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Officer

Harry E. Martin

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — Sacramento, CA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch September 19, 1937

Age 41

The Vigil Panel 160 · Column 2 · Line 2 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 41

Incident

Officer Harry Martin and Warden Clarence Larkin were stabbed to death during a prison escape attempt at Folsom State Prison. Approximately 40 inmates had been waiting to talk to Warden Larkin concerning upcoming parole hearings when seven of the inmates suddenly attacked him. As they took him into the yard, other guards started firing. In the commotion that followed, Officer Martin and Warden Larkin were both stabbed to death. Officer Martin died at the scene, and Warden Larkin died of his wounds five days later. One of the seven inmates who attempted to escape was wanted for the murder of Officer James Hill of the Marlow, Oklahoma, Police Department on April 20th, 1931. Two of the escaping attempts were shot and killed during the incident. The remaining five were all sentenced to death and eventually executed. Two suspects, including the one who had murdered Officer Hill, were executed in the gas chamber on December 2nd, 1938. Two others were executed on December 9, 1938, and the leader of the group was executed on December 16th, 1938. Officer Martin was a WWI veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and father.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Martin served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Thank you for your service to the people of California, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Type Corrections

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity cdcrcorr.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 19, 1937

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

Military Service

Harry E. Martin served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Harry is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1937, 123 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 41st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Harry was 41. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded