In the autumn of 1907, a sense of duty called upon Tipton County Deputy Sheriff Charles M. Webb, a 35-year-old lawman, husband, and father. On Thursday, October 17th, he and a fellow deputy embarked on a mission to serve a lunacy writ. Their destination was a farm where a man who had previously escaped from the state asylum was residing. The day, however, would take a tragic turn, forever etching Deputy Webb's name into the annals of Tipton County's history.
Upon their arrival at the
farm, the deputies were met with immediate resistance. The man they had come to apprehend retreated into his bedroom, where he had concealed a double-barrel shotgun. As the deputies attempted to gain entry, Deputy Webb's partner managed to force the door open but was instantly met with a blast from the shotgun, wounding him in the shoulder and rendering him unable to assist further. In the tense moments that followed, the suspect fired a second shot. This time, the blast struck Deputy Webb in the shoulder and chest as he stood on the stairs.
Despite his grave injuries, Deputy Webb managed to make his way out of the house and into the front yard before he collapsed and succumbed to his wounds. He left behind a wife and child. While the identity of the man who shot him is not readily available in historical records, the violent encounter that ended Deputy Webb's life remains a somber chapter in the history of law enforcement in Tipton County. The ultimate fate of the suspect, including whether he was ever apprehended or brought to trial for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Charles M. Webb, is not detailed in the available information.
