Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1902-01-09

Sheriff w. C. Kicker of Natrona
county, one Of the best known officials
in Wyoming, was shot and fatally
wounded in fight with outlaws at the
Woodland ranch, fifty miles from Cas-
per, on Thursday, and his body multi
ated in fiendish manner.
The outlaws escaped to the hills, fol-
lowed by the remaining members of
the posse, and upon receipt of the news
OF the killing, forty more men left
Casper Friday to hunt the murderers
down.
The latest news from the scene of
the murder indicates that the sheriff
was decoyed into the stable at the
Woodard ranch, where. after being
tortured in the most brutal manner
possible, he was killed by inches. One
Of his posse who went with him into
the barn went off with the outlaws
afterward, whether willingly or not 1t
rs not known.
The outlaws consisted at first Of the
two Wood9rd brothers and two other
prisoners, who went with them. 1t Is
believed, however, that upon arriving
at the Woodward ranch they were
Joined by some desperadoes from the
Hole-in-the-Wal country.
When the sheriffs posse reached the
ranch they found all the doors of the
cabin closed and the window curtains
drawn. While they were making their
examinations, however, man stepped
out OF the barn and acted as though he
was surprised to see the intruders.
Later developments, however, made ID
patent the posse was expected.
Upon seeing the sheriff's posse the
fellow made off in the foothills behind
the stable. Two of the posse followed
him and were soon out of sight in the
hills. AS soon as the fugitive and his
pnrsuers had disappeared, one other
man came out of the stable and hailed
she sheriff and his one remaining dep
uty, who happened to be the one who
Is now missing. Suspecting nothing,
and believing they were two against
one, the sheriff and the quondam dep.
uty-went to the stable. What happened
to the sheriff there before death re-
leased him from his torture can only be
surmised from the mutilated appear,
ance of his body, for when the two
members of the posse who had chased
the first bandit were making their way
back to the premises they were sud-
denly halted by rifle bullet which
whistled close to their heads 1t soon
became apparent to them that they
would both be killed IL they advanced
upon the outlaws stronghold, and they
returned to Casper for reinforcements
Before fleeing the bandits took Sheriff
Ricker's body out OF the barn and
leaned 1t up against the fence. His
fingers were chopped off and his teeth
knocked in. His face was almost un-
recognizable from the many bruises on
IL. In addition to this all the clothing
that had been left upon him had been
torn to shreds.
The position of the body and the
manner in which it had been distigured,
created the impression that the outlaws
INTENDED it as warning to the other
pursuers.
When they saw the barbarous treat
mentthat had been administered to the
sheriff, many members of the posse
swore to devote the rest of their lives
If need be to the capture of the outlaws.
The outlaws broke Jail at Casper
| December 30th and have since been
closely followed by a posse organized
by Sheriff Kicker.
Every sheriff who has attempted to
arrest members of the Hole-in- the Wall
/ gang has met Ricker's fate, and conse-
/ quently not few have lacked the
courage to do their duty.
Sheriff Kicker was one of the peculiar
pioneer characters of Wyoming, and
was we'll and most favorably known
throughout the state. He was the only
volunteer who enlisted from his home
county to go to Cuba and fight for the
liberty of the Cuban people.
When a mere lad dressed in big
boots, a mans hat and two single-bar-
relied horse-pistols, he resented an inn
aginary insult from Wild Bill in Chi
cago, and offered to fight it out with
that prince of the plains. Instead, the
plainsman patched up truce with
young Kicker and brought him across
the vast waste from old Fort Dearborn
to San Francisco, where he entered the
pit as broncho- buster, and afterward
became a mountaineer and rangerider
lie roamed all over the west and set
tied on a ranch near Casper a number
of years ago. He was about IS year.
of age.
Kansas Farmer shoots Woman for steal
Ing Corn.
Near Shawnee, Kas., Sunday, Car
Fishner, farmer, shot and probably
| fatally wounded MrS Marv Wallace