The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-04-24
DECATUR CITY MURDER
willis c. Woedard Shot and Killed by
Earl Riley. Coroner's Jury Says
It was in Self Defense.

Earl Riley. C0r0ncr'S Jury Says
. it was in Self Defense.
Willis C. Woodard, a we'll known
farmer and stockman residing on q
farm few miles northwest of De-
catur City, was shot and killed at
Decatur City Sunday morning about
IL O'Clock. the fatal shot being fired
by Earl Riley, postmaster at Decatur
City, who claims he shot in self de-
tense, and this was the verdict of
the coroner's jury. ~
The shooting occurred at the foot
of the stairs leading to the opera
house, and followed trouble which
Woodard and Riley had the previous
. evening when Woodard drew q re-
volver and threatened to shoot Riley.
The two men had previously been
good friends, trouble starting over
an alleged visit Of Earl Riley and
Carl Coffin at the home of Mr.. Wood
ard the previous Sunday, two girls
being mixed up in the matter, but
Riley denies that he was inside OF
Woodard's house, only stopping to
get a drink there, and claims that
he did nothing at the house to incur
the enmity of Woodard.
The evidence disclosed at the
scoroner's inquest which was held by
coroner H. R. Layton at Decatur
City on Monday was that Woodard
came to Decatur City Saturday even
ing and stated that he came to town
with the intention of killing two
men. He had trouble with Earl
Riley, whom he met at the corner of
the square near the hotel, and pulled
a revolver and threatened him at the
time. Riley backed away from him,
and told him that he had done moth
ing to cause him to be angry with
him and that he had been misled in
the matter. Woodard finally allow
ed Riley to leave. A short time after
he met Carl Coffin near the northeast
corner Of the square and took shot
at him but did not hit him, and
Coffin got out of his way. Woodard
was arrested the same evening and
fined for this shooting. He went
home and returned to Decatur City
Sunday morning about 10 o'clock.
A short time after reaching Decatur
City he was in Ross q Co.'S drug
store when Earl Riley and his broth
,er Charles came in the store. Wood
ard spoke to Riley and Riley told
him he did not want him to speak to
him or have anything to do with
him. At this time Mr.. Ross told
them they would have to go out Of
the store that they could not start
anything in there, and Woodard and
the two Riley boys went outside and
aseand the corner of che store to the
{ vest. Here they renewed their talk
and few minutes later WO0dard-
was shot. Riley firing with an auto-
matte revolver which he had in his
pocket, through the pocket, the bull
let striking Woodard in the left
breast, couple of inches below the
nipple, and he fell to the ground.
The Riley boys claim that Woodard
pulled his revolver and told Earl
Riley he was going to shoot him and
then Earl shot. Charley Riley took
Woodard's revolver from his hand
and threw it on the sidewalk, and
afterwards picked it up and with
drew the shells and again threw it
down. Several parties who were close
at hand ran to the scene and saw
Woodard lying on the ground, with
the revolver in his hand. He said
he had been shot, and for them to
send for his brother Marion and tell
him to take care of his little boy and
to get doctor. He was taken to
the office of DR.. Springsteen where
he died about fifty or sixty minutes
after he was shot.
Immediately after the shooting
Riley stopped Artie Cave, who was
passing in an auto and asked him to
bring him to Leon as he had shot
Woodard and wanted to give himself
up. He came direct to Leon and
surrendered himself to sheriff Lorey.
The coroner's jury composed of
F. A. Gardner, NJ. A. Gammill and E.
H. Alexander heard the testimony
of the witnesses at the inquest held
Monday and returned the following
verdict:
"We do find that the said deceas-
ed came to his death by bullet,
powder and lead, fred from a gun,
said gun being fired by Earl Riley in
self defense. And we further do not
find that he came to his death felon-
iously." 1913,
An information had already been
filed against Riley charging him with
murder in the first degree before
Justice J. j. Wall, and the prelimin-
ary examination is set for next Mon
day in this city, Riiey's appearance
bond being fixed at $4,000 which he
gave at once with his father, G. R.
4 Riley; w., H. Golfer and T. A. Suth-
erlin as sureties and was released
from custody.
# Earl Riley, who did the shooting,
is the postmaster at Decatur City,
having been appointed to the Office
but few weeks ago. He is the
eldest son of C. r. Riley, the Deca-
tur City lumberman, and is most
highly regarded. He is about "a
years of age.
Willis C. Woodard was So years
of age. a son of VIM. Woodland. He
was born Dec. 10. 1860, in Des
Moines county, and came with his
parents to Decatur county in 1868.
He was married in 1902 at Bowling
- ~ ~ = = NR- a. r