The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-04-04
MOB HANGS WOODWARD
Wyoming Man Under Sentence of
Death Lynched Despite Stay
of Execution.
INFURIATED CITIZENS STORM THE JAIL.
Drag Prisoner from His Cell and
Hang Him to ScaffoId-Was to Have
Been Legally Hanged Friday But
the Supreme Court Had Granted
a Reprieve.

Casper, Wyo., March Charles
Francis Woodward. the condemned
murderer of Sheriff William C. Kicker,
was hanged early Friday by "a
masked men.
He was taken to the scaffold which
had been erected for his legal execu-
ton. Some one pushed him on to
the trap, but he gave a leap before
the trap could be sprung and fell
off from the gallows, hanging him
self.
Under cover of darkness an organiza-
ton was formed during the night
Crowds began to gather in the vicinity
of the Jail early in the evening.
About three o'clock the mob descend
| ed on the Jail and the leaders demanded
| the keys of the sheriff. He refused to
| give them up and the crowd then Sc
cured number of sledges and ham
mers and beat down the Jail door.
Once inside the Jail rope was
quickly thrown around Woodward's
neck and he was roughly dragged from
the building. He was taken a block
away and hanged to tree.
Mob Works Quickly.
Less than half an hour was occupied
in the hanging. Considerable excite
ment prevailed, but little was said.
Woodward attempted to talk to the
leaders, but they refused to hear him.
After the lynching the mob dispersed
and greater part of those from out
of town left for their homes.
Story of WOodward's Crime.
The crime for which Charles Francis
| Woodward paid the penalty with his life
was committed on the evening of January
| 2 last at Woodward's ranch, near Garfield
| Peak in the Rattlesnake mountains, IS
miles west of Casper, when he shot to
death and mutiliated the body of Sheriff
William c. Kicker, of Natrona county.
Woodward, with his wife Bertha, and
brother Clarence, was arrested last No
| vember on the charge of stealing clothing
| and provisions from a ranch. 1t was al
legged that Woodward's ranch was the
| headquarters of band of cattle and horse
| thieves.
At the preliminary trial Bertha Wood
| ward was released from custody. The
| brothers were held to the district court,
| but were unable to furnish bonds. On the
| night of December 80, 1901, they sawed off
| the bars of their cells and window and
| got away. AT the stock yards east of town
| Charles Woodward secured a pistol which
had been placed there by friend. Near
| Casper he stole a horse and rode to his
| ranch, reaching there on the evening of
| January 2, 1902 Instead of finding friends
ready to assist him, he found Sheriff Kicker
| and two deputies at the house, who were
| looking for him. He went to the barn, in
tending to abandon his horse and steal one
| of the officers animals. 1t was about
seven o'clock in the evening and was quite
| dark. He mounted one of the sheriff 8
horses and was ready to ride away when
| the sheriff came out of the house and ap-
preaching the barn ordered him to surren-
der. Woodward instantly shot the sheriff
| through the body and the officer fell to the
| ground, MORALLY wounded. Woodward
| then, it is said went to the dying man and
struck him in the face with his six-shooter.
| He took $45 out of the officers pockets ana
rode off. He was captured by posse sew
| eral weeks afterward near Billings, Mont.
| and brought back to Casper. He admitted
| the killing and was convicted and SEN
| fenced to hang Friday. Last Tuesday the
| supreme court granted a stay of execution
| which would have given Woodward at least
| three months more of life.