Arizona republican., 1918-11-19
LIFE SENTENCE
FOR KILLING Of
CHAS. H.LYSHON
Extreme Penalty to Willis
Woods Who Shot Com
panion While On Trip
From Nevada and Buried
Him on Desert

With life sentence passed at the
state penitentiary at Florence, Willis
Woods must pay for the crime COM
mitted on November >. when he shot
and killed Charles II. Lyshon.
Judge Stanford sentenced the muir
derer at 30 o'clock yesterday after
noon after the defendant declared that
he had nothing to say.
He entered the court room with Dep
uty Sheriff Charles Nafziger and
calmly lighted a cigarette and started
10 smoke until his attention was called
10 the fact that he was in the court
room. He then tossed the cigarette
carelessly to enc side and calmly
faced the court and without a change
Of expression heard the life sentence
imposed,
Refuses Attorney
Woods was arraisned earlier in the
day and advised Of his legal rights He
said that he would not employ an at
torney as he intended to plead guilty
to the crime for which he was charged.
Again in the afternoon he declared that
he did not wish counsel although Rob
crt Jarrett, assistant county attorney,
stated that there was no reason for
leniency and asked the extreme pen
atty which the court could impose.
N reply TO the question asked by
Judge Stanford. Woods stated that he
was 50 years Of age and that he had
lived practically all his life in Ari-
IONA and was a Texan by birth. He
said he had had no education to speak
or and at an early age went into the
cattle business. His relatives lived in
Globe, he said. and that he had a
nephew or farm somewhere in Mari
copa county.
Started Career Early
Woods had his first trouble with the
authorities when as a boy of Il he
was arrested in Navajo county over
cattle difficulties. He was sentenced
10 prison for five years. but secured a
new trial and was acquitted Later he
had trouble over horses" in Cochise
county and was sent to the state prison
for year, securing a pardon at the
end of his first six months.
After reviewing his prison record.
Woods casually mentioned the murder
for which he had just pleaded guilty
He eXonerated Leonard Thompson, the
l6-year-old boy whose story of the
crime caused Woods arrest in Nevada
The boy had nothing to do with it -
said Woods. II had trouble with Ly-
shon all along the way and was so en- =
r"oed at the man J did not know what
was doing. I'd been drinking, too
Recalls Railroad Robbery
This was the only reference made
of the cold blooded murder committed
in the Black mountains early in the
morning just a week ago. Woods later
came to Phoenix. and in Tempe dis
posed Of the automobile in which Ly-
shon, Thompson and himself made the
trim across country.
More is remembered of Woods from
day to day and everything remembered
is to his discredt. After the Fairbanks
railroad robbery several years ago he
was suspected OF having had a part ir
il and he was arrested by Con p Gro
min, state librarian. then an agent Of
the treasury department.
A few years after that. when Mr.
Cronin happened to be a t Wickenbure
On the eve of the Parker lot sale, where
if was expected that a large sum OF
money would be received by the gov
eminent he saw Woods get off Z
north bound train IN company will
another man. Mr. Cronin supposed
hat he was going to Parker and he
notified the authorities here, as wei
as the United States marshal of his
presence. A large force of officer.
was hIrred there TO guard the gov
crnment's bank roll