Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-31
Of LAW
MAKES MOB
LYNCH
MURDERER OF SHERIFF KICKER,
OUT IN WYOMING, is HANGED
BECAUSE OF A RE-
PRIEVE.

CASPER, Wyo., March 29.-Charles
Frances Woodward, the condemned muir
derer of Sheriff William c. Kicker, was
hanged yesterday by an Infatuated mob
Of 200 men.
About o'clock the mob descended on
the jail and the leaders demanded the
keys of the sheriff. He refused to give
them up, and the crowd then secured a
number of sledges and hammers and beat
down the jail door.
Outside 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 a tree. Less than half an hour was oc-
cupied in the hanging. Considerable ex-
citement prevailed, but little was said.
Woodward attempted to talk to the
leaders, but they refused to hear him. An
immense crowd witnessed the lynching.
Several hundred sheep and cattlemen
came to town during the day yesterday,
and every corner was the scene of dis
cussion of the reprieve granted by the
supreme court.
After the lynching the mob dispersed
and a greater part Of those from out OF
town left for their homes.
The crime for which Charles Francis
woodward paid the penalty with his life
was committed on the evening of Janu-
airy last at Woodward's ranch, near
Garfield Park in the Rattlesnake noun
tains, rs miles west of Casper, when he
shot 10 death and mutilated the body Of
Sheriff William r. Kicker, of Natrona
county.
woodward, with his wife, Bertha, and
brother, Clarence. was arrested last No
vember on the charge of stealing cloth
ing and provisions from a ranch. 1t was
alleged. that Woodwards ranch was the
headquarters OF a 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 they were unable to furnish bonds.
On the night Of December 80. 1901, they
sawed of the bars of their cells and
window and got away. At the stockyards,
east of town, Charles Woodward secured
a pistol which had been placed there by
a friend. Near Casper, he stole a horse
and rode to his ranch, reaching there on
the evening of January q, 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, intending to aban-
don his horse and steal one of the officers
animals.
It was about Z o'clock in the evening
and was quite dark. He mounted one OF
the sheriffs's horses and was ready to ride
away when the sheriff came out Of the
house and. approaching the barn, ordered
him to surrender.
Woodward instantly shot the sheriff
through the body and the officer fell to
the ground mortally wounded. Woodward
then, IT is said, went to the dying man
and struck him in the face with his six
shooter. He took s45 out OF the officers
pockets and rode off. He,.was captured
by posse several weeks afterward near
Billings, Mon, and brought back to Cas-
per.
He admitted the killing and vas con-
victed and sentenced TO be hanged yester-
day. Tuesday the supreme court granted
a stay of execution which would have
given Woodward at least three months
more of life.