, Tom and Rufus, Herbert Shouse and William Martin Crawford. The rest were Sam Sanders, Sam Morris, Frank Cook, Tom Pace, Russel Sage Shouse, Will Yarbrough, John Core, J. W. Scott, Myrtle Hobbs, Mattie Ford and Irene Dickerson.

The leader of the gang was always Roy Ellis Dickerson. Cunning, sharp and charismatic, Roy could inveigle and charm his way out of most of his tightest situations and into nearly anyone's trust or any ladies arms. He was an escape artist like no other, and mostly used not Houdini style methods, but those of a silver tongue, convincing freinds and strangers alike, into aiding his excapes.

The Ford Brothers owned a store, which seemed to be the center of activity, their headquarters so to speak. In a "Citizen of East Alabama" report, the following information was given on the robery of the Phenix-Girard Bank:

The latest news given to the public is the arrest of S. A. Sanders, of Montgomery, in Atlanta, and it is learned a pistol taken from the bank was in his possession.

Tom Ford’s car was found near a store operated by Ford and his brother Rufus which led to their arrest. J.W. “Diamond Dick” Scott was released when it was discovered he was in Montgomery the entire day of the robbery and another reputed bank robber was arrested – Roy Dickerson. Dickerson served his time for the crime as did others involved, but he was the one who returned to apologize to Mr. Mullin.

Below are breif synopsis's of the charactors involved.

Tom and Rufus Ford

Sons of William J and Mattie Shores Ford, these two brothers of a family of 10 children were merchants and grew up in Buena Vista, Marion County, Georgia. By their teens, their father had moved the family to the town of Phenix in Lee County, Alabama. Lee County is a familar place by now, as it was where J. P. Fried had grown up, in Opelika, after his mother Sophronia Solomon- Ussery etc. had moved her family there from Richomnd County, NC.

Thomas William Ford was the oldest by 5 years, born in 1888, while Rufus Samuel was born in 1893.

Tom enlisted for World War I in Georgia at the age of 31. He was described as being of medium height and weight with black hair and blue eyes. He served in Company 'L" 321st Infantry and was discharged as a Coporal 1st Infantry 82nd Division. Tom had been stationed in Nassau in the Bahamas. There he met his first wife, Daisy Moana Roberts.

Rufus enlisted at the age of 22 and was living in Columbus, GA. He was a grocer and married with one child.The Draft card described Rufus as short and stout with black hair and brown eyes. Rufus married Mattie Hodge in September of 1912. Their only son, Willard Frank Ford was born the next year in May of 1913.

Name:

Tow W Ford

Age:

Birth Year:

abt 1888

Birthplace:

Georgia

Home in 1920:

Smiths Station, Lee, Alabama

Street:

Florada Short Routes

Residence Date:

1920

Race:

White

Gender:

Male

Relation to Head of House:

Brother

Marital Status:

Widowed

Father's Birthplace:

Georgia

Mother's Birthplace:

Georgia

Able to Speak English:

Yes

Occupation:

Salesman

Industry:

Grocery Store

Employment Field:

Wage or Salary

Able to read:

Yes

Able to Write:

Yes

Neighbors:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Rufus Ford	26	Head
Mattie Ford	22	Wife
Frank Ford	6	Son
Cate Marmeschmidt	28	Sister
Louis Marmeschmidt	9	Son
Edna Marmeschmidt	6	Daughter
Tow W Ford	32	Brother

The Fords, unlike the Dickersons, show up in the 1920 census. They were running a Grocery Store at Smith's Station in Lee County, Alabama and lived along a road called 'Florida Short Routes'. They were not the only family members involved in running the store. Brother Jesse lived nearby and was also a Grocer. The household consisted of Rufus and Mattie with their young son, Frank,. Tom, and their sister, Cate (or Kate) Ford Marmeschmidt and her two children. Tom is shown as a widower.

This same year both Tom and Rufus, along with Mattie, would be arrested for the robbery of the Phenix-Girard Bank.

Name:

Wayne Ford

Birth Year:

abt 1926[abt 1926]

Gender:

Male

Race:

White

Age in 1930:

4[4 2/12]

Birthplace:

Amerian Citizen[Bahamas; West Indies]

Marital Status:

Single

Relation to Head of House:

Ward

Home in 1930:

Miami, Dade, Florida, USA

Map of Home:

Street Address:

N.W. 46 St

House Number:

622

Dwelling Number:

223

Family Number:

270

Attended School:

Father's Birthplace:

Georgia

Mother's Birthplace:

Bahama West Indies

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Claude O Smith	31	Head
Anna Mae Smith	33	Wife
Wayne Ford	4	Ward
Gene Ford	3	Ward

In 1930, Tom had been released from prison and was living in Florida. Evidence shows that he had made his escape to the Bahama's at some point in the interim. His two sons, Wayne and Gene, were both born in the Bahamas in 1925 and 1927, after which their mother Daisy Moana Roberts passed away. In 1930, the boys were living with Tom and Rufus's sister, Annie Mae Ford Smith and her husband, Otis. The couple were childless and would end up adopting Wayne and Gene.

Name:

Thomas W Ford

Birth Year:

abt 1888

Gender:

Male

Race:

White

Age in 1930:

Birthplace:

Georgia

Marital Status:

Widowed

Relation to Head of House:

Roomer

Home in 1930:

Miami Beach, Dade, Florida, USA

Map of Home:

Street Address:

Pennsylvania Ave

Ward of City:

Precinct 32

House Number:

1020

Dwelling Number:

308

Family Number:

695

Age at First Marriage:

Attended School:

Able to Read and Write:

Yes

Father's Birthplace:

Georgia

Mother's Birthplace:

Georgia

Able to Speak English:

Yes

Occupation:

Proprietor

Industry:

Retail Gen Store

Class of Worker:

Working on own account

Employment:

Yes

Veteran:

Yes

War:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
John W Neorau	51	Head
Alva Neorau	23	Wife
Thomas W Ford	42	Roomer
Billie Rossborough	24	Roomer

Tom was back in the USA, in Miami, Dade County, Florida, doing what he knew best, running a store.

CLIPPED FROM

The Miami Herald

Miami, Florida

30 Jan 1930, Thu • Page 2

Annie Mae Ford Smith

Rufus had joined him in Miami in 1930, but lost his life in a car wreck that year. His wife and son were with him in Miami, along with sister, Annie May Smith who was caring for Tom's two boys. Brother Jesse took over the running of the store in Phenix, Alabama, that was the headquearters for the Dickerson Gang.

CLIPPED FROM

The Miami News

Miami, Florida

12 Nov 1945, Mon • Page 16

Tom outlived his little brother by 15 years, living until age 57. I do not know the name of his first wife, from whom he was widowed in 1920, nor the possibility of a third, but his obituary named a daughter , Margaret, who lived in Georgia, her mother unknonwn

William Martin Crawford

Willie Crawford grew up in Ozark, Dale County, Alabama. Born in 1889, he was one of the older members of the gang .The son of James Yancy Crawford and Julia Dillard Crawford, his father died while he was still young. The 1910 census found him with his widowed mother and two younger brothers, living in Montgomery and working , at 19, as a switchman for the railway, something he would make a career out of when his criminal misadventures were over.

CLIPPED FROM

The Montgomery Advertiser

Montgomery, Alabama

18 Sep 1914, Fri • Page 6

In 1914, at the age of 25, Will married Miss Jesse Coker of Montgomery. Things seemed to be going in his favor and he was on his way to a good life.

CLIPPED FROM

The Montgomery Advertiser

Montgomery, Alabama

22 Dec 1916, Fri • Page 5

Then tragedy struck 2 years later, and Will lost both his wife and their daughter, who was born and died the same day. This event may have put a darkness on his life. He never seemed quite the same. The next year, 1917, he was inducted into the military. His draft card stated he was single, and a switchman for the Railroad. He was described as being of medium height and weight, with Gray eyes and Light brown hair.

Name:

Willis Crawford

Birth Year:

abt 1891

Gender:

Male

Race:

White

Age in 1930:

Birthplace:

Alabama

Marital Status:

Married

Relation to Head of House:

Head

Home in 1930:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Map of Home:

Street Address:

Church Street

Ward of City:

6. pt. of

House Number:

114

Dwelling Number:

Family Number:

132

Home Owned or Rented:

Rented

Home Value:

55.

Radio Set:

Lives on Farm:

Age at First Marriage:

Attended School:

Able to Read and Write:

Yes

Father's Birthplace:

Alabama

Mother's Birthplace:

Alabama

Able to Speak English:

Yes

Occupation:

Switchman

Industry:

Steam Rail Road

Class of Worker:

Wage or salary worker

Employment:

Yes

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Willis Crawford	39	Head
Cora R Crawford	34	Wife
Frank Keene	14	Stepson (Step Son)
Vera M Keene	12	Stepdaughter (Step Daughter)
Clement E Hill	51	Lodger
Pearl R Hill	31	Lodger
Claude Howditch	29	Lodger
Charles Hilton	29	Lodger

Like Roy Dickerson and the Fords, Will Crawford turned to a life of crime nearly immediatley after his release from military duty. He joined the Dickerson Gang, was arrested in Russell County, and did a brief stinit in prison, after which he was released on parole. By 1928, he was remarried, to a young widow named Cora Roberts Keene, who had two children, Frank and Vera. The 1930 cenus shows him working as a Switchman and taking in Lodgers. The City Directories show him living on Bell Street for a good number of years, both before and after pirson.

By 1938, Will and Cora were divorced. She remairied a Newton and he did not remarry. The 1940 census has him living on Mildred Street with his mother Julia, now in her 60's and his brother , Charlie.

Name:

William M Crawford

Age:

Birth Date:

abt 1888

Gender:

Male

Birth Place:

Alabama

Marital Status:

Divorced

Relation to Head of House:

Brother

Residence Date:

1950

Home in 1950:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Occupation Category:

Working

Worker Class:

Own Business

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Charles R Crawford	55	Head
William M Crawford	62	Brother

1950 has Will and Charlie living still on Mildred Street, Julia having passed on. Charlie, never married, was a Train Conductor and Will was a divorced Stationary Engineer for a Military Post. He never returned to a life of crime.

William Martin Crawford remained in Montgomery, Alabama for the rest of his days. He died on July 5, 1967 at the age of 77. He was buried next to his beloved Jessie and their infant daughter.

Montgomery, Alabama circa 1920

Samuel Alexander Sanders

Born April 11, 1879, Sam Saunders was the true 'old man' of the Dickerson gang at 41 in 1920. He was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, son of Lorenzo DeCalivn Sanders and Susan Melissa Butler. Sam arrived in Montgomery as a student. He may have had familial ties to Ray Dickerson, because he married a lady named Maude M. Dickerson. He also may have had a neighobrly connection to Will Crawford, as they are both found living on Bell Street just before the Gang was assembled.

1907

1909

Sam and Maude would have one child, a daughter named Edna Estelle, in 1901. Sam had a series of differing jobs during the teens.

In 1910, he and Maude were living at Union Station in Montgomery with their 9 year old daughter, Edna. Sam was working as a machinist for Gasoline engines.

When WWI hit, despite being married with a child and 39, Sam was called into service. His draft card reports he was a taxi driver living on Madison Avenue in Montgomery and described him as being of medium height and stout build with blue eyes and brown hair. His wife was his contact. He ended up in the National Guard, probably due to age.

Why did Sam, who seems like such a family man, join up with the Dickerson Gang? Was he in need of quick money? Come to think of it, the rest of the gang were either father's or stepfathers so far. Ray was a stepfather to Harry Denton, Tom Ford had two sons before the robberies, Wayne and Gene, although his sister raised them. Rufus and Mattie Ford, both sentenced, had Frank, and Will Crawford became a stepfather when he married Cora. Sam was sentenced to 10 years in 1920.

Maude, who had no part in the crimes or coverups, never lived with him after that. She was found with her 19 year old daughter, infant grandson Timothy, and younger brother and sister in 1920, living with siblings in 1930 and 1940, and with Edna and a few of her children in 1950. Maude supported herself as a stenographer, a Front Desk Agent and a helper for a First Aid Project. Edna married young to a Grist. Although they didn't live together, it was 1946 before they divorced. Sam had joined the Ford's in Miami and filed for divorce there.

Maude Dickerson Sanders died in Montgomery in 1952. Sam in 1956. Despite the fact that he was living in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina and working as a Film Projectionist at a Movie Theater at the time, their daughter Edna brought her father, who died of colon cancer, home to Alabama, and buried him beside her mother at Evergreen.

The Shouse Brothers

Herbert Augustus Shouse and his younger brother, Russell Sage Shouse grew up in Thomasville, Thomas County, Georgia. They were numbers 7 and 8 of the 10 children of Edward Phillip House and wife, Georgia Crittenden. Their father, a Conductor for ACL, moved the family to Montgomery, Alabama when the boys were young teens. Herbert, the more devious of the two, was born in 1896 and Russ in 1898, making them 24 and 22 during the 1920 robberies. While several of the Dickerson Gang sought to turn over a new leaf after time served, the Shouse brothers did not .

Russell, the younger Shouse, was inducted into the military at age 19. He was fair, blonde and slender in build.

Upon release from serving, he seems to have entered a life of crime. 1920 found him as a prisoner in Elmore, Alabama, as did 1930. He had been free in the middle of those two census records, at least for a while.

The Montgomery City Directory of 1927 had him working at Diffy's Funeral home and living back in the city. In 1930, their reported him working at a Cotton Mill before incarceration.

It also reported him as married. Just the year prior, he had married a nurse named Mabel Beatrice Weeks. The marriage was understandably short and after his release from prison, Russell reentered the military, where he had found some success.

In his WWII draft papers, Russell Sage named his brother and partner in crime as next of kin. He gave his marital status as separated.

Russell Sage Shouse persued a career as a bondsman after his release from prison, settling in Birmingham, Alabama. He maintained that career until at least 2 years before his death in 1964 at the age of 66.

1960 City Directory for Birmingham Alabama

Herbert Augustus Shouse was the more prominent and daring of the two brothers. Like his little brother, he was slender and blonde, reflective of their German roots. His father's family had spent a few generations in North Carolina before Ed had settled in Georgia, then Alabama.

Herbert attempted to evade WWI, at 21, claiming to be the sole support of his mother and youngest brother, his father having passed away in 1914. He was working as a mechanic.

During the beginning of his criminal career, he met a bad girl named Myrtle Hobbs, who accompanied him on the run from justice. Herbert and Will Crawford had been arrested in St. Louis, the money found in Daytona Beach. Others of the gang were found as far away as Los Angeles and others in Atlanta.

Myrtle and Herbert caused a sensation by requesting to be married in the Russell County jail, which they were allowed to do.

Having started off on a bad foot, the marriage was doomed. She had remarried by 1925.

Herbert received 15 years for his part in the Russell County robbery.

He was sent to Flat Top Prison in Montgomery. As reported in The Birmingham News, March 18, 1926 edition, Herbert was one of many convicts and auxiliary staffing, who testified to the horrific conditions and treatment at the prison and of the torture and murder of a fellow inmate named Knox at the hands of guards. Herbert had been assigned to working in the mines and supervised a team.

Later in the same story it was reported that Herbert had been the victim of the same murderous guard who had killed Mr. Knox. At some point he had broken both of Herberts arms. This fact tainted his testimony.

Fortunately, Herbert Shouse didn't have to seve the entire 15 year sentence. He was paroled in 1929 and went directly into the Bail bonds business, perhaps using some of his unrecovered ill- gotten gains.

Herbert remarried to a lady named Elsa Barnes from Tennessee. In the 1930 census, Herbert is the head of Household, with his wife, his mother Georgia, his brother Charlie, and a roomer named Bessie.

He's still with Elsa in 1932, as reported in the city directory. This second marriage quickly dissolved, as the very next year, 1933, Herbert would marry his third and final wife.

On June 2, 1933, Herbert married the one that stuck, Marybell Comer. This one was death till they parted.

That day was August 11, 1958, when Herbert passed away at the age of 59. Neither he nor Russell had any children.

The Lesser Accomplices

A number of other men floated in and out t the Dickerson Gang, or were arrested in connection with the core group. Here follows a brief synopsis of some of them.

Sam Larusa Morris

Sam Larusa Morris aka Sam Larusa (1891-1946) was an Italian American born in Louisiana. He had moved first to Chisholm, Alabama and then to Montgomery. His draft reocrds stated he was short and stout, dark complexioned, with black hair and eyes.

In the 1920 census, he was a Chauffeur with a wife named Belle. In 1923, he married Rosa Carrington and had one daughter named Josie. As a number of the other members, like Russ Shouse, had worked as Chauffeurs, that may have been the connection. Sam, who changed his name, was arrested, but the charges were dropped.

Tom Pace

Tom Pace (1889-1946) Was born in Georgia, but lived in Montgomery and Lee Counties, Alabama, and Philadelphia , PA, at times in the interim. He was married and had a number of children.. In 1920, he was a Taxi driver in Montgomery, Alabama.

3 Mar 1920

Newton, Alabama

Tom Pace was noted as the comic relief during the Dickerson Gang trials.

CLIPPED FROM

The Montgomery Advertiser

Montgomery, Alabama

02 Apr 1920, Fri • Page 10

There was some debate as to his race. In Alabama, he was called out as black and Pace himself denied that. In his first census, he was labled an orphan at a very young age, so his parents were unknown. When he moved to Pennsylvania, he identified as Italian.

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The Montgomery Advertiser

Montgomery, Alabama

01 Apr 1920, Thu • Page 2

In his military papers he was described as being of medium height and weight with black hair and black eyes.

Name:	Tom Pace
Record Type:	Military Service
Birth Date:	25 Aug 1889
Military Date:	16 Jun 1919
Residence Place:	Atlanta, GA
Death Date:	11 Jan 1944

Most likely he was of mixed race, and his ethnicity up to interpretation or uncertain. He died at the age of 71 in Opelika, Alabama..

12 Feb 1920

Macon, Geor

gia

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Union Springs Herald

Union Springs, Alabama

04 Mar 1920, Thu • Page 1

William Yarborough

Will Yarborough (1866-1948) was a merchant, like the Ford brothers, from Elmore, Alabama. His involvement seemed miniscule at best. Older, and a family man from the onset, he seemed to live a mostly respectible life, and may have just been caught up it the melee accidentally.

Big Mose

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The News Tribune

Tacoma, Washington

28 Jul 1939, Fri • Page 2

This member of The Dickerson Gang was the most mysterious, as he changed his name so often. Who was the real 'Big Mose'? It took a little while, but this most nationwide and most notorious member of the Dickerson gang racked up the mentions in books and newspaper articles, but none of them gave a good deal of info on who he really was, or at least who he had started out as.

Name:	Morris Barnett
Race:	Caucasian (White)
Marital Status:	Single
Birth Date:	7 Nov 1894
Birth Place:	Maine
Residence Date:	1917-1918
Street Address:	808 - Humboldt No.
Residence Place:	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA
Draft Board:	03
Physical Build:	Stout
Height:	Tall
Hair Color:	Black
Eye Color:	Brown

Born Morris Barnett on November 7, 1894 in Portland, Maine as the second of the 6 children of Hyman and Sarah Barnett, Jewish immigrants from Russia, you can be pretty sure Barnett was not their original surname. Bernstien, mentioned above as one of Morris's aliases, might have been thier actual original surname. The birthplaces of the children devulge the gypsy status aof the family in the early years, not putting down roots and moving often. Louis (1889) and Morris were born in Maine, Rose (1897), Ella (1898), and Jenny (1900) were born in Massachutsetts, Sophia (1904), was born in Hennepin County, Minnesotta, and if Big Mose had a home, Minneapolis was it. The family lived in Somerville, Ward 6, Middlesex, Minnesota in 1900 when Morris was 6, and in Minneapolis, Ward 3 in 1905 and 1910, when he was 10 and 16 respectively. In his WWI draft card, Morris wa described as tall and stout, with black hair and brown eyes. He was a big man.

Name:	Morris Barnett
Residence Year:	1915
Street Address:	802 Emerson av N
Residence Place:	Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Occupation:	Peddler
Publication Title:	Minneapolis, Minnesota, City Directory, 1915

In 1917, Morris had given his profession as a Novelty Salesman and in the 1915 City Directory of Minneapolis, he called himself a Peddler. Not far from the truth, but 3 years prior, Morris was arrested in St. Joseph, Missouri. Seems he began as a trickster, scam artist, traveling with a carnival.

That was not his last problem in Missouri. He would be arrested there again. Morris would gain a reputation for the ability to raise bail, he would move on to a new loaction, change his name, and start over. It would have been very difficult to trace him due to all of his aliases, however, if he had not kept getting in trouble.

CLIPPED FROM

St. Joseph Gazette

St. Joseph, Missouri

14 Nov 1913, Fri • Page 8

After this, Big Mose was all over the country. He was in and out of Florida and left the country for Cuba several times.

He did stints in prison several times and known as an expert at raising bail. Although he seems to have abandoned Minneapolis as his 'headquarters' during the 1930's and 1940's, which coincidentally were his 30's and 40's, and chose Washington State instead, he made frequent trips to Florida, and from thence, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

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The Tacoma Daily Ledger

Tacoma, Washington

09 Feb 1935, Sat • Page 1

Tacoma, Washington became his second most abused haunt, next to his hometown of Minneapolis. However, he was wanted and arrested in Buffalo, Detroit, California, Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida, a thug for all seasons and states. In 1940, he was a citizen of Walla Walla, Washignton.

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The News Tribune

Tacoma, Washington

30 Sep 1947, Tue • Page 1

He stayed in union with Ray Dickerson until at least the 1930's, and he could also count Machine Gun Kelly as one of his associates.

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The Tacoma Daily Ledger

Tacoma, Washington

17 Oct 1933, Tue • Page 8

In his later and slower days, Big Mose became known as a flop house owner and real estate mogul. Several stories were told of his later career as a slum lord on Minneapolis' Skid Row. His influence was widespread, and several stories point out that he was not just a mobster, he held influence and freindship among the law enforcement crowd, too.

In th book, "The King of Skid Row: John Bacich and the Twilight Years of Minneapolis", by John Eli Shift it states:

"It turms out judges were some of the people who paid visits to Big Mose in 1965 when he was dying in his room.." Other quotes of his world were, "In the trashed lobby of the old A & C Hotel once ran by Big Mose Barnett up above Johnny's Liquor Store a cheerful signg beacons to no one , "To our Guests and Gandy Freinds''. And:

" One door down from Rex Liquours was the A & C Hotel Nicollet whose Proprietor was a large fellow with a taste for cigars named Morris 'Big Mose' Barnett. Johnny knew enough about him to keep his distance."

Another book, "Minnesota Rag", by Fred W. Frieng, describes Big Mose in a different, more sinsiter, light. While Shift paints a picture of him in his latter days as a ciga -smoking slum lord hanging out on the wrong side of town, Frieng implicates him with a group of "jew thugs" in an assault on Sam Shapiro. He also claims the Barnett gang shot George "Ruby" Rubinstein. and describes his 'home-cave' on Hennepin Avenue in Minnesota as a criminal kingpin safehouse.

The Minneapolis Tribune even accused other newspapers as being 'afraid to mention the name of Mose Barnett, gamble, gangster, gunman'. Barnett stood 'six feet tall and 240 lbs'. He was 'a fancy dresser ' and was a 'gambler'.

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The Minneapolis Star

Minneapolis, Minnesota

27 Mar 1965, Sat • Page 14

Morris Barnett passed away in Dade County, Florida in 1965. He was returned to Minneapolis to be buried in th e Jewish Cemetery ther in Richfield.

Jordan William "Diamond Dick" Scott

J W Scott was said to have been born in New Orleans and had moved to Montgomery 10 years prior to his criminal career in Montgomery, Alabama. It was also reported that he, at one time, had lived in Girard in Lee County.

Like most of the Gang, including Roy Dickerson and the Ford Brothers, Scott was a WWI vet, newly released from service. His appearance was described as being of stout build and of medium hieght , with brown eyes and hair. He gave his 'Trade or Occupation' as 'Pool Room'. He must have been a pool shark and that could have been where he earned the nickname Diamond Dick.

The Montgomery Times

Montgomery, Alabama

Wed, Jan 21, 1920 · Page 1

When arrested with the Dickerson Gang in 1921, he was given a $40,000 bail, an extremely high amount in that era. Jordan did not live to be an old man. On April 19, 1921, he was shot by a man named L. E. McGreogor, who calimed self -defence.

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The Montgomery Times

Montgomery, Alabama

19 Apr 1921, Tue • Page 1

The newspapers reported his murder and obituary similtaneously. He was survived only by a brother, Walter, who lived in Little Rock.

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The Montgomery Advertiser

Montgomery, Alabama

28 Apr 1953, Tue • Page 3

Thirty years later, another paper gave a story on another mobster and mentioned the cause of the death of Scott, a card game gone bad.

Frank Cook, alias Johnny Ferrell aka J. M. Cooley

Frank Cook, born in 1898, possibly from Memphis, Tennessee, was supposedly a good friend of Roy Dickerson, and also responisble for aiding him in many crimes. He is said to have also been part of a Gang ran by a man named Diggs Nolan.

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The Birmingham News

Birmingham, Alabama

26 Nov 1929, Tue • Page 1

Frank, picutred above, was incarcerated at Kilby Prison with Roy and in 1928, aided in a successful escape from the prison with Ivanhoe "Slick" Silva.

His prison reocrd and the tales of his crimes is really all I can discover of him. By using a plain and populous moniker, he made himself completely anonymous. His prison record is almost all we can find on him.

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The Birmingham News

Birmingham, Alabama

26 Nov 1929, Tue • Page 1

Like that of Diamond Dick, his criminal career led to a short life. OnNovember 22, 1929, just a year after his escape from Kilby, Cook got into a gun fight in a hotel with a man named Davidson. Both ended up dead. It took police some time to identify him and to figure out that Johnny Ferrell and Frank Cook were the same man.

The Birmingham News

Birmingham, Alabama

Thu, Nov 28, 1929 · Page 4

The last member of the Dickerson Gang, John Core, or John Coon, was an African-American man I can find no more information on.

Roy Ellis Dickerson

We last spoke of Roy, the mastermind behind the Dickerson Gang, at the age of 19 and the beginning of his criminal career.

We learned a great deal about the robbery of the Phenix Girard Bank in the stories of his friends.

Roy actually has two prison records in Alabama, with so many scratch outs and amendments they are hard to read, but they tell an interesting tale of his many arrests and escapes. I find of particular interest the one dated 1940, where he gets a reinstatement of all of his rights, as if he had done nothing wrong.

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Abbeville Herald

Abbeville, Alabama

17 Jun 1920, Thu • Page 2

So, what happend to Roy after he was caught and jailed for the Russell County robbery? Why he Wriggle wriggled, for sure!

The Tampa Times - 20 Mar 1925 - Page 12

In 1925, he had a close call in Tampa, Florida.

The Sand Mountain Banner - 8 Sep 1927 - Page 1

The cops thought they had him in Philadelphia, but it turned out to be a Ralph Dickerson, not Roy.

He was recaptured on December 30, 1927, as was reported by the Girard newspapers and was fighting extradition back to Kilby. It was not long that with the help of unknown accomplices, Roy was gone again.

The Phenix-Girard Journal - 30 Dec 1927 - Page 1

April 28, 1928 Captured again. This time he was going by the name of Fred Howell and was in Tacoma, Washington with 'Charles Mack', aka Big Mose, real name Morris Barnett.

The Montgomery Advertiser - 3 Oct 1928 - Page 1

October 28, 1928 Roy was caught in Los Angeles. It was thought the visit of his wife preceded the escape. Roy had a pretty good fan club in those days. This was not Irene, who divorced him, but more likely his second wife, Halle Hobbs, who gave birth to his son Roy Hobbs Dickerson about 1924.

The Birmingham News - 23 Jan 1929 - Page 1

Shortly after this occured the escape with Ivanhoe 'Slick' Silva and Fred Cook aka Johnny Ferrell aka J.M. Cooley. A story in the Birmingham papers told of officers leaving to pick him up months later in 1929 and gave an accounting of his escapades. He was being implicated in robberies as far away as Vancouver, Canada and Department stores in L. A.

1930 He's counted in prison in the 1930 census.

The Town Talk - 18 Aug 1936 - Page 7 Alexandria, Louisiana

1936 A pardon is requested for Roy.

1939 Roy's a free man and has married his last wife, Grace L. Menck Wilkenson Dickerson, who was from Florida. She was shown as a single waitress in 1938 in the Mobile, Alabama City Directory, so their marriage took place between those two dates.

1950

In the 1950 census, Roy is seen as a respectable business man in Mobile with his wife, Grace. But not so fast, it is Roy after all.

1951 For unknown reasons, Roy had become a close friend of Governor Jim Folsom. He served as Governor of Alabama from 1947 to 1951 and again from 1955 to 1959. In 1951, Roy was accused of "selling pardons" through his connection to the Governor, especially as Folsom was ending his first term. Below were some of the examples given.

The Birmingham News - 24 Jul 1951 - Page 4

He was not the only one accused, there were many. Nothing came of it, however, as the corruption ran deep and thick.

Gov. Jim Folsom

1963 Roy passed away at the age of 69, not old, but not early. Quite a long life for a smoking, drinking, career criminal, escape artist turned politically connected con man.

Dayton Daily News - 14 Jun 1963 - Page 49

Roy's obituary explained a little bit of his later life. His wife Grace, who was born in 1904, moved to Moncks Corner, South Carolina and lived well into the 1990's

Chicago Tribune - 15 Jun 1963 - Page 14

Irene

We've already seen that Evelyn Irene Klee was born and raised in Henderson County, Kentucky. She was married in 1912 at age 19 to Harry Clyde Denton in Memphis, Tennessee. By 1917, she was living in Arkansas City, Arkansas. She had a small son, Jr., divorced Harry and about 1919 married Roy Ellis Dickerson, a WWI vet, who was at the beginning of his criminal career. In 1921, Roy, along with several others, named as members of his gang, robbed the bank in Girard, Russell County, Alabama. The wide net thrown by the cops entangled three women, wives and girlfriends of the gang, including Irene.

The Birmingham News - 3 Apr 1920 - Page 1

Irene was sentenced to 12 years for her part in the crime. After robbing the Phenix-Girard bank, Roy had escaped to Columbus, Georgia where Irene awaited. She accompanied him to California with $50,000 in cash.

The Tuscaloosa News - 12 Aug 1920 - Page 8

After being sentenced, Irene began recounting her testimony.

The Montgomery Advertiser - 27 Jul 1920 - Page 2

She tried to fight placement of her young son, Harry.

The Montgomery Advertiser - 2 Jan 1921 - Page 11

Pleading for a pardon, she tried to appeal to peoples sympathy using her role as a mother.

Russell Register - 19 Nov 1920 - Page 2

Her appeal was filed.

The Andalusia Star - 14 Jan 1921 - Page 1

In 1925, she confessed to perjury and testified against Roy. At some point before this time, she had divorced him. In 1928 when his wife assisted in yet another escape, it was explained in the papers that wife was not Irene, as they were divorced and she was living in Birmingham.

The Troy Messenger - 1 Dec 1920 - Page 6

Pardon was granted Irene after she had served half of her sentence.

I found Irene in the 1928 and 1929 City Directories of Montgomery Alabama living on Madison Avenue and working as a seamstress. She begins as Irene E. Dickerson and then returns to Irene E. Denton.

Name:

Irene Denton[Irene Danton]

Birth Year:

abt 1889

Gender:

Female

Race:

White

Age in 1930:

Birthplace:

Kentucky

Marital Status:

Divorced

Relation to Head of House:

Head

Homemaker?:

Yes

Home in 1930:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Map of Home:

Street Address:

Madison Avenue

Ward of City:

6 pt. of

House Number:

213 1/2

Dwelling Number:

Family Number:

Home Owned or Rented:

Rented

Home Value:

30.

Radio Set:

Yes

Lives on Farm:

Age at First Marriage:

Attended School:

Able to Read and Write:

Yes

Father's Birthplace:

Germany

Mother's Birthplace:

Tennessee

Able to Speak English:

Yes

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Irene Denton	41	Head
Harry C Denton	18	Son

In 1930, it's confirmed that she is living with her son Harry.

Sometime during these days, she meets my relative, John Pinkney Freid. The elope to Florida in 1935 and get married. Irene was 42.

Name:

Irene Denton

Respondent:

Yes

Age:

Estimated Birth Year:

abt 1889

Gender:

Female

Race:

White

Birthplace:

Kentucky

Marital Status:

Widowed

Relation to Head of House:

Head

Home in 1940:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama

Map of Home in 1940:

Street:

South Hull Street

Farm:

Inferred Residence in 1935:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama

Residence in 1935:

Montgomery

Resident on farm in 1935:

Sheet Number:

11A

Number of Household in Order of Visitation:

231

House Owned or Rented:

Rented

Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented:

Attended School or College:

Highest Grade Completed:

High School, 2nd year

Income Other Sources:

Neighbors:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Irene Denton	51	Head
Harry Denton	27	Son
James Fried	54	Lodger

I have no proof, but I don't believe that J.P. Freid knew of her speckled past when he married her. Within a brief time, the marriage was desolved, but the relationship remained, as he is shown living with her in 1940. This is when J. P. Freid was working as a Waiter, oddly, as he was normally a switchman for the railway. Harry was working as a clerk at Public Welfare.

Name:

Irene E Denton

Age:

Birth Date:

abt 1889

Gender:

Female

Marital Status:

Widowed

Relation to Head of House:

Mother

Residence Date:

1950

Home in 1950:

Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Occupation Category:

Keeping House

Worked Last Week:

Seeking Work:

Employment Status:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
Harry C Denton	36	Head
Irene E Denton	61	Mother

James Pinkney Freid marries someone else in 1943, and passes away in 1952. In 1950, Irene and her son Harry C. Denton, Jr. are still living in Montgomery, Alabama. Irene never remarried and Harry never married at all. Harry was working as a census taker for the State Dept of Indian Affairs at this time and Irene was acting as his housekeeper.

Harry C. Denton Jr would bury his mother in 1963. In her last City Directories, she named herself as the widow of Harry Denton Sr.

Obituary Date	8 Aug 1966
Obituary Place	Montgomery, Alabama, USA
Newspaper Title	Alabama Journal

She was given a brief, but polite obituary in the Montgomery Advertiser. There was no mention of Roy Dickerson. Harry Jr. passed away in 1994.

Good Night Irene.

Job's Children

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Goodnight Irene

The Montgomery Advertiser

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