Daniel Sandoval

Sometimes hidden in familiar circumstances are snares of fate with the power to change one's destiny, mere moments that can taint or even devour a person's future. Lasting consequences were in the news for the second week of April, with an altercation in 1907, a trial in 1932, an investigation in 1957 and a gesture in 1982.

100 years ago

Rifle on display - A family argument between uncle and nephew turned deadly at a ranch near Leo in the first half of April 1907. R.E. Bennett said that he did not mean to shoot Frank Ward and a witness to the affray said the shooting looked like an accident.

Bennett had spent a few days in Rawlins and started toward his ranch on a Friday, according to the April 10, 1907, Natrona County Tribune. He disembarked the train at Wolcott, started overland and made it to the "76" Ranch, where Bennett sought lodging for Saturday night.

Coincidentally, Frank Ward was out riding the range and arrived at the 76 also seeking a place to sleep on Saturday night. While Bennett and Ward were at the 76, they seemed to get along well and both started for Bennett's ranch on Sunday.

Henry Slack, the only witness to the shooting, said that Bennett was the first to arrive home and that there were no indications of trouble in Bennett's demeanor. Ward showed up at the Bennett ranch an hour after his uncle and the two men began to argue.

The argument, said Slack, began when Bennett accused Ward of being "drunk as usual." As the altercation escalated, there was a point when Ward was said to have lunged toward Bennett with clenched fists and Bennett responded by taking a Winchester from the wall.

Meaning only to brandish the rifle, Bennett said the shooting was accidental. Frank Ward died eight hours after being shot. On his deathbed, Ward asked that his "Uncle Bob" not be prosecuted because, he said, "He didn't intend to shoot me."

A coroner's inquest found that Frank Ward died of an injury from an accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of R.E. Bennett. Bennett was taken to jail in Rawlins to be held for further investigation of the incident. Ward's remains were taken to Rawlins for interment.

75 years ago

Summary judgment - A defense attorney in Cheyenne filed a motion April 9, 1932, alleging that his client was found guilty by a jury that resorted to a coin toss to determine its verdict.

The racial climate of the time didn't help Allen Pearson's client, either, since the article was headlined, "Negress' Defense Claims Coin Was Tossed by Jury," in the April 10, 1932, Casper Tribune-Herald. Blanche Milton was convicted of manslaughter in the stabbing death of Thomas Valentine.

Not even letting the man go to his grave without being labeled, Valentine was also identified as a Negro.

Undaunted, Pearson asked for a re-trial of Milton's case. His defense motion alleged that the jury was leaning - perhaps as much as eight to four - toward acquittal when a coin toss ended deliberation and produced a guilty verdict.

Collision - Parents of a college student left their home in Casper for an apprehensive trip down to Colorado after they received news of their son being in a car accident in the second week of April 1932.

Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Hazlett embarked April 9, 1932, for Boulder, Colo., where their son was attending the University of Colorado. Robert Hazlett was involved in a car crash near Boulder and his injuries included a fractured vertebrae.

The encouraging news was that Robert Hazlett had not developed signs of paralysis in the hours following his injury.

50 years ago

Forever lost - Natrona County Sheriff officers were investigating the death of a high school student, according to the April 9, 1957, Casper Morning Star. Barbara Woodard Benson, 18, was found dead in a car parked in Evansville.

The car was discovered by Clinton Dunn, who notified the authorities. As the sheriff officers arrived at the scene, it was apparent that the girl was dead and her remains were transferred to the mortuary.

A .22 caliber revolver belonging to Miss Benson was found on the car seat and Coroner William Bustard gave the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the upper abdomen. The bullet was recovered.

Clothing and other evidence was sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and an inquest was set for when the FBI laboratory results were available.

25 years ago

Frustration - A man at a bond hearing in Rock Springs took his anger out on a judge and was sentenced to jail for one year on a contempt charge, as reported by Paul Krza in the April 10, 1982, Casper Star-Tribune.

The man interrupted the hearing of another case by spitting on the floor in the direction of Sweetwater County Judge Sam Soule.

Judge Soule responded by sentencing the man to six months for contempt of court. The man then directed an obscene gesture at the judge and challenged the court to give him more time. The judge complied by doubling the jail term of the accused.

His contempt charge would be applied in addition to the charges that got the man arrested in the first place, which stemmed from a rampage of destruction at a Job Service office.

"A Look Back in Time" is made possible with the help of Kevin S. Anderson, archivist for the Special Collections Library at Casper College, which is open to the public.