Deputy Sheriff B. G. E. Daughtry

B. G. E. Daughtry

Deputy Sheriff B.G.E. Daughtry succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on December 17th, 1903, while assisting a Deputy United States Marshal serve a capias on a subject who failed to appear in federal court in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The wanted subject and another man had been charged with destroying rural mailboxes near their homes in Westbrook Township. The deputy marshal was on his way to serve the warrant when he encountered Deputy Daughtry, who was the suspect's closest neighbor and asked him to accompany him.

They arrived at the man's home at approximately 10:00 pm and the man's wife let them into the darkened home. As Deputy Daughtry attempted to stoke the fire to create more light, the man opened fire from his position in a nearby bed. The man wounded the deputy marshal before shooting Deputy Daughtry in the abdomen as he returned fire. Despite their wounds, the officers were able to subdue the man and take him into custody. The man was taken to Deputy Daughtry's home for the night before being returned to Raleigh.

He was sentenced to three years in federal prison for the initial mailbox destruction and then charged with murder following Deputy Daughtry's death on December 22nd, 1903. After he finished his three years in Atlanta he was returned to Sampson County, convicted of Deputy Daughtry's murder, and sentenced to 15 years in 1906.

Deputy Daughtry was survived by his wife and seven children.