Born in Delphos, Ohio on June 28, 1886. He had been a used car salesman before taking office.
He 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."
Jess Sarber, his wife Lucy and a deputy Wibur Sharp were in the jail. At around 6:25 on the evening of October 12 three men, Pierpont, Clark and Makley 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 Makley 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 hittting her husband and retreived 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 seemed 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 cellblock, taking the key with them.
Jess Sarber died at 8:05 that evening at the Memorial Hospital in Lima, after naming his attackers as being all big men.
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.
Sheriff's Grave
Walnut Grove Cemetery
{Courtesy: Mark Gierhart}
Old Lima Jail
{Courtesy: Estella Cox}
Actual Desk Sarber Sat At
Sheriff Don Sarber, Slain Sheriff's son, holding Machine Gun At Pierpont's Trial
Sheriff Sarber's Service Revolver
Weapon's Used To Guard Gang In Court
Jail Log, With John Dillinger Entered In It
National Law Enforcement Memorial, Washington DC
Deputy Brad Baty Of The Allen County Police Dept.
Allen County Museum
MARY KINDER JOHN DILLINGER TUCSON ARRESTS DEATH OF HARRY
KOKOMO BANK LEIPSIC AWARDS CRIME LINKS LAWMEN LINKS
ALLEN COUNTY MUSEUM
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