Harry Pierpont

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Harry Pierpont : biography

October 13, 1902 – October 17, 1934

Harry "Pete" Pierpont (October 13, 1902 – October 17, 1934) was a Prohibition era gangster. He is perhaps most noted for being a friend and mentor of John Dillinger.

Described as handsome and soft-spoken, Pierpont was a bright, natural-born leader. Fiercely loyal, he had a reputation of taking care of those around him and not squealing on his friends. He disliked publicity, and was content to let others, especially Dillinger, take credit for the bold bank robberies committed after the Michigan City prison break.

He stood over six feet tall, with light brown hair and blue eyes.Toland 1963, p. 17. The second and third toes of his feet were grown together.

Breakout from Michigan City

In the summer of 1932, Pierpont began to make plans for the greatest prison break in Indiana history.Toland 1963, p. 28. Pierpont’s fellow conspirators were Charles Makley, John "Red" Hamilton, and Russell Clark.Toland 1963, pp. 27-28. This operation would depend on accomplices on the outside who had money for guns, bribes and a hideout. It would also need someone on the inside who was dependable who was about to be released. Pierpont approached John Dillinger about helping them to escape, in return, he would be offered the opportunity to join their bank-robbing team.

The group reportedly gave Dillinger the list of the best banks and stores to rob, as well as the names of reliable accomplices. He would know almost as much as they did about bank robbery Dillinger agreed, but insisted that James Jenkins be included in the break.

In late 1932, Walter Dietrich joined Pierpont’s group.Toland 1963, p. 29. He began to reveal the detailed techniques of the remarkable bank robber, Herman Lamm. By the spring of 1933, the plan was set.Toland 1963, p. 31.

Pierpont was aided on the outside by his girlfriend Mary Kinder, who agreed to help with the break-out if her brother, Earl Northern, was added to the list of escapees.Toland 1963, p. 107.Girardin 2009, p. 26. Mary’s brother, Earl Northern, was Pierpont’s old partner.Girardin 2009, p. 27. Pearl Elliott, the Kokomo madam who had been involved in Pierpont’s Kokomo robbery, was to get money to those who would bribe prison guards.King 2005, p. 83.

Request for clemency, August 1933

The Indiana state clemency commission heard Pierpont’s appeal to be released from the state prison under the contention that he was a man of strong character and a "leader and not a follower" on August 24, 1933.Pierpont Asks Release From State Prison article, Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, August 25, 1933, p. 8

Briefs filed highlighted the fact that when Pierpont was sentenced to the state prison in May, 1925, he told authorities that he would try to escape and it was their duty to prevent it. Subsequently, he made three escape attempts. In 1931, Pierpont announced that he would be a model prisoner and it was contended he has been such since that time.

The commission was informed that Pierpont’s record included two previous convictions. In his time in prison, he had received 10 punishments, two reprimands and one merit braid.

The commission denied Pierpont’s request for clemency.Nine Escape From State Prison article, Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, September 26, 1933, p. 1

On September 13, 1933, three loaded revolvers, wrapped in Chicago newspapers, were found near the west wall of the prison by two prisoners. Prisoners Danny McGeogehan, Jack Gray and Eddie Murphy were believed to be connected and ordered into solitary confinement. Dillinger had tossed these pistols over the wall, and were intended for Pierpont and his conspirators.

Successful escape

On September 25, 1933, Pierpont, Russell Clark, Makley, and Hamilton conferred during the exercise period and decided to crash out on the next day.Toland 1963, p. 113.King 2005, p. 88. Each man swore an oath not to be recaptured without a fight.

The next morning, Pierpont, Makley, Hamilton, Russell Clark, Walter Dietrich, James "Oklahoma Jack" Clark, Edward Shouse, Joseph Fox, Joe Burns, and Jim Jenkins escaped from Michigan City, using three .45 caliber pistols Dillinger had smuggled into the jail. The escape had been carefully planned before Dillinger’s parole by Pierpont, Hamilton and Dillinger. Dillinger had spent the summer of 1933 robbing banks throughout Indiana and Ohio to raise enough money to smuggle the guns into the prison. How he smuggled the guns in is unknown: some accounts say that Dillinger tossed the weapons over the wall like he did on his previous attempt. The most widely believed theory is that Dillinger hid the guns in boxes of thread sent to the prison shirt factory.