The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-28
NO ESCAPE.
Convict Sentenced to Be Hanged
Today Gets Stay.
Is Lynched by a Mob of Indig-
nant Citizens.

Casper, Wyo, March 2s.-Charles
Francis Woodward. the condemned
murderer of Sheriff wm- c. Kicker,
was hanged early today by an infu-
rated mob of 200 men.
Under cover of darkness an organi-
zation was formed during the night.
Crowds began to gather in the vicinity
of the jail early in the evening. About
3 o'clock the mob descended on the jail
and the leaders demanded the keys of
the sheriff He refused to give them
up. and the crowd then secured a num-
Der of sledges and hammers and beat
down the Jail door.
once inside the Jail a rope was quick
ly thrown around Woodwards neck
and he was roughly dragged from the
building. He was taken block away
and hanged to a tree.
Less than half an hour was occupied
in the hanging. Considerable excite
Woodward attempted to talk to the
leaders. but they refused to hear him.
An immense crowd witnessed the
Iynching. Several hundred sheep and
yesterday, and every corner was the
scene of a discussion of the reprieve
granted by the supreme court
After the lynch1ng the mob dispersed
and a greater part of those from out
of town left for their homes.
STORY OF THE CRIME
The crime for which Charles Francis
Woodward paid the penalty with his life
was committed on the evening of jan
uary ? last at Woodward's ranch near
Garfield Peak in the Rattlesnake noun
tains, rs miles west of Casper. when he
cruelty shot to death and mutilated the
body of Sheriff VIM. c. Kicker of Ma
trona county.
woodward with his wife Bertha and
brother Clarence -sas arrested last Mo-
vember on the charge of stealing cloth
ing and provisions from a ranch 1t
was alleged that Woodward'S ranch
was the headquarters of a, band of cat
tie and horse thieves
At the preliminary trial Bertha Wood
ward was released from custody The
brothers were held to the district court,
but were unable to furnish bonds. On
the. night of December 80, 1901, they
sawed off the bars of their cells and
window and got away. At the stock
yards east of town Charles Woodward
secured a pistol which had been placed
there by a friend. Near Casper he stole
a horse and rode to his ranch, reach
ing there on the evening of January 2,
1902.
Instead of finding friends ready to
assist him, he found Sheriff Kicker and
two deputies at the house, who were
looking for him. He went to the barn,
intending to abandon his horse and
steal one of the officers animals. 1t
was about Z O'clock in the evening, and
was quite dark. He mounted one of
the sherif's horses and was ready to
ride away when the sheriff came out OF
the house and approaching the barn
ordered him to surrender. Woodward
instantly shot the sheriff through the
body, and the officer fell to the ground
mortalIy wounded. Woodward then, it
is said, went Ito the dying man and
struck him in the face with his six
shooter. He took $45 out of the Off
GERS pockets and rode off. He was
captured by a posse several weeks af-
terwards near Billings, Mont, and
brought back to Casper. He admitted
the killing, and was convicted and sem
fenced to hang today. Last Tuesday
the supreme court granted stay of
execution, which would have given
Woodward at least three months more
of life.