Harry Young

Harry Young was one of three brothers raised in southwest Missouri who became known to local authorities during the 1920s for persistent criminal activity. Alongside his brothers Paul and Jennings, Harry engaged primarily in burglary, theft, and later automobile theft. All three served multiple prison terms at the Missouri State Penitentiary, commonly known as “Old Jeff,” and Harry also spent time at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth.

For much of the 1920s, local law enforcement regarded Harry Young as a habitual offender but not an especially violent one. That perception changed decisively on June 2, 1929, when Young shot and killed Mark Noe, the City Marshal of Republic, Missouri. The killing occurred after Noe stopped Young for driving while intoxicated. Following the murder, Harry fled Missouri with his brothers and remained a fugitive for more than two years.

During this period, the brothers operated a large-scale automobile theft ring across multiple states, using false identities and avoiding detection. Federal authorities later described the operation as one of the most extensive car theft enterprises of its time. Despite their criminal lifestyle, Harry and his brothers maintained strong family ties, which ultimately drew them back to Missouri in late 1931.

On January 2, 1932, Harry Young was hiding with his brother Jennings at their family farm near Brookline, Missouri. Greene County Sheriff Marcell Hendrix received reliable intelligence confirming their presence and organized a posse to arrest them. The officers arrived poorly equipped, carrying only handguns and limited ammunition.

When law enforcement attempted to enter the farmhouse, Harry Young and another armed individual inside opened fire. Sheriff Hendrix and Deputy Wiley Mashburn were fatally wounded almost immediately. Over the next several minutes, the brothers fired repeatedly from inside the house, killing Officers Tony Oliver, Sid Meadows, Charles Houser, and later Ollie Crosswhite, who had initially survived the firefight.

After looting weapons and money from the fallen officers, Harry and Jennings fled Missouri. A nationwide manhunt led police to Houston, Texas, where the brothers were cornered in a rented room on January 5, 1932. After a brief exchange of gunfire with police, Harry was found mortally wounded. Official reports concluded that he and Jennings entered into a suicide pact, though some later questioned whether police gunfire caused their deaths.

Harry Young died later that day from multiple gunshot wounds, bringing an end to one of the deadliest law enforcement massacres in U.S. history.