Guard Henry J. Gearhart, aged 41, was a dedicated officer at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, OH. On May 25, 1904, he was shot and mortally wounded by an inmate. The inmate, who was serving a 10-year sentence for robbery and safe blowing, had been reported by Gearhart for an infraction of prison rules, resulting in the loss of special privileges for 30 days. In retaliation, the inmate used a revolver to shoot Gearhart through both lungs and then took his own life.
Gearhart succumbed to his injuries four days later.
The incident raised questions about how the inmate obtained the revolver, but no conclusive answers were found. Gearhart was survived by his wife and two children, and his death was a significant loss to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
There were no arrests or suspects identified in connection with Gearhart's death, as the inmate who shot him died by suicide immediately after the incident. Consequently, there were no litigations, murder cases, or investigations that followed, as the incident was considered an act of retaliation.
Gearhart's ethnicity is not explicitly mentioned in the available records, but his legacy as a brave and committed officer is honored by his fellow officers and the community.
