Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-03-24
LAST HOURS OF
CHAS. WOODWARD
Preparations for the Execution Of
Condemned Murderer
STARTLING REVELATIONS.
Ills Expected That lie VIII ON the
Gallows Disclose the story Of
isis Downfall.
specIal Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Casper Wyo., March %. Preparations
for the execution Of Charles Wood
ward, murderer Of Sheriff Kicker
which viii occur in the yard OF the
county JAIN here next Friday are near
ing completlon The gallows Is IN
place. the rope--a twisted hemp band
Of pure whlte-has been purchased, IN
vitatIons have been issued to the sew
eral shcrifrs throughout the state and
to others who viii witness the execution
and everything Is almost In readiness
for the first legal hanging Casper has
over had No appeal for Woodward has
Teen made to the supreme court and in
all probability the murderer will pay
the penalty for his awful crime ON Good
Friday, the execution being the first
legal hanging to ever occur In this
country on Good Friday.
1t Is stated here that II Woodward is
given au opportunity to make an adj
dress ON the gallows and he viii un'
doubleday be granted the request he
will make some startling statements
disclosing what Is alleged to have been
a well-laid plot to ruin him body and
soul II is alleged that Woodward VIII
tell the story in fun OF his troubles
and Of the trap laid for him by his
enemies that resulted I'm his downfall.
A prominent rapchman, for whom
Woodward worked a number OF years
claims 10 know all about this plot. lie
f8ys Woodward was an honest, Indus
trious follow. Woodworking and law
abiding until he was thrown into jail
last fall. Woodward secured a small
patch OF land IN the Rattlesn0ke noun
tains and built q comfortable nome
there. He herded sheep In the winter
and sheared I'm the spring, working ON
his own place In the summer months
About Year ago parties living near
him began to cau2e him trouble. one
man attempted to secure his ranch by
filing a mineral claim there but failed
Woodward complained at the time that
his enemies were working TO ruin hlm
and he would remain with the ranch
come what might He has Just been
married and the persistence Of his enc
niles to drive him out Of the country
almost drove him insane,
The climax was reached last fall
when Woodward was arrested for rob
hing ranch house, an alleged trumped-
up charge lnstlgated by his enemies.
Though little evidence was produced
against him at the preliminary Wood
ward was bound over to the district
court rhe ranchman says several per-
sons offered 10 go ON WoodWard's bond
but that Sheriff Kicker warned them
that Woodward would skip out Of the
country Just as soon az released and
leave them In the lurch. The ranch
man also Gays that he knows Woodward
was kept In jail So that he could not
proye up ON his homestead. II u al
ieged that while he was IN jail his enc
mics secqred his place.
II know OF several parties that tried
to turn Mrs. Woodward against her
husband" sail the ranchman, They
i0ld her that he was sure to so TO the
pCn. aud that if She would TESTIFY
against him the community would think
more Of her for IT, They also told her
that Woodward had told the men at
the jail chat she had been untrue to
him, and that he wished she could
be sent to the pen ! know these stories
were false, for | have seen Woodward
and his wife together several times, ANA
4 more happy and agreeable couple
would be hard to find. She is charm-