The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-01-31
SHERIFF TUBBS LEAVES WITH
MURDERER wooDARD.
EXCITEMENT HAS DIEO OUT
Takes Prisoner Direct to Casper and
Denies Reports Of Mob
- /
Formation.

with the class of jewelry SO popular
with officers and so much disliked by
men of his kind, Charles Woodland, the
murderer Of the Wyoming sheriff, left
last night for Casper under guard of
two officers to stand trial for his
crime, unless
Sheriff Tubbs of Natrona county ar
rived on yesterdays Burlington train
from the south, having been on the
road three nights. During the morn
ing he visited the county Jail and
further identified Woodland as the mar
for whom he had been making search
so long and diligently and sought to
draw him into a conversation. While
it was evident that the prisoner knew
the man who was talking to him and
the nature OF his visit, he spoke only
in a rambling manner and. on topics
altogether foreign to the subject which
the sheriff introduced.
Feigns Insanity.
When questioned about himself or
on matters connected with the MUIR
der he pretended not to understand
what was said to him and began to
measure off imaginary distances on
his fore finger and uttered incoherent
sentences, all the while staring into
vacancy. Knowing that he was sim
ply shamming, Sheriff Tuhbs spoke to
him rather sharply and when he con
tinued to press the fellow, Woodland
lost his temper and began to abuse all
about and showed unmistakable evil
dence Of being as sane as ever. Sud,
denly he would remember the game he
vas attempting to play and then
would assume his air of idiocy. Thus,
he alternated between exhibitions of
temper and feigned insanity until the
visitors withdrew and left him to him
self.
Direct to Casper.
To a Gazette reporter Mr.. Tubbs
said there was no truth in the sensa-
ticnal kilograms sent out that Wood
ard would be lynched upon his return
to Casper. He admitted that had
the prisoner been captured immediate
ly after the commission Of his crime
he would undoubtedly have shared,
that fate, but the excitement has died
out and he apprehended no trouble
from a mob. The district court was
in session, said the sheriff, and Wood
ard would undoubtedly be tried at
once, in order to give no possible ex-
cuse to the people to take the law into
their own hands.
From other sources The Gazette
learned that while the Wyoming sher-
iff said one thing to the reporter he
was all the time thinking something
else. A fact regarded as significant is
the officers decision not to comply
with the directions of the prosecuting
attorney of Natrona county in regard
to taking along at least one witness.
The attorney wired him during the
forenoon to take along one of the men
who captured Woodland and to whom
he admitted having killed Sheriff
Kicker. Instead Of seeking to do so,
Mr.. 'Tubbs vas heard to remark that
he could easily wire for the witness
in case he should be wanted, and
it would probably not be
necessary to have him, as it could not
be told what might happen. While
the wrong construction may have been
put on the sheriff's words, neverthe-
less, they were considered as mean
ing something boding no good for
Woodland. At all events not much sur<
prise would be manifested sho1ld/
news be received during the next few
days that no witnesses of any kind
were needed and that Woodland had
travelled the same course as his vic
tim.
An Atrocious Murder.
Further particulars concerning the
crime of Woodland were learned from
Mr.. Tubbs. He said that at the time
Woodland shot the sheriff the latter
was accompanied by a deputy and a
who, it subsequently tr"red
out, was a friend of the murderer. The
shot fired by Woodland struck the sher-
if in the side and ranged backward
the spine, breaking Ric.er's
back and causing him to fall from his
The sheriff was unable to
move or help himself and after he
had lain on the ground for simetime
he called to his companions to carry
him into the house, saying he was dy-
ing. The deputy attempted to go to
assistance and started toward the