The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-29
LYNCHED BY REASON
OF THE LAWS DELAY
Murderer of Sheriff Kicker
Torn From Jail.
He WAS TO DIEYESTERDAY
A Stay OF Execution Granted by the
Supreme Court.
He WAS TO DIE YESTERDAY
THREE MONTHS MORE OF LIFE WAS HIS
Dragged to the Scaffold Erected For His Execu.
tor, Woodard Leaped Into Space Be-
fore Trap Gould be Sprung.
Hanging Himself.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press)
Casper, Wyoming, March 2S.-Charles
Francis Woodward, the condemned muir
derer of Sheriff William c. Kicker, was
hanged early today by twenty-four
masked men.
Crowds began to gather in the vicinity
of the Jail early in the evening, and
mob was formed.
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
sledges and hammers and beat down the
Jail door.
Once inside the jail, a rope vas quick
ly thrown around Woodward s neck md
he was roughly dragged from the 0uild-
i'm.
He was taken from the scaffold which
had been erected for his legal execution.
Some one pushed him on to the trap, but
he gave a leap before the trap could be
sprung and fell from the gallows, hang
ing himself
The whole proceedings occupied less
than half an hour. Considerable excite.
ment prevailed but little was said.
Woodward attempted to talk to the lead
ers but they refused to'hear him.
Several hundred sheep and cattlemcn
came to town during the day yesterday
and every corner was the scene of a dis
cussion of the reprive granted by The
Supreme court.
After the lynching the mob dispersed
and q greater part of those from out of
town left for their homes.
Before the drop Woodward began maxi
ing an address, half talking, half pray
i'm. He said:
Boys, let me kneel and pray. I want
to pray for all of you and send a message
to my blessed little wife. l love her
dearly and want you to tell her that 1
pray that you will have the papers print
1T.
Il pray for you, Charles Kicker, and
for all of you. / never had a grudge
against Sheriff Kicker, never in Gods
world l never meant to shoot him. For
Gods sake don't choke me to death.
Oh" then Woodward leaped off before
the trap could be sprung. Sheriff Tuhbs
this morning found pinned to the scaf-
fold this note reading as follows:
"The process of the law is little slow
This is the road you will all have to
travel. Murderers and thugs, beware"
No one could he found today who could
identify member of the mob.
The crime for which Charles Francis
Woodward paid the penalty with his life
was committed on the evening of January
End, last, at Woodward's Ranch, near
Garfield Peak, in the Rattle Snake Noun
tains, seVenty-five miles west of Casper,
when he shot to death and mutilated the
body of Sheriff William c. Kicker. of
Natrona county
woodward with his wife Bertha and
brother Clarence, was arrested last No
VemDer on the charge of stealing cloth
ing and provisions from a ranch. It was
alleged that WOodward's ranch was The
headquarters of band of cattle and
horse thieves.
AT the preliminary trial Bertha Wood
ward was released from custody The
brothers were held to the district court.
but unable to furnish bonds. The night
of December 80, 1901, they sawed off the
bars of their cells and a window and
get away. AT the stock yards east of
town Charles Woodward secured a pis-
tol which had been placed there by a
friend. Near Casper he stole a horse
and rcde to his ranch, reaching there on
the evening of January 2, 1909 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, mounted one of the
sheriff's horses and was about 10 ride
away in the dark when the sheriff ap-
peared and ordered him to surrender.
Woodward instantly shot the sheriff
through the body and the officer fell to
the ground, nlortally wounded. Wood
ward 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 If
ficer's pockets and rode off. He was cap
tured by posse several weeks after
wards near Billings, Mont, and brought
back to Casper. He admitted the killing
and was convicted and sentenced TO hang
today. Last Tuesday the Supreme court
granted stay of execution. which would
have given Woodward at least three
months more of life