The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-28
RIVER GIVES
Up IT'S DEAD
SPECULATION OVER THE FATE Of
NELLIE cRoPsEY ENDED
AT LAST
FISHERMAN FINDS HER BODY
Academy of Music to Await
the Verdict of Cor
Oner's Jury.
TROUBLE LIKELY FOR WILCOX

ELIZABETH CITY, N. c., Dec. 27-
Five weeks of mystery and speculation
as to the fate of Miss Nellie Cropsey
terminated at 10 o'clock, when the body
of the missing girl was found floating IN
the river opposite her fathers home. The
body was discovered by j. D. Stillman, a
fisherman. Upon discovering that the
floating object was the body of young
girl he Immediately notified the coroner
When found the body was floating face
downward. All the wearing apparel was
intact with the exception of the rubbers
which Nell wore on the night of her dis
appearance, and they were missing.
With the exception of some slight dis
coloration of the face, the body was
in a state Of good preservation, and lit
tie decomposed The body was easily
identified as that of Nell Cropsey. The
spot where the body was found had been
dragged several times since her disap-
pearance, but with no result.
Coroner Fearing summoned jury OF
prominent men and called in three of
the best physicians of the city to make
a thorough and exhaustive autopsy to
learn if there was any sign of violence on
the body, but up to this time nothing Of
fetal can be learned from the physicians,
as they refuse to give out any informa-
ton until after they make their report
to the coroner's jury, which convenes
at 9 o'clock tonight, after an adjourn
ment at 6 o'clock without reaching any
verdict.
The jury has been in almost contin-
uous session since the finding of the
body and holding of the autopsy, and
very much depends on the construction
of their verdict as to what will be the
fate of young Wilcox.
Great crowds are assembled in front
Of the Academy of Music building, where
the jury is in session, awaiting the ver-
dict of the jury as to whether the girl
met with foul play or committed SUI
eide.
Anticipating that trouble may be brew
ing 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 ma ayors Office, where he has been
since his arrest this 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 refuse to
express an opinion as to the cause of the
death of Nellie Cropsey. The mother of
has watched daily, hoping for the return
of her daughter alive, and the sad end
ing of the disappearance has completely
broken her down.
Wilcox apparently maintains the same
Indifferent air that has characterized his
actions all the way through this case.
|. Verdict of the Jury.
The verdict of the jury is as follows:
eve, the coroners jury, having been
duly summoned and sworn by DR.. 1.
Fearing, to inquire what caused the
death of Ella M. Cropsey, do hereby re-
port that from investigation made by
three physicians of Elizabeth City, and
from their opinion and also from our
personal observation that said Ella M.
Cropsey came to her death by being
stricken a blow on the left temple and
by being drowned in the Pasquotank
river. We have not yet investigated nor
heard any testimony touching 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 Gus
tody. We recommend that investigation
as to his or anyone else's probable guilt
be had by one or more magistrates in
Elizabeth City township, and that said
Wilcox be held to await said investiga-
ton