Guard James Fancher

James Fancher

Guard James Fancher died of cholera during an outbreak in the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus.

He had been hired only four days earlier and was stationed on the roof of the prison. He had taken a pitcher of water with him and drank from the pitcher overnight. He began showing symptoms of cholera at 3:00 am and had died by 11:00 am.

Approximately 100 inmates died as a result of the outbreak in a matter of two weeks. The prison doctor also died after contracting cholera.