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Ratcliff in 1895 wrote George Miller, the superintendent of the Michigan Creek School Board, to request one of the following: (1) that the school be moved closer to the Ratcliff homestead, (2) that a special homebound teacher be assigned to assist him in the education of his children, or (3) that he be allowed to use the school textbooks and materials for [[home schooling]]. At the time, public school was held in Park County only in the winter, as children were needed for farm and ranch chores during the remainder of the year.<ref name=vandusen/> Ratcliff asked for the assistance to accommodate Lizzie's handicap because the school was seven miles away.<ref name=transcript/> When the school board would not meet any of his requests, Ratcliff became frustrated, and events soon turned to disaster.<ref name=vandusen/>

Ratcliff in 1895 wrote George Miller, the superintendent of the Michigan Creek School Board, to request one of the following: (1) that the school be moved closer to the Ratcliff homestead, (2) that a special homebound teacher be assigned to assist him in the education of his children, or (3) that he be allowed to use the school textbooks and materials for [[home schooling]]. At the time, public school was held in Park County only in the winter, as children were needed for farm and ranch chores during the remainder of the year.<ref name=vandusen/> Ratcliff asked for the assistance to accommodate Lizzie's handicap because the school was seven miles away.<ref name=transcript/> When the school board would not meet any of his requests, Ratcliff became frustrated, and events soon turned to disaster.<ref name=vandusen/>

Some believed that Ratcliff was involved in the disappearance of a neighboring rancher, Gottlieb Fluhmann, a [[Switzerland|Swiss]]-American, with whom he may have quarreled. Ratcliff and Fluhmann lived thirty miles apart separated by a rough road. Ratcliff was never a suspect in Fluhmann's disappearance, which was not resolved until 1944 and then only partially so.<ref name=carrigan>Rob Carrigan, "Gottlieb Fluhmann's ghost and Ratcliff side of the story," ''Tri-Lakes Tribune,'' (Monument, Colorado), October 27, 2012.</ref> Ratcliff fenced off his property so that his neighbors could not gain access to water from the Upper Tarryall.<ref name=vandusen/>

Some believed that Ratcliff was involved in the disappearance of a neighboring rancher, [[Gottlieb Fluhmann]], a [[Switzerland|Swiss]]-American, with whom he may have quarreled. Ratcliff and Fluhmann lived thirty miles apart separated by a rough road. Ratcliff was never a suspect in Fluhmann's disappearance, which was not resolved until 1944 and then only partially so.<ref name=carrigan>Rob Carrigan, "Gottlieb Fluhmann's ghost and Ratcliff side of the story," ''Tri-Lakes Tribune,'' (Monument, Colorado), October 27, 2012.</ref> Ratcliff fenced off his property so that his neighbors could not gain access to water from the Upper Tarryall.<ref name=vandusen/>

==Crime and punishment==

==Crime and punishment==

Ratcliff was found guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced to death by hanging. The original execution date was August 1895. However, according to the trial transcript, his attorney Vinton Garrett Holliday (1843-1909), a Republican judge in Fairplay,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11105872|title=Judge Vinton Garrett Holliday|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=October 22., 2020}}</ref> sought a re-trial on the grounds that the jury had been given erroneous instructions. A second trial was held in January 1896, insane. Ratcliff was hence hanged at the Colorado State Penitentiary at Cañon City.<ref name=vandusen/> Ratcliff was hanged by a weight-and-pulley system that jerked the convicted criminal upwards and instantly broke his neck. Therefore, Ratcliff did not strangle slowly while hanging on a rope in what is known as the drop gallows system.<ref>Diana Andersen, "Capital Punishment," ccpl.lib.co.us, accessed January 28, 2014.</ref>

Ratcliff was found guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced to death by hanging. The original execution date was August 1895. However, according to the trial transcript, his attorney Vinton Garrett Holliday (1843-1909), a Republican judge in Fairplay,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11105872|title=Judge Vinton Garrett Holliday|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=October 22., 2020}}</ref> sought a re-trial on the grounds that the jury had been given erroneous instructions. A second trial was held in January 1896, insane. Ratcliff was hence hanged at the Colorado State Penitentiary at Cañon City.<ref name=vandusen/> Ratcliff was hanged by a weight-and-pulley system that jerked the convicted criminal upwards and instantly broke his neck. Therefore, Ratcliff did not strangle slowly while hanging on a rope in what is known as the drop gallows system.<ref>Diana Andersen, "Capital Punishment," ccpl.lib.co.us, accessed January 28, 2014.</ref>

Among inmates at the time Ratcliff was in the Colorado penitentiary awaiting trial and execution, were Anton Woode (1882-1950), who at the age of twelve in 1893, was the youngest person in the nation confined to a state institution, convicted of murder and theft,<ref>Diana Andersen, "Anton Woode," ccpl.lib.co.us, accessed=January 31, 2014}}</ref> and Alfred Packer, who served nineteen years of a 41-year sentence for killing and cannibalizing five men on a prospecting expedition from [[Utah]] into Colorado.<ref>Diana Andersen, "Alfred Packer,'' ccib.co.us, accessed January 31, 2014}}</ref>

Among inmates at the time Ratcliff was in the Colorado penitentiary awaiting trial and execution, were Anton Woode (1882-1950), who at the age of twelve in 1893, was the youngest person in the nation confined to a state institution, convicted of murder and theft,<ref>Diana Andersen, "Anton Woode," ccpl.lib.co.us, accessed=January 31, 2014}}</ref> and Alfred Packer, who served nineteen years of a 41-year sentence for killing and cannibalizing five men on a prospecting expedition from [[Utah]] into Colorado.<ref>Diana Andersen, "Alfred Packer," ccib.co.us, accessed January 31, 2014}}</ref>

==Aftermath==

==Aftermath==

The former Ratcliff homestead is located in the Pike National Forest with a view of South Park and surrounding mountains. The physical remains are a two-room structure without a roof or windows. Hidden from public view and easy access, the lot is covered with grass and wildflowers and has a stream of cool, clear [[water]].<ref name=vandusen/>

The former Ratcliff homestead is located in the Pike National Forest with a view of South Park and surrounding mountains. The physical remains are a two-room structure without a roof or windows. Hidden from public view and easy access, the lot is covered with grass and wildflowers and has a stream of cool, clear [[water]].<ref name=vandusen/>

The Ratcliff case has been termed "the most brutal and unprovoked murder ever known in Park County."<ref name=barth/> On May 9, 1895, the largest funeral procession ever assembled in Park County came together for the last rites of the three victims. After his conviction, Ratcliff claimed that he had given up part of his life wounded in Civil War service and would surrender the remainder of it in the good name of his family.<ref name=barth>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=54ufW2eJJKQC&pg=PA254 |author=Richard C. Barth|title= Pioneers of the Colorado Parks|publisher=Caxton Press|year=1997 |isbn=978-0870043819| page=254|accessdatOctober 22, 2020}}</ref>

The Ratcliff case has been termed "the most brutal and unprovoked murder ever known in Park County."<ref name=barth/> On May 9, 1895, the largest funeral procession ever assembled in Park County came together for the last rites of the three victims. After his conviction, Ratcliff claimed that he had given up part of his life wounded in Civil War service and would surrender the remainder of it in the good name of his family.<ref name=barth>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=54ufW2eJJKQC&pg=PA254 |author=Richard C. Barth|title= Pioneers of the Colorado Parks|publisher=Caxton Press|year=1997 |isbn=978-0870043819| page=254|accessdate=October 23, 2020}}</ref>

==References==

==References==