..Presenting...

The Story ...

This story of young love, money and tragedy takes place in 1938 on Manitoulin Island, Ontario.

Twenty one year old Daniel George Dodge was one of the heirs to the Dodge Motor Company fortune. He was reported to be worth about 9.5 million dollars. Daniel's family had a summer lodge near Kagawong, ON that he would visit often.

While vacationing on Manitoulin in 1936 Daniel then nineteen met and fell in love with a seventeen year old local girl named Laurine MacDonald. Laurine was a telephone operator in the neighbouring town of Gore Bay who in stark contrast to Daniel's millions made about $15.00/week. Daniel was looking for a place to stay while some work was being done on the summer lodge. Someone suggested the MacDonald place. The couple met formally while he lodged at their home. They both enjoyed sports and the outdoors. Over the next two years the couple would be seen together quite often at dances, driving and out in the Dodge's speedboat.

The couple got engaged in the spring of 1938 and applied for a marriage licence July 27th. On August 3rd 1938 they were wed in a small ceremony at Meadow brook Hall in Rochester, MI. The couple spent a few days in Lake of the Woods before returning to Manitoulin to finish off the two week honeymoon.

On August 15, 1938 Daniel Dodge asked twenty one year old assistant care taker Frank Valiquette to gather up some dynamite from an old piano box on the lot. Frank was reportedly the only person who knew where the dynamite was stored. The Dynamite was left over from the construction of the camp or the road leading into the camp. Frank brought the old dynamite to the garage. Daniel was eager to test the dynamite to see if it worked. He had been warned by Richard Drolet former head caretaker of the estate not to play with the dynamite. Richard, who for unknown reasons had resigned or quit his post two days earlier.

Daniel and Frank were Inside the garage . Outside the garage at a knee high window was Lloyd Bryant another caretaker at the lodge and behind him Laurine (MacDonald) Dodge. The group talked about how to light the dynamite. They settled on sticking a blasting cap on one of the old pieces and attaching a "three minute fuse" Daniel asked Frank to light the wick with his cigarette lighter. Frank did and Daniel drew back to throw the lit dynamite out the front door of the garage and a tremendous explosion occurs.

Reports vary at this point but so far we have been able to piece together this scenario.

Someone in the group had placed some dynamite and blasting caps on the window sill and on the floor in front of the sill. When Daniel swung back to throw the dynamite a shower of sparks fell over the caps and dynamite. There was an explosion and Daniel was blown to the floor and received a head injury. Frank Valiquette states that he saw what was going to happen and jumped out the back window of the garage relatively unharmed. Lloyd Bryant was most seriously injured standing outside of the building at the window where the other caps and explosives where detonated. The other person Laurine Dodge was sheltered by Lloyd Bryant but still received injuries.

Reports from doctors and investigating provincial police claim they suspected that the blast contained mostly blasting caps. The reasoning was because all of the wounded had small twisted junks of metal in their wounds.

Mary Bryant wife of Lloyd Bryant was inside the Lodge washing dishes when she heard the explosion and the ensuing commotion. Her husband asked her to get the car but Frank and Laurine where already attending to that. Mary put tourniquets on her husbands wounds.

During this time a second explosion occurred. It appears that Daniel still in the garage had been blown up a second time by the original stick of dynamite he had in his hands which was supposed to burn for three minutes.

The car was then pulled up to the garage but it was suggested by Daniel who was conscious that they should take the boat to Little Current. The reason being, it would be faster and they could fit everyone.This may seem strange to some because the only hospital was located in Mindemoya and was only accessible by road. However, there were doctors in Little Current.

Back in 1938 the roads where rough which is detailed in a newspaper article about the ambulance that took Lloyd Bryant from Little Current to Mindemoya. The article states the ambulance got a flat tire on the way to the Red Cross Hospital but they had a spare to replace it. On the way back they got another flat tire and had to walk the rest of the way because a second spare was not available.

The group piled into the 250 horsepower mahogany speedboat named "MAC." Laurine at the wheel they raced towards Little Current at top speed battling four foot waves. Because of these waves the trip was taking twice as long as expected.

Laurine became tired about twelve miles from Little Current. Frank Valiquette took the wheel but was not experienced at driving the speedboat. Laurine was reportedly helping him steer. Suddenly they heard a shriek and the words "Oh Dan, don't do that." The pair driving turned around to see Daniel going overboard. The shriek was from Mary Bryant who would later state it looked like Daniel jumped overboard.

The drivers circled the boat around to retrieve Daniel. They could see him but it appeared he wasn't trying to swim. They stated it looked like he was trying to brush the hair out of his eyes. The high waves made it impossible to get near him without circling around again. During the second pass they lost sight of Daniel. They searched for a reported "ten minutes" then continued on to Little Current to save Lloyd Bryant's life.

Daniel's body was recovered twenty three days later after a $50,000 search that included seaplanes, a submarine, dozens of boats and men. The submarine was never used in the actual search efforts. It was going through final preparations the day Daniel was found. The media frenzy that descended on Manitoulin Island was unlike any ever seen. The Globe and Mail reported sending a plane to cover this story and another plane to cover another story a first in Canadian Journalism.

After that a coroners inquest was held and found that Daniel Dodge's Death was an accident due to drowning. A long court battle ensued over the remainder of his estate. Originally Laurine was to receive $250,000 that was set aside in her and Daniel's prenuptial agreement. The battle raged on though Laurine claimed Daniel's mother (Matilda Dodge Wilson) was no longer his legal guardian after he turned twenty one. She also claimed that his mother was hiding some of Daniel's assets. The final verdict has not been uncovered at this time but it is reported that she received between 1.25 and 2.5 million dollars. Some early reports put her stake at 8 million.

Key Dates:

August 2nd 1938 – Daniel George Dodge and Laurine MacDonald wed in Meadow brook Hall Rochester, Michigan.
August 15th 1938 – Explosion at Dodge estate in Kagawong, ON. The four injured and one other travel to Little Current, ON by boat to seek medical attention. Daniel Dodge falls or jumps over the side of the boat and drowns. The remaining people travel to Little Current and are then transferred to the Mindemoya, ON Hospital.
August 17th 1938 – Around this time Attorney General Conant orders a Provincial probe into Daniel Dodges Death.

September 7th 1938 – Daniel Dodges body is found by Wes Ryder and Albert Bateman on the North Channel of Manitoulin Island .Reports state the body was found in good condition. Reports also state Daniel would have likely survived his wounds if he had made it to Little Current with the others.

October 12th 1938 – Law enforcement and Doctors testify at a coroner’s jury. The hearing was adjourned until October 24th 1938 because Laurine Dodge was in Detroit surrogate court probing the will of her husband.

October 24th 1938 - Laurine Dodge, Frank Valiquette and Mary Bryant testify in front of the coroners jury. No mention of Lloyd Bryant giving testimony in the acquired newspaper articles. 

Daniel Dodge’s death is held an accident.