The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-02-05
EARL RILEY ON TRIAL
CHARGED with the Murder of Willis
W0odard at Decatur City. De-
feudant Pleads Self Defense.

on April '2ULn, 1910, was COWMeuC-
ed Monday afternoon. Judge Evans
had ordered a special venire of fifty
extra jurors, and jury was secured
quicker than was anticipated, the
jury being accepted and sworn a
few minutes after six o'clock Mon
day evening. There were thirty-four
Jurors examined before twelve jur-
Ors were accepted to hear the case,
the jury being composed of L. Il.
Aten, A. NJ. Dockstader, J. E. Clam
pitt, Fred Trower, T. A. Culver, Rob
ert Howell, Clyde Yost, Wesley
Glazebrook, Ralph Chase, George Ev-
ans, w. II. Baker and l.. A. Luce.
The court ordered that the jury be
not allowed to separate and appoint
ed Ed McHarness and M. l. Marshall
as bailiffs to take charge OF the jury.
The taking of evidence commenced
when court opened Tuesday morn
ing, the state being represented by
county attorney e. H. Sharp, assist
ed by Geo. w. Baker, and G. w.
Steele, of Corydon, the latter attor-
ney having been employed by the ad-
ministrator of the Woodard estate to
assist in the prosecution.
The defendant is represented by
G. w. Hoffman and V. r. McGinnis.
The facts in this case are well known
to our readers, practically all of the
testimony having been brought out
and published at the time of the
coroner's inquest, and the main facts
are not disputed, the question to be
decided by the jury being as to
whether Earl Riley fired the shot
which killed Woodland in self de-
fense, or whether he was guilty or
murder in shooting him.
The killing occurred at Decatur
City on Sunday morning, April 20,
1913, following trouble between the
parties the previous evening. Willis
Woodard, it is admitted was intoxl-
Gated on Saturday evening and at
tht time threatened Earl Riley. post
master at Decatur City was reVolv-
er, and also shot a couple of times at
Carl Coffin. The trouble between
them was over an alleged visit OF
Riley and Coffin to the home OF
Woodard a few days previous, Wood
ard claiming they had been in his
house with a couple OF girls. On
Sunday morning Woodard came back
to Decatur City from his farm north
west Of this town and was in Ross
drug store. Riley came in and
sWoodard. spoke to- him and riley
told him he did not want to have
anything to do with him, or did not
want him to speak to him. Woodard
made some reply and Mr.. Ross told
them they could not have any
trouble in there, they would have
to 20 outside. They went outside
and around the corner of the build
ing, being following out by Charley
Riley, a brother of Earl Riley. In
a few minutes a shot was heard,
and Woodard was found lying on the
ground, mortally wounded, dying a
short time after. Riley claimed
Woodard drew his revolver and had
it pointed at him, telling him he was
going to fill him full Of holes, when
he shot from his pocket, the bullet
striking Woodard in the left breast
and that he fired in self defense.
The state contends that he did not
fire in self defense. that his life was
not in danger and that he is guilty
of murder.
At the coroner's inquest the jury
exhonerated Riley. Then he was ar
rested on an information and a pre-
liminary trial was held before JUS
tice Warford in this city, when he
was released, the court holding there
was no evidence sufficient to bind
him over to the grand jury. The
matter was brought to the attention
of the grand jury, and the hrst time
they refused to indict, but second
grand jury returned an Indictment
against Riley, and he has been at
liberty on bonds.
The state closed their case IN chle1
Yesterday morning, conflnlng tnelr
testimony to the facts showing that
Willis Woodard died from the eHects
of a gunshot wound inflicted ny Earl
Riley. which is all that is necessary
under the law. They used only ten
witnesses in proving the main facts'
q. E. Blades, w. H: Bogue, Ed Smell
ton, r. E. Ross, James Cresswell, =.
c. Beck, Floyd Cozad, DR.. B. L. Eik-
er, F. L. Lorey and Charles Riley,
and there was nothing sensational IN
their testimony, which did not dl1-
fer materially from the evidence pub
lished at the time of the trouble.
At the conclusion Of the state s
testimony, a motion was made tnat
the court instruct a verdict finding
the defendant not guilty, Wnlcn was
presented by Mr.. McGinnis at consid-
erable length, and was followed by
Mr.. Steele resisting the motion. Mr..
Steele closed Just at noon and court
adjourned for the noon hour.
When court convened Wednesday
afternoon Mr. Baker presented ar
.9uments resisting the motion to In
struct verdict, and was followed by
county attorney Sharp, the closing
argument being made by MIR. Hon.
man fer the defense.
Al the conclusion of the argu-
naents by the attorneys which closed
at $3.50 O'Clock, Judge Evans rem
dered his decision, going at some
length into the case, saying 1t was
4 very hard matter for the court to
pass upon the motion, but that in
view of all the circumstances and the
testimony, he believed that the de-
fendant should have the right to pre-
sent his evidence to the jury and the
motion would therefore be OyerTuled.
The testimony on behalf Of the de.
2 Hn~A>nk waa n comm 0nCed and