Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-04-09
LYN(HERS Of WYOMING
HANG MURDERER WH0
WAS AWAITING DEATH
Had Been Granted Reprieve by Supreme
Court Which Did Not Satisfy the
Ends Of Cowboy
Justice.

Casper, Wyo. March 2S.-Charlcs
Francis Woodward the condemned
murderer of Sheriff W. c. Kicker OF
this county, was hanged in his night
clothes at l o'clock this morning BY
twenty.four masked and armed men on
the sCaffold erected for his legal execu
ton. The men OverpOwered Sheriff
Iubbs, secured the keys and led the
condemned murderer from his cell
with as little ceremony as possible.
At ] o'clock there came a loud rap
at the Sheriff's door. and twenty.four
determined men Demanded tho Keys Of
tho jail. On refusing the demand
Sheriff Tubbs was Immediately secur.
ed and bound and the keys secured.
After this there was no resistance to
the iynChers. They soon secured the
prisoner and led him to the scaffold
erected in the Jail yard on which Wood.
ward was to have been hanged today
but for the Intervention OF a respite
granted by the Supreme Court. A rope
was quickly fastened to beam and a
moose placed about Woodward's neck
While this was going on Woodward
talked rapidly. His words were partly
incOherent, but this was gathered from
his talk: Boys, let me pray. | want
to pray for all Of you and send a mes.
sage TO my blessed little wife. | love
her dearly and want you to tell her
that. ] pray that you will have tho
papers print 1t. | pray for you, Chas.
Kicker, and for all of you. never
bad grudge against Sheriff Kicker
never in Gods world. never meant
10 shoot him. For Gods sake. don't
ChoNe me to death. OH"
Then some one gave the condemned
man push. forcing him into the trap
and the rope began to tighten. Wood
ward gave leap before the trap
could he sprung and fell off the gal
lows. hanging himself
One OF the lynChers pinned to the
dead mans clothing a card bearing the
following words: Process of the law
Is { little slow, so this Is the road you
will have to go. Murdcrcrs and thieves
5cware. Peoples verdict"
Early this morning Sheriff 1'ubbs
/ WIN NV 'VNs h'N u anu l'lllbNNl IL W
the City Hall, where the rope was cut
from the neck. II was then turned
| over to the Coroner.
Acting Governor ChattcrtOn this aft
2rnoon sent to \. T. Buclcr. prescott.
ng attorney OF NatrOna country. the
following telegram: I'm the brutal
lynChing of Woodward the fair name
OF Wyoming has been dragged in the
miro, the order Of our Supreme Court
dIsregardcd, the law grossly violated
% reports indicate that no precau
tionary steps were taken by the off
GERS Of the law to prevent its violation
In the name of the law which has beer
violated, and as acting executive o.
State. | call upon you. the county
prosecutor, to institute and make q
thorough investigation OF this crime
with view to the punishment of the
guilty parties"
/. The crime for which Woodward pait
with his life was committed on tn,
evening Of January 10Th last at Wood
wards ranch near Garfield peak, IL
tho Rattlcsnakc mountains. seventy
five miles west of Casper, when h,
cruelty shot to death and mu,ilated tn,
body OF Sheriff William c. Kicker o
. NastrOna county.
. Woodward, with his wife. Bertha
and brother, Clarence. was ARRESTED
! previously on the charge OF stealinl
clothing and provisions from a ranch
was alleged that Woodwards rancI
was the headquarters OF band OF cat
lie and horse thieves. At the prelim
nary trial Bertha Woodward was r.
leased from custody. The brother
were held to the District Court. bu
were unable to furnish bonds. on III
night Of December 80. 1901. they saw
ed of the bars of their cells and
window and got away. At the stool
yards. cast of town. Charles Wood
ward secured pistol which had bee
placed there by a friend. Near Caspe
he stole horse and rode to his Ranch
reaching the place on the evening q
january ?, 1902.
q Instead Of finding friends ready I
! assist him, he found Sheriff Rlcko
3 and two deputies ut the house, VIII
q were looking for him. lie went to tn
, barn, intending to abandon his nors
and satCl one of the officers animal,
II was about o'clock IN the evcnin
and quite dark. He mounted one @
the Sneriif's horses and was ready I
ride away when the Sheriff came on
OF the house, and, approaching tn
| barn, ordered him to surrender. Woo
ward instantly shot the Sheriff throug
{ the body and the officer fell to tn
ground, mOrtally wounded. Woodwar
a then, 1t Is said, went to the dying ma
Il and struck him in the face with hi
siXshooter. lie emptled the Sheriff
pockets, securing $ij, and also too
from the body belt full of cartridge
q and sCabbard Woodward then dra
god the body several feet toward Il
!: barn and left II. He went into Il
7. barn, turned two of the horses on
\, saddicd the remaining one and roc
l. Off.
|, He was captured by posse sever
~ weeks aftcrward near Billings Mon
and brought back to Casper. He a
m.,,ed the killing and was convictC
and sntenCed to be hanged today
,. Last Tuesday the Supreme COu
granted stay OF execution, whiC
h would have given Woodward at lea
v ,LTee months more of life.
u