Custody Officer Charles Orem died from injuries he suffered 14 months earlier after being assaulted during an escape attempt at the Indiana Reformatory in Clarksville.

   Two male inmates had been called out of their cells in the evening to repair a motor in one of the wells at the institution. Their intent was to escape and believed Custody Officer Orem possessed the keys to an engineering vault containing ropes and pulleys.

   As Custody Officer Orem returned to the area where the inmates were working, he was struck about his head with a heavy piece of iron and beaten nearly unconscious.

   He was able to return to work performing light duties after six weeks, but developed a worsening paralytic condition about a month before he died at home on his 41st birthday.

   The 17-year-old inmate was serving time for petit larceny after having been sentenced in Decatur County and the 22-year-old inmate was serving time for felony burglary after having been sentenced in Vanderburgh County.

   After their escape attempt, they were transferred to the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City where they were charged with first-degree murder. The Indiana Supreme Court later ruled that since death did not occur within one year and one day, common law prevailed and the murder charges were dismissed in December 1920.

   The 17-year-old inmate was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill and the 22-year-old inmate was charged with accessory before the fact, however, those charges were also dismissed in March 1922.

   Custody Officer Orem, from Jeffersonville, was survived by his wife, three sons, two sisters and three brothers.

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This officer, discovered in 2008, has not been submitted for consideration as an eligible line of duty death to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund by the Indiana Department of Correction.