Ralph A. Harshe was appointed to the Allen County Sheriff’s Office in January of 1935, shortly after Ralph Marshall assumed the office of Sheriff. On September 2, 1936, Harshe was assigned a domestic dispute call at 1415 W. High Street, Lima, Ohio involving a Clark Tyree and his girlfriend, Elsie Morning. The deputy was to stand by at that residence while furniture was being removed from an upstairs apartment. The husband of Elsie Morning, Grandville Morning, accompanied Deputy Harshe to the residence.

Shortly after the deputy and Mrs. Morning entered the apartment shots were heard and it was suspected that both were shot to death upon entering the apartment. Minutes later Tyree took his own life in another room of the apartment. The Deputy was rushed to St. Rita’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 10:00 a.m., the same date. Harshe showed no signs of having the opportunity to protect himself and suffered two gunshot wounds. He was twenty five years old at the time of his death and had just been married three months earlier.

Deputy Harshe’s widow has graciously donated numerous items of belongings back to the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, which are respectfully displayed in the Roll Call Room of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.