Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-03-29

lay Take Condemned Murderer
From Jail and Hang Him to Tree.
Great Excitement Prevailed.
Casper, Wy, March 28.-Charles
Francis Woodward, the condemned
murderer of Sheriff William c. Kicker,
was hanged early today by an infu.
rated mob of 200 men Under cover
OF darkness an organization was form.
ed. Crowds began to gather in the
vicinity of the Jail early in the even
ing.
About 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 number of sledges and ham.
mers and beat down the Jail door.
Outside of the Jail a rope was quickly
thrown around Woodward's neck and
he was roughly dragged from the
building. He was taken a black away
and hanged to a tree
Less than half an hour was occupied
in the hanging. Considerable excite.
ment prevailed, but little was said.
Woodward attempted to talk to the
leaders, but they refused to hear him
An immense crowd witnessed the
lynching. Several hundred sheep and
cattle men came to town during the
day yesterday and every corner was
the scene of a discussion of the re.
prieve granted by the supreme court.
After the lynching the mob dispers.
ed 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. last at Woodward's ranch near
Garfield Peak, in the Rattlesnaks
mountains, Is miles west Of Casper.
when he shot to death and mueilated
the body of Sheriff William R. Hicker,
of NatrOna county.
Woodward, with his wife, Bertha,
and brother, Clarence, was arrested
last November on the charge of steal
ing clothing and provisions from a
ranch. 1t was alleged that Wood.
wards ranch was the headquarters
of band of cattle and horse thieves.
At the preliminary trial Bertha
Woodward was released from custody.
The brothers were held to the dis
trict court, but were unable TO fur
nish bonds. On the night of Dec. 80,
1901, they sawed off the bars of their
cells and window and got away. At
the stockyards east of town Charles
Woodward secured pistol which had
been placed there by friend Near
Casper he stole horse and rode to his
ranch, reaching there on the evening
of Jan. 21, 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 sheriff'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 mortally wounded.
Woodward then, it is said, went to
the dying man and struck him in the
face with his six-shooter. He took
$45 out of the officers pockets and
rode off, He was captured by posse
several weeks afterwards near Bill
lings, Mont, and brought back to Cas-.
per. He admitted the killing and was
convicted and sentenced to hang to-
day. Tuesday the supreme court
granted a stay of execution which
would have given Woodward at least
three months more of life.