NEWS FROM YEARS PAST
May 23, 1902
Difficulty Ends in Tragedy – The usual quiet of Sapa was disturbed Monday afternoon by a tragedy in which the life of Joe Funderburk, a young man employed at the sawmill of Henley Bros., was suddenly ended. While Funderburk and Obrie Britt were engaged in a fight, Will Smithwick, a brother-in-law of the latter, appeared upon the scene, drew a revolver and fired one shot with fatal effect. From all accounts it seems that the difficulty was brought about by some trivial misunderstanding while Britt and Smithwick were at the mill. Warm words were followed by a personal encounter between Britt and Funderburk. Before the combatants could be separated Smithwick rushed up. He saw that Britt was getting the worst of the fight and he drew his revolver and fired one shot at close range. His bullet went true to its mark, striking Funderburk in the neck and breaking it, causing instant death. He never uttered a word after the fatal shot was fired. While the unfortunate man was breathing his last, Britt and Smithwick ran to their buggy, which was near by, cut the horse’s reins, and drove away as fast as their animal could go. The sheriff had no difficulty in following the route taken by the two men. They had driven direct to Smithwick’s home at Lagrange, put up their horse, and gone about as though nothing had happened. Sheriff DeLashmet reached the Smithwick home about 9 o’clock and placed the men under arrest, to which they were perfectly willing to submit. The sheriff and his prisoners spent the night at Mr. Noah Fondren’s and they passed through here Tuesday on their way to Walthall. Funderburk, it is said, was slightly under the influence of liquor when he was killed and was beating Britt very severely when Smithwick interfered. Funderburk had been working for Henley Bros. for some time and was considered an excellent young man by his employers and by those with whom he came in contact. He was about 21 years of age and was a splendid specimen of physical manhood. His remains were shipped to his former home, Fernbank, Ala., Tuesday morning where they were interred.
The Bogus Healer Parts Company with Marshall Eudy Near Pittsboro - “Dr.” Benjamin Baggett, an account of whose exploits was given in last week’s PROGRESS, escaped from custody a second time Tuesday while Marshall Eudy was carrying him to Pittsboro. Baggett was tried here Monday before Mayor Hood for practicing medicine without a license and it cost him nearly $40, including his lawyer’s fee, to square himself with this county. He was wanted in Calhoun for carrying concealed weapons and Marshall Eudy left with him Tuesday morning, both going on horseback. While passing through Topisaw bottom, Baggett let his horse drop behind a few feet as it started on the bridge and he slip quietly off and disappeared. The horse went a few steps further and stopped and Mr. Eudy looked around and found his prisoner missing. Baggett was handcuffed when he got away and this circumstance will probably result in his recapture.
