WOODARD, Willis C. "Bill"

WOODARD, RILEY, COFFIN, LAYTON, ROSS, CAVE, LOREY, GARDNER, GAMMILL, ALEXANDER, COLTER, SUTHERLIN, JOHNSON, SWANK, HAVENS, WILSON, CHAMBERLIN, BECK, SPRINGSTEEN, LAKE, BOAK, CAMPBELL, MEEKER, CREAL, LUNBECK, SHELTON, FISHER

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/21/2015 at 10:40:15

Obituary ~ Willis C. "Bill" Woodard
December 10, 1860 ~ April 20, 1913

Leon Reporter
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
Thursday, April 24, 1913, Pages 1 & 12

DECATUR CITY MURDER

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Willis C. Woodard Shot and Killed by Earl Riley.
Coroner's Jury Says It Was In Self Defense.

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Willis C. Woodard, a well known farmer and stockman residing on a farm a few miles northwest of Decatur City, was shot and killed at Decatur City Sunday morning about 11 o'clock, the fatal shot being fired by Earl Riley, postmaster at Decatur City, who claims he shot in self defense, 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 a revolver and threatened to shoot Riley. The two men had previously been good friends, trouble starting over an alleged visit of Early Riley and Carl Coffin at the home of Mr. Woodard 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 coroner's inquest which was held by coroner H. R. Layton at Decatur City on Monday was that Woodard came to Decatur City Saturday evening 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 nothing to cause him to be angry with him and that he had been misled in the matter. Woodard finally allowed Riley to leave. A short time after he met Carl Coffin near the northeast corner of the square and took a 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 & Co.'s drug store when Earl Riley and his brother Charles came in the store. Woodard 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 around the corner of the store to the west. Here they renewed their talk and a few minutes later Woodard was shot, Riley firing with an automatic revolver which he had in his pocket, through the pocket, the bullet striking Woodard in the left breast a 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 withdrew 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 care for his little boy and to get a doctor. He was taken to the office of Dr. Springsteen where he died about fifty of 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 has 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, M. 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 deceased came to his death by a bullet, power and lead, fired 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 feloniously."

An information had already been filed against Riley charging him with murder in the first degree before Justice J. J. Wall, and the preliminary examination is set for next Monday in this city, Riley's appearance bond being fixed at $2,500 which he gave at once with his father, C. R. Riley, W. H. Colter and T. A. Sutherlin 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 a few weeks ago. He is the eldest son of C. R. Riley, the Decatur City lumberman, and is most highly regarded. He is about 24 years of age.

Willis C. Woodard was 52 years of age, a son of Wm. Woodard. 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 Green, Mo., to Miss Mollie Johnson, who died in 1905, leaving a little son, Thomas, who is now eight years old. Mr. Woodard was again married Oct. 17, 1906 to Miss Irene Swank, at Decatur City, who died Nov. 17, 1907. Funeral services were held at the home of his parents in Decatur City Tuesday afternoon, interment being in the Decatur cemetery.

The following is a synopsis of the testimony taken at the coroner's inquest:

(Continued on Page 12.)

DECATUR CITY MURDER.
(Continued from Page 1.)

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R. E. ROSS.
Testified that he was the proprietor of a drug store at Decatur City, and that Willis Woodard came into the store a little before 11 o'clock Sunday morning. A few minutes later Earl and Charley Riley came in and Earl stepped to the cigar case to buy a cigar. Woodard and Riley got to taking and I told them they could not start anything in the store that they would have to go outside. Woodard told Riley to come on out and Woodard and the two Riley boys went out of the store and I did not see anything more of them. Did not go around to where the shooting occurred and did not see Woodard again.

CHARLEY RILEY.
Testified that he was a brother of Earl Riley, and went with Earl into the drug store. Knew Woodard was in there. Woodard says, "Hello there," and Earl did not say anything. Pretty soon Bill said, "What's the matter, why don't you speak?" and Earl told him he did not want to have anything to do with him, or for him to speak to him, and Bill says "We will settle this thing" or something like that. Mr. Ross spoke up and said something to Woodard about not starting anything in the store, to go out doors. Bill said to Earl, "Come on out" and Woodard, Earl and I went out. He led the way around the corner of the building to the west. Earl asked him what he meant by getting his friends, three of them, and jumping onto him down at the hotel corner; that somebody had misled him into believing that he had done something which he had not done. Woodard said Earl had been out to his house and went through the window and across the garden and that if he had been there he would have left his carcass lying in the garden. Earl denied that he went through the window or across the garden and said he stopped at the house for a drink. Woodard said Earl went in the house and Earl said he did not. After some more conversation I saw Woodard get his gun out of his pocket and said to Earl, "I will give you every damned load in this if I go to hell the next minute" and threw the gun in Earl's face and then Earl shot him. Woodard stumbled and fell over on the ground, kind of [on] one elbow. He had his gun in his hand and Earl told me to get his gun, and I wrestled with him and took the gun, and threw it on the sidewalk. Earl told me to draw the loads and I did so and threw it on the sidewalk again.

RAY HAVENS.
Testified he was standing in front of Campbell's restaurant on the east side of the square and saw Woodard and the Riley boys go out of the drug store and around the corner. Heard the shot and went over there. Bill had a gun in his hand and saw Charley Riley take it and throw it on the walk. Heard Woodard say to send for Marion and Thomas, that he was shot.

HORATIO WILSON.
Testified he was in the butcher shop on the east side of the square, saw Rileys and Woodard come out of the drug store. Heard the shot and went over with several others.

THURMAN CHAMBERLIN.
Testified he was the first person to reach the scene of the shooting. Saw Woodard lying on the ground on his elbow. He had a .38 calibre revolver in his hand. Saw Charley Riley take the gun from Woodard's hand and throw it on the sidewalk, then picked it up and broke the breech and unloaded it. I told him "For God's sake to drop it." Woodard said, "For God's sake get a doctor and send for my little boy."

C. C. BECK.
City marshal of Decatur, testified he was sitting in front of his livery barn when he heard the shot and ran up there. Saw Bill Woodard lying on the ground. He said, "My God, Charley, I'm shot. He shot me. I never drew any revolver. Tell Marion to take care of my boy. Get a doctor and send for my boy." Charley Riley had a gun in his hand when I got there. Earl Riley was standing there smiling. He did not say anything.

DR. D. R. SPRINGSTEEN.
Testified that he was called and had Woodard taken to his office. He lived perhaps fifty or sixty minutes.

SAM LAKE.
Testified that he was in front of Riddle's store. Saw Woodard shaking a gun in front of Riley's face. Heard a shot fired and then Woodard dropped to the ground.

HARRY BOAK.
Testified that he walked up the street with Woodard, and was in Riddle's door talking with Sam Lake. Saw Rileys and Woodard standing there talking.

MRS. S. H. CAMPBELL.
Testified she saw Woodard come into town and tie his horse and then he came into their restaurant. Was standing in front of the restaurant and saw Woodard fall after he was shot. He was swinging a gun in his hand. I went across to the park where Mrs. Riley was. She was greatly excited and Earl came over and told his mother not to worry, that it had to be done, that he did it in self defense. That it was either him or me.

S. H. CAMPBELL.
Testified that he was standing in his restaurant looking out of the window, and saw Woodard fall. He had a gun in his hand.

MRS. C. R. MEEKER.
Testified that Woodard was in their store Saturday night. He said he had a little trouble outside. I said, "I heard you did." I advised him to go home. He said he could take care of himself. Said he came to town with the intention of killing two men, but got to thinking of his little boy and that as all that saved them. I again advised him to go home and told him that whiskey was at the bottom of it. He had been drinking but was not drunk. He talk[ed] sensible.

MAUD MEEKER.
Testified she was standing about two feet from her mother the night before when she had the conversation with Woodard and heard it just as her mother had told it. Woodard was excited and seemed to be angry. Said he came with the intention of killing two men. I knew who the two men were. It was Earl Riley and Carl Coffin.

IRA CHAMBERLIN.
Testified he was standing in front of the barber shop. Could see around the corner of the drug store. Could see about half of Woodward. Saw him fall with a gun in his hand. Think it was his left hand. Ran over there and saw Charley Riley take the gun out of Woodard's hand, throw it on the walk, then picked it up and took the shells out and threw it down again. Woodard was ahead when they came out of the drug store. Identified the gun as the one he saw in Woodard's have (sic), and said he had seen it before in Creal's showcase, and saw Woodard have it the night before shoving it in Riley's face. Heard him say that if it wasn't for his little boy he would plug a hole in him. Heard Woodard say he would get that other low down s-of-a-b. Heard a shot fired the night before and heard that Woodard had shot at Carl Coffin. Jack Fisher told me he saw Woodard shoot at Coffin.

O. B. CREAL.
Testified he sold the gun to Woodard last Monday. He said the dogs had been bothering his stock. It was a .38. He bought a few cartridges at the same time.

H. B. LUNBECK.
Testified that Woodard came into his hotel on Saturday night, and talked about going to have some trouble. I asked him who with and he would not tell me, but said I would find out. That there were a couple of fellows around there that he was going to get. Had some alcohol and I got him a bottle and some sugar. He said he wanted something to steady his nerves. Earl Riley came along by the hotel. He was alone. When I went outside Earl's hat was on the sidewalk. Woodard was flourishing a gun in Riley's face. Said he had a notion to shoot him. He backed Riley down by the well, and said for him not to run or I'll shoot you. Riley said there must be some mistake. Riley asked him what the trouble was. Later Woodard came back to the hotel and asked me why I had filed an information against him, and I told him I had not filed any information, and he said they told him I had. Said he had to pay a fine. When Earl Riley left the hotel he told me he was going home and get his gun and that if Woodard ever pulled a gun on him again he would plug him. I advised Earl to go home, and he said it was pretty hard to take all that when he had done nothing and had always been a friend of Bill.

WILLIAM SHELTON.
Testified he saw Woodard and the Riley boys go around the corner. Saw Woodard run his hand in his pocket and then heard a shot. Saw Charley Riley take the gun out of Woodard's hand while he was on the ground.

J. E. FISHER.
Testified that on Saturday night he saw Woodard and Carl Coffin. Coffin came around the corner of the building and Woodard pulled a gun and shot straight at him. Said Coffin vanished and he came on up the street.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2015

NOTE: Earl Riley stood on trial three times with regard to the shooting of Willis C. Woodard. Due to the length of these subsequent articles, visit the webpag to read these accounts in full.

Death of Willis C. WOODARD/Trials of Earl RILEY
 

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