Vance Morgan, 23, Executed for Murder of Butler Funderburk, Nov. 29, 1924

Another Victim Claimed by Electric Chair at Raleigh. . . Vance Morgan, Negro, Pays Extreme Penalty for Murder of a Union County Storekeeper, to Which He Confessed—First Execution of 1924 and 20th in Administration

By the Associated Press

Raleigh, Nov. 28—Vance Morgan, 23-year-old negro, paid the extreme penalty in the electric chair at State Prison today for the murder of Butler Funderburk, a storekeeper of Union county. The execution was the first of 1924, and the 20th of the Morrison administration.

Three shocks were necessary to end the negro’s existence, and he survived only 108 seconds from the time the current of death was sent into his body.

Before he walked into the grim chamber of destruction, he confessed to the crime for which he paid the penalty.

The execution took place at 10:30 this morning. During the daylight hours preceding the official killing the 14 other members of the “death row” colony joined with the negro in signing solemn hymns and chants and in praying aloud. He marched to his doom at the appointed hour without any emotion and with head erect.

From the front page of The New Bernian, Saturday Morning, November 29, 1924.

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn96086034/1924-11-29/ed-1/seq-1/#words=NOVEMBER+29%2C+1924