The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-29
HAN GE
BY IN'FUR''I AlIEDlIIN \ |
Woodward Paid Penalty fori Muir i il:
der Of Sheriff Kicker ! ( e
BIC CROWD SAW 4, !. HANGING IA 'i!''l &c
II. HAD Confessed + His Crime. and Was
Uader Sentence Of Death. but the
Supreme coart Granted
Reprieve.
BIG CROWD SAW " ] HANGING IAN q Nc;
fBy Associated Press

@ CASPER, WYO., March 2S-Charlcs
Francis Woodward, the condemned muir
derer OF Sheriff William G. Kicker, was
hanged early to-day by an Infatuated
mob of 200 men.
Crowds began to gather in the vicin-
ity Of the jail early yesterday evening
and mob was formed About 3 o'clock
this morning the mob decended on the
dail and the leaders demanded the keys
from the sheriff. He refused to give
them up and the crowd then secured
sldges and hammers and beat down the
Jail door. Once inside the jail, a rope
was quickly thrown around Woodward
neck and he was roughly dragged from
the building and was taken block
away and hanged to tree
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
An immense crowd witnessed the lynch
ing. Several hundred sheep and cattle
men came to town during the day yes
terday and every corner was the scene
of a discussion Of the reprieve granted
by the Supreme Court.
After the lynching the mob dispersed
and greater part Of those from out-of-
town left for their homes.
HIS CRIME.
The crime for which Charles Francis
woodward paid the penalty with his lie
was committed on Inc evening OF sJanu-
airy I'd last at Wondward's Ranch, near
Garfield Peak, in the Rattlesnal1e Noun
tains, seventy-fve miles west OF cas-
per- when he shot 10 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
yernber on the cf,rge of stealing cloth
If r and provisions from a ranch. 1t was
alleged that We edwards ranch was the
HEADQUARTERS of band Of cattle and horse
thieves.
At the preliminary trial, Bertha, Wood
ward was released from custody me
II Others were held to the District Court
but were unable to furnish bonds On
the night of December 80, 1901. they saw
ed OFF the bars Ct their cells ana .Wlnn, V.
and got away "A, the stock-yarcs, east
of town. Charles Woodward secured a
pistol which lad been placed there oy
a friend Near Casper he stole a horse
and rode to his ranch. reaching there
on the evening OF January 2, 1902
KILLED THE SHERIFF.
Instead of tirding friends ready to as
sist him, he found Sheriff Kicker ana
two deputies at, the house, who We're
looking for him. He went to the barn.
mounted one Of the sheriff's horses and
was about to ride away in the DARK
when the sheriff appeared and ordered
him to surrender. Woodward instantly
shot the sheriff through the body and he
fell to the ground nortally wounded.
woodward thea. it i said, went to the
diving man and struck him in the face
with his revolver He took sSla onN
Of the officers pockets and rode on:
He was captured by posse several
weeks afterwards near Billings, Mont
and brought back to Casper He ad -
1nitted the killing and was convlc1ea
and sentenced to hang to-day l1 .!''
Tuesday the Stpreme Court era hten q
STAY of exe.,,tion which would have given
woodward at least three months more of