Stephen A. Douglas Puter
Encyclopedia
Stephen A. Douglas Puter (January 6, 1857 – ?) was a criminal and author from the U.S. state
of Oregon
. He was instrumental in carrying out the Oregon land fraud scandal
, which transferred tens of thousands of acres of federal lands given to the Oregon and California Railroad
to private hands, ultimately benefiting large timber companies and some Oregon politicians, including John H. Mitchell
and Binger Hermann
(who was later exonerated). Considered the kingpin of the scandal, in 1906, Puter wrote the book Looters of the Public Domain in collaboration with Horace Stevens. In the detailed tell-all
, Puter both confessed to and accused others of their role in the scandal, and in it were portraits of his co-conspirators and copies of documents confirming their criminal acts. The book was written while Puter was in jail after being convicted in the scheme. In his book he wrote:
Puter had fled Oregon before being sentenced, but he was captured and made to serve two years in the Multnomah County
Jail. President Theodore Roosevelt
pardoned him after he had served 18 months of his sentence so that he could turn state's evidence
. His testimony led to the indictment of Mitchell, Hermann and John N. Williamson
, who made up three-fourths of Oregon's congressional delegation, as well as a number of other prominent Oregonians and federal officials.
, and moved with his family to Humboldt County, California
two years later. As a young man, he worked as a surveyor
and a logger
. He left California in 1888 and moved to Portland, Oregon
. In 1902, he took his family to Berkeley, California
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He was instrumental in carrying out the Oregon land fraud scandal
Oregon land fraud scandal
The Oregon land fraud scandal of the early 20th century involved U.S. government land grants in the U.S. state of Oregon being illegally obtained with the assistance of public officials. Most of Oregon's U.S. congressional delegation received indictments in the case: U.S. Senator John H....
, which transferred tens of thousands of acres of federal lands given to the Oregon and California Railroad
Oregon and California Railroad
The Oregon and California Railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad when it was the first to operate a stretch south of Portland in 1869. This qualified the Railroad for land grants in California, whereupon the name of the railroad soon changed to Oregon & California Rail Road Company...
to private hands, ultimately benefiting large timber companies and some Oregon politicians, including John H. Mitchell
John H. Mitchell
John Hipple Mitchell, also known as John Mitchell Hipple, John H. Mitchell, or J. H. Mitchell was a controversial American lawyer and politician, who served as a Republican United States Senator from Oregon on three occasions between 1872 and 1905...
and Binger Hermann
Binger Hermann
Binger Hermann was an American attorney and politician in Oregon. A native of Maryland, he immigrated to the Oregon Territory with his parents as part of the Baltimore Colony. Hermann would serve in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly and as a Republican in the United States Congress...
(who was later exonerated). Considered the kingpin of the scandal, in 1906, Puter wrote the book Looters of the Public Domain in collaboration with Horace Stevens. In the detailed tell-all
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
, Puter both confessed to and accused others of their role in the scandal, and in it were portraits of his co-conspirators and copies of documents confirming their criminal acts. The book was written while Puter was in jail after being convicted in the scheme. In his book he wrote:
Thousands upon thousands of acres, which included the very cream of timber claims in Oregon and Washington, were secured by Eastern lumberman and capitalists,…and nearly all of the claims, to my certain knowledge, were fraudulently obtained.
Puter had fled Oregon before being sentenced, but he was captured and made to serve two years in the Multnomah County
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
Jail. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
pardoned him after he had served 18 months of his sentence so that he could turn state's evidence
Turn state's evidence
To turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
. His testimony led to the indictment of Mitchell, Hermann and John N. Williamson
John N. Williamson
John Newton Williamson was an American rancher and politician in the state of Oregon. A native Oregonian, he served in both chambers of the Oregon Legislative Assembly representing central and eastern Oregon in the late 19th century...
, who made up three-fourths of Oregon's congressional delegation, as well as a number of other prominent Oregonians and federal officials.
Personal life
Puter was born on January 6, 1857 in Trinity County, CaliforniaTrinity County, California
Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...
, and moved with his family to Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
two years later. As a young man, he worked as a surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
and a logger
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
. He left California in 1888 and moved to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. In 1902, he took his family to Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
.