Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Harry Pierpont (October 13, 1902 – October 17, 1934) was a Prohibition era gangster. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In the United States, the term Prohibition refers to the period from 1920 to 1933 during which the sale manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption For other uses see Gangsta. A gangster is a criminal who is or at some point almost invariably becomes a member of a persistent violent He is perhaps most noted for being a friend and mentor of John Dillinger. John Herbert Dillinger (June 22 1903–July 22 1934 was a notorious Bank robber in mid-western America

Contents

Early life

Born in Muncie, Indiana, to J. Muncie (ˈmʌnsi is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and Gilbert and Lena Orcutt Pierpont; Harry Pierpont was the middle child with an older sister Fern, who died of tuberculosis when he was a teenager, and a younger brother Fred. According to his intake papers at the Pendleton Correctional Facility formerly known as the Indiana Reformatory, Pierpont attended parochial school completing the 8th grade. The Pendleton Correctional Facility, formerly known as the Indiana Reformatory, is a state Prison located in Pendleton Indiana, about 25 miles northeast The Pendleton Correctional Facility, formerly known as the Indiana Reformatory, is a state Prison located in Pendleton Indiana, about 25 miles northeast

His troubles with the law began after an accident where he received a severe head injury. Unconscious for more than five hours, his demeanor was altered when he recovered. In the Record of Inquest held on September 19, 1921, his mother states that he became sullen, suspicious, and prone to outbursts after his injury and, two days later, he was committed to the state hospital for the mentally ill, Central Indiana Hospital, on September 21, where he stayed for two months. Concurrently with his commitment to the state hospital, Harry's first arrest is recorded. During the same month he is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and held for ten days in an Indianapolis jail. The charges were dropped. On March 12, 1922, Harry entered the Indiana reformatory for a two to fourteen years sentence for assault and battery with intent to murder. The parole board granted him parole on March 6, 1924.

Criminal career

Headstrong, handsome, and tough, Harry soon graduated to bank robbery after his parole. Partnering with Earl Northern, Thaddeus Skeer and Everet Bridgewater, he became wanted in connection with a number of bank robberies in Indiana. In 1925, police arrested Pierpont and Skeer in Detroit, Michigan. Peirpont refused to give any information about his associates; however, Skeer talked. Both men were returned to Indiana for trial. Found guilty, he was sent back to Pendleton and entered the reformatory for the second time on May 6, 1925. It was here that he first met John Dillinger. Harry caused the Pendleton Warden, A. F. Miles, so much trouble that he was transferred to the Indiana State Prison at Michigan City within two months. The Indiana State Prison is located in Michigan City Indiana about east of Chicago. Entering Michigan City on July 30, 1930, he became one of the most respected convicts (by other convicts) in the prison. Forever trying to escape, Pierpont constantly fought with the guards and was frequently confined to solitary confinement. Solitary confinement, colloquially referred to in American English as "the hole" or "the pound" (or in British English "the block" is a Punishment He was known for his ability to withstand hunger and beatings. Pierpont headed a prison clique that included Russell Clark, Charles Makley, John "Red" Hamilton and Dillinger after his July 1929 transfer. Charles Makley ( November 24, 1889 &ndash September 22, 1934) also known as Charles McGray and Fat Charles, was an John "Red" Hamilton was a Canadian criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger It was from these men that Dillinger learned the crime of bank robbery, and by 1933, with a parole for Dillinger, an escape plan was concocted. With Dillinger on the outside, he would rob several banks on a list comprised by Pierpont and Makley, and with that money, help finance the escape.

Escape from Michigan City

During the summer of 1933, Dillinger began his criminal career, accumulating enough funds to finance the break. On September 26, 1933, Pierpont, Makley, Hamilton, Clark, along with Walter Dietrich, James "Oklahoma Jack" Clark, Edward Shouse, Joseph Fox, John Burns, and Jim Jenkins escaped from Michigan City, using pistols that Dillinger had smuggled into the prison. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Walter Dietrich ( 24 December 1902 – 27 November 1979) was a Swiss footballer James "Oklahoma Jack" Clark was a Depression-era outlaw and bank robber John Elliot Burns ( 20 October 1858 – 24 January 1943) was a prominent English Trade unionist anti-racist Socialist The convicts took the warden and several guards hostage as they walked carefully out the front gate. The men then split up and took off in two commandeered cars. The convicts were ready to begin taking banks on their own, only to discover that John Dillinger had been arrested in Dayton, Ohio four days before the escape. Dillinger was than extradited to the Allen County jail in Lima, Ohio to stand trial for robbing the Citizens National Bank in Bluffton, Ohio. Lima (ˈlaɪmə is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Allen County. Bluffton is a village in Allen and Hancock counties in the US After robbing the bank at St. Mary's, Ohio, Pierpont, Makley, Clark, and Hamilton went to the Lima jail to break out their friend. St Marys is a city in Auglaize County, Ohio, in the United States with a population of 8342 as of the Sheriff Jesse Sarber was fatally shot by Pierpont during the struggle.

Days with the "Terror Gang"

After robbing two Indiana police stations of weapons and bulletproof vests, the "Terror Gang", robbed the bank at Greencastle, Indiana of over $74,000 dollars on October 23, 1933. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Witnesses clearly identified Harry Pierpont as the leader of the robbers. With the Indiana State Police after them, the gang hid out in Chicago, soon robbing another bank in Racine, Wisconsin on November 20, 1933. Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. One of their pursuers, Captain Matt Leach, attempted to inspire friction in the ranks of the gang. During news interviews, he made a point of calling them the "Dillinger Gang", instead of the "Pierpont Gang". The ruse backfired, as Pierpont couldn't have cared less what people called the gang. Due to the unwelcome attention generated by their crimes and the killing of a Chicago detective by Red Hamilton, the gang and their women took a long vacation at a beach house in Daytona Beach, Florida, highlighted by a New Year's Eve barbecue which climaxed by Dillinger emptying his Tommy Gun at the moon at the stroke of midnight. barbeque block party Kansas cityjpg|thumb|right|275px|A barbecue on a trailer at a Block party in Kansas City.

Downfall

The fun was soon over on January 15, 1934, when John Dillinger, Red Hamilton, and Harry Pierpont robbed a bank in East Chicago, Indiana. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Pierpont waited in the car while the other two emerged with the money and hostages. Responding to the alarm, Patrolman William O'Malley rushed up shooting. The bullets were stopped by Dillinger's vest, and he gunned the officer down with a machine gun burst. Heading out west to lay low, Pierpont, Dillinger, Makley, and Clark ended up in Tucson, Arizona. Flush with cash and careless, the gang made several minor mistakes which led to their being recognized and captured, one by one, on January 25, 1934. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. All four men and their girlfriends were extradited back to the Midwest; Dillinger to Indiana, the other three to Ohio to stand trial for the murder of Sheriff Sarber. Testimony by Shouse, one of the first members of Dillinger gang, [1] helped convict the others. In early March 1934, Harry Pierpont, Charles Makley, and Russell Clark were convicted of his murder. Pierpont and Makley got the death penalty, while Clark got a life sentence.

After Dillinger stunned the country by breaking out of the jail at Crown Point, Indiana with a wooden gun on March 3, 1934, it was suspected that he would try to break his pals out of the death house in Columbus, Ohio. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Elaborate precautions were taken to keep Pierpont and Makley locked up. With Dillinger's death at the hands of the FBI on July 22, 1934, and time running out for them, Harry Pierpont and Charles Makley resorted to other means to get off of death row. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. They would try to duplicate their old friend's feat.

The two men carved phony pistols out of cakes of soap and made their move on September 22, 1934, brandishing the toys, they managed to get out of their cells and to the main door of the death house before rifle-wielding guards opened fire. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Makley was killed outright and Pierpont was riddled with bullets. Although he survived, he was seriously injured. Still suffering from injuries incurred during his attempted escape, he was carried to the electric chair and executed on October 17, 1934. Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Other media

Further reading

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic