Dedicated To The Memory of Jess Sarber
Jess Sarber had been elected into the office of Sheriff in November of 1931 and held the position until Harry Pierpont murdered him on October 12, 1933. Born in Delphos, Ohio on June 28, 1886, he had been a used car salesman before taking office. Jess was one of the most liked officers in the county and always treated his prisoners well. Sheriff Sarber had been warned of a possible jail break concerning Dillinger, but Sarber considered the Indiana outlaw just a punk and never heeded the warnings. Jess Sarber, his wife Lucy and a deputy Wilbur Sharp were in the jail around 6:25 on the evening of October 12 when three men, Pierpont, Clark and Makley (or possibly Harry Copeland) entered the jail and told Sarber they were from the Michigan City prison and wanted to speak to Dillinger. The Sheriff asked to see their credentials. Harry Pierpont then whipped out a pistol and told him this was his credential. At this time Deputy Sharp jumped to his feet, but Clark quickly pulled a gun and aimed it at him. Sheriff Sarber started to stand and reached for a gun in his desk drawer and said, “Oh, you can't do that.“ Pierpont promptly shot the sheriff once in the stomach, severing a major artery. As Sarber tried to raise himself, Makley hit him over the head twice, opening his scalp to the bone, demanding the key to the cells. The sheriff's wife, Lucy, then begged them to stop hitting her husband and retrieved the keys for Pierpont. Pierpont had trouble opening the cell door and had the deputy open it for him. The deputy wasn't in uniform and Pierpont told Sharp he was lucky they didn't know who he was or the deputy wouldn't still be there. Pierpont released Dillinger and fired a shot down the corridor telling the other prisoners to get back, they only wanted John. At this time Harry handed John the revolver he had taken from the sheriff's drawer. As Dillinger entered the office and saw Sarber was shot, he appeared upset over the shooting and asked Pierpont why he had to do that. Then the gang left quickly after locking Mrs. Sarber and the deputy in the cell block, taking the key with them. Jess Sarber died at 8:05 that evening at the Memorial Hospital in Lima, after naming his attackers to his son Don as being all big men. Don Sarber finished out his father's term.
Harry Copeland had been identified as one of the members that aided in the escape but was never tried for the murder for unknown reasons. He later plead guilty to a Greencastle, Indiana bank robbery and escaped the murder charges. It is believed by website owner that either Clark or Makley had not been inside the jail.
Jess Sarber was the first sheriff to be killed in the line of duty in Allen County Ohio. His death was a tragedy to the entire state. Twenty-five hundred people attended his funeral, with a procession of sixty cars following the hearse. Sheriff Jess Sarber was laid to rest at the Walnut Grove Cemetery in Delphos.
{Courtesy: Mark Gierhart}
{Courtesy: Mark Gierhart}
{Courtesy: Sandy Jones}
Sheriff's Gun Stolen By Pierpont
Sentenced To Death~Pierpont With Mother
{Courtesy: Sandy Jones}
{Courtesy: Estella Cox}
Jess Sarber Son Don Standing Guard In Court
{Courtesy: Sandy Jones}
Many thanks to the Allen County Sheriff Office Sarber Museum and to Deputy Brad Baty and Deputy Walt Foltz for permission to use images
