Guard Charles B. Lauderbaugh

Charles B. Lauderbaugh

Guard Lauderbaugh was shot and killed when he interrupted an escape attempt by two inmates at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio.

One of the inmates had obtained two revolvers that had been smuggled into the prison several months earlier. They had intentionally delayed their escape attempt until fall to take advantage of the guards staying indoors during the cold weather.

The two had gone to the hoe shop in an effort to obtain a ladder to be used to climb over the prison wall but were surprised to by Guard Lauderbaugh. Despite being held at gunpoint by the two inmates, Guard Lauderbaugh drew his revolver and opened fire, wounding one of the men. The other inmate opened fire, fatally wounding Guard Lauderbaugh.

The inmates then fled to another area of the prison but were subdued by other guards and taken into custody. Two inmates were charged with murder. One was serving a 15 year term and the other had been convicted of manslaughter two months earlier and was serving a 2 to 20 year term. Both were found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life.

Guard Lauderbaugh had served as a prison guard for only six months. He had previously served with the Mount Vernon Police Department for four years. During his service as a policeman, he was shot and almost fatally wounded while attempting to arrest a burglary suspect. The suspect who shot him was serving his sentence in the penitentiary when Guard Lauderbaugh was killed, but he was not involved with the escape attempt.

Guard Lauderbaugh was survived by his wife, daughter, and three sons.