Evening journal., 1901-12-28
NELL CROPSRY
WAS MURDERED
This The Return OF The JOTO
ner'S Jury in The Case
Wilcox, Who Was Seen Last With The
Girl. Is Now Under Arrest.
Troops Protect Him

Elizabeth City ~ c., Dec 2S.-five
weeks of mystery and speculation as
10 the fate of Miss Nellie Cropscy ter
minated yesterday at 10 O'Clock. whom
the body of the missing girl was found
floating in the river opposite her faith
er's home The body was discovered
by ]. ID. Stillman, fisherman. Upon
discovering that the floating object
was the body of young girl he i'm
mediately notified the committee
When found the body was floating
face downward All the wearing sp-
parel was intact with the exception
OF the rubhers which Nell wore on
the night of her disappearance. and
that was missing With the excep.
tion of some slight discoloration of
the face the body was In state OF
good preservation and little decom-
posed. The body was easily identified
as that Of Nell Cropsey. The spot
where the body was found had been
dragged several times since her dis
appearance, but with no result
The news of the finding OF the body
few over the city like wiidnre\ and
within a short while over 1000 people
had assembled on the river bank wait
ing for the body to be brought ashore
Troops Protect Wilcox.
Anticipating that trouble may be
brewing for young Wilcox the Naval
Reserves have been ordered out to
maintain order and peace and to see
that no violence is offered Wilcox By
order of the mayor all the barrooms
IN the city have been closed Wilcox
has been removed from the mayors
office. where he has been since his
arrest yesterday afternoon. to the
county jail for his own protection,
and a strong guard has been placed
around the jail to see that no violence
is offered him.
The family of the dead girl refuses
to express an opinion as to the cause
OF the death OF Nell Cropsey. The
mother of the girl is completely pros.
trated. She has watched daily. hoping
for the return of her daughter alive,
and the sad ending of the disappear.
ance has completely broken her down.
The report made by the physicians
Cropsey says: The garments showed
no marks OF violence. The garments
were removed and body fully exposed.
The epidermis of face and head. to.
gethcr with hair OF head. were peeled
of. The face and head were swollen
and soddened. There We're no eXter.
nal marks of violence on head. body
or face. There was a discoloration OF
a pinSish tinge on the front of the
head and face, with slight blush
discoloration over the back OF the neck
and ociput There were no marks
upon the front of her neck, except as
made by construction of her dress col
lar. An examination of the internal
organs showed she was a pure girl.
There was no fracture discovered at
any point OF the Uranium A thorough
examination of the brain showed no
evidence of violence
Verdict Of coroner's Jury.
The verdict of the coroner's Jury
was I'VE hereby report that from
Investigation made by physicians. Ella
NJ Cropsoy came to her death by be.
ing stricken a blow on the left temple
and by being drowned in the Pasquo.
tank river. We have not yet investi.
gated nor heard any testimony touch.
Ing as to who inflicted the blow and
did the drowning. We are informed
that one James Wilcox is charged
with same and is now in custody. We
recommend that investigation as to
his or any one else's probable guilt
be had by one OF more magistrates in
Elizabeth City township and that said
Wilcox be held to await said investi.
cation"