Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-02-22
Charles Woodward Confesses on Witness
Stand How he Slew Rioker.
oUSrEs DYlSs oFFcItEs PITIrUL woRD'
wife and Babies supreme Thought
as He Lies wOunded-Recital
Creates Courtroom Sem
satiOn.

After breaking jail woodward said, he
went to the stock yards below town, where
he found a six-shooter, but he would not
tell who put Il there. This was the weapon
he used in shooting the sherin.
The second night out Of Casper he re-
malned at a ranch six miles below town.
The next day be spent in a coal bank near
the ranch. In the evening he secured a
horse and rode to his ranch at Garfield
Peak. Arriving there about dusk and going
to the barn he found the horses of the
sheriff's posse, and knew the officers were
looking for him. He united one of the
horses, mounted It and was ready to ride
out OF the barn, when Sheriff Kicker came
from the house and said: Harry, is that
you?'
mo, it's not Harry" said Woodward.
Kicker then said: "oh, it's you. Charlie"
Woodward said 'I pulled my gun, swung
IL around and said, Go back and it went
off,"
Claims Shooting UnintentiOnRI.
81 did not intend to shoot or kill Sheriff
Kicker" said woodward, continuing his
confession. 81 thought might scare him
and that he would return to the house and
give me a chance to get away. When
fired the shot he said, in loud voice, OH
right out loud, that way. jumped OF my
horse, went back into the barn, and did not
hear anything for ten minutes. Then
Kicker came to and called out, oh, boys,
come and get me- He called this way two
or three times Some persons stood near
the house, for l could hear talking.
thought they were coming to the barn and
held my gun and shot 1t of in the air.
hoped to warn them 1 was at the barn, 80
they would not come and get me. The men
at the house then fired several shots.
Il went into the barn and laid down by
the managers. the fellows at the house
shooting all the time. One of them called
out. You had better surrender, for we have
you surrounded
Finally the sheriff called out, and these
were the last words he spoke"
Dying sherIR's PttifuI Words.
Here Woodward broke down and wept
like a child. When he had regained his
composure he continued:
THE sheriff said: Won't you come and
carry me to the house? oh, my poor wife
| and babies He said this two or three
| times.
81 did not object to the men at the house
coming and getting Kicker and 1 had a
notion to just give up everything. 1t
sounded so pitlful for the sheriff, who was
| calling for his wife and babies, but I
thought they would come and kill me, SO
4 saddled-the horse, tied long rope to
its bride, turned it out Of the barn, and
then held onto the rope, and after awhile
crawled out of small window and escaped
on the horse.
81 knew the sheriff was dead when I
went away, but did not steal his money.
His gun was lying on the ground, and I
picked 1t up, and then unbuckled his belt
and scabbard and put 1t on myself"
Escape and Recapture.
Woodward then described his trip across
the country to the Mahany sheep camp,
where he took breakfast. He told Mahaffy
he had broken jail, but said nothing about
the murder. He rode the same horse tc
Arvada, where he took the train for Billings
He then went to Laurel, where he met
Wilson Owens and John Burkhelmer He
asked Owens for work, as he wanted to find
some place where he could rest up foI
awhile. Owens took him to his ranch
where he remained a week or more.
Woodward here told how the men had
captured him, saying they beat him over
the head with a revolver until he was al
most unconscious. He tried to crawl under
death, and several times he cried out
Hold up. men. don't kill me-" but they
kept on hitting him until he was hand
cuffed
The confession caused intense excitement
in the courtroom, but the people controlled
themselves and there is no longer any tall
OF a lynching.
Woodward undoubtedly will be disposed
of Immediately. The jury will return III
verdict early tomorrow Woodward will b,
sentenced at once and It is expected tha
an execution will follow without delay.
BurkheImer's Testimony.
John Burkheimer was the only wItnes
for the prosecution on the stand at tn
forenoon session Of the trial. He testihe,
that Woodward came to the Owens ranch
near Billings, during January and applle
for a position. He told him he had ha
trouble in Wyoming and was compelled t
fee from the state.
The NTH day after his arrival at tn
Owens ranch Woodward told the story @
his escape from the Casper jail, the KILN
Of Sheriff Kicker and the flight to Montans
He said he sawed his way out Of prison
and. stealing a horse near Casper. rode I
| the Woodward place. where he foun
Sheriff Kicker and his men. Going to th
. barn. Woodward was securing a fres
mount, when he heard some one approach
ing He went to the door and peered ou
Just then sherif Kicker called: "Is tina
you. Harry?" evidently thinking that III
man inside the barn was Harry WOODWARD
brother OF the murderer.
: Brutal Treatment after Shooting.
E Woodward told Burkheimer he replied
4 mo. it is not Harry" and then shot II
4 ofiicer, afterward taking his gun and be
Q and beating the Ofnce's head open with n
9 butt OF his pistol. Woodward remained
5 the ranch for an hour, then secured a horl
and rode away, the deputies firing sever
shots at him as he left the barn.
At the Owens ranch in Montana WOOD
ward attempted to dispose OF Rieker's gu
. saying: This Is what ! killed him wit
and want to get rid Of it,"
Burkhe!mer then told of capturing Woo,
ward. He and Owens beat the prisoner ov,
the head with a pistol. but he was on
y subdued after a hard struggle.