Deputy Sheriff Dies Pursuing Runaways
From: Unknown Newspaper

A Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff, Friday, died of an apparent heart attack while on duty in pursuit of two runaway boys from the A. L. Bowen Children’s Center in Harrisburg.  The deputy, Oakley Webb, 63, Route 5, McLeansboro, was pronounced dead on arrival at Hamilton Memorial Hospital, at 7:30 a.m., Friday.

Webb was found about 100 yards away from his parked patrol car, on Route 14, approximately four miles west of McLeansboro.  It is suspected that Webb had been in pursuit of the runaways on foot when he suffered a heart attack.

Sheriff Charles Browning concluded that Webb had stopped his car to question the youths.  It is speculated that Webb gave chase when the youths fled the scene of questions, suffering an attack at that time.

The youths were later apprehended in a wooded area about two-and-a-half miles from the scene of Webb’s death.  They were taken to Harrisburg placed in a juvenile facility operated by the State Department of Children and Family Services.  There were questioned concerning the death but no determination was made.

From: Felty's Legacy of Kin, Vol. II, p. 1070
Pub. Times-Leader, Feb. 19, 1976
Oakley Webb, b. 01 Mar 1912, Hamilton Co.; d. 13 Feb 1976, DOA hosp. in McLeansboro.  He was a resident of McLeansboro, son of Charles & Merica Ballard Webb.  Deputy sheriff, married Audrey Duncan.  Leaves wife; 3 sons: Keith, Steve, & Mike Webb all of McLeansboro; 4 brothers: Elvis, George, Rowe, & Lando Webb all of McLeansboro; 3 sisters: Malinda Emmerson of Hawthorne, CA, Mary Hinds of McLeansboro and Bertha Tharp of Macedonia.  Interred at IOOF McLeansboro.