Harry Pierpont

Harry Pierpont
Mug shot of Harry Pierpont
Born	(1902-10-13)October 13, 1902 Muncie, Indiana, U.S.
Died	October 17, 1934(1934-10-17) (aged 32) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Criminal penalty	Death sentence
Criminal status	Deceased
Parent(s)	Joseph Gilbert and Lena (Orcutt) Pierpont
Conviction(s)	Murder, Bank robbery

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. The second and third toes of his feet were grown together.

Pierpont was born in Muncie, Indiana, to Joseph Gilbert and Lena (Orcutt) Pierpont. Harry Pierpont was the middle child with an older sister Fern (b. September 21, 1900), who died of tuberculosis when he was a teenager, and a younger brother Fred (b. July 5, 1906). His father was from Kentucky, and his mother, from Jay County, Indiana, was of German ancestry.

By the 1910 census, the family was residing at 1145 McLain Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Harry's father's occupation was listed as a woodworker at a carriage factory. In the 1911 and 1912 directories of the city of Indianapolis, the family was living at 1234 Lee Avenue.

Pierpont graduated from the eighth grade at Assumption School in Indianapolis. He had above-average intelligence and did well in school.

By the 1920 census, the family was residing at 2113 Morris Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Harry's occupation was listed as a bench worker at an automobile plant.

Pierpont's troubles with the police began after an accident in the summer of 1921 in which he received a severe head injury. His demeanor was changed after the accident, and Pierpont complained of eye problems, dizziness and headaches. Pierpont displayed bouts of sleeplessness and mania for firearms.

At his May 1925 trial in Kokomo, his place of residence was never clearly established. He was said to have lived in Fort Wayne, Toledo and Indianapolis, and was known to have hung around Kokomo for some time before the bank robbery was framed.