The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-28
THE BODY OF NELL CROPSEY Found in the River Near
 Her Home. NO VERDICT REACHED C0r0ner'S Jury is Making an Investigation.
NO VERDICT REACHED
Young Wilcox Maintains His In different Attitude-Naval Re serves Ordered out to Protect
 Him from Mob Violence.

Elizabeth City, N. C.. Dec. 2.-Five weeks of mystery and speculation as to the fate of Miss Nellie cropsey tera minated today at 10 o'clock when the body of the missing girl was found float ing in the river oposite her fathers home. The body was discovered by J. D. .stillman. 3 fisherman. who was returning from his nights fishing trix Upon dis covering that the floating object was the body of young girl. he immediately mo- tified the committee and coroner. When the body was found 1t was face down. ward. All the wearing apparel was in- tact with the exception of the rubber which Nell wore on the night of her dis appearance, ard that was missing
 With the exception of some slight dis coloration of the face. the body was in A state of good preservation and little decomposed. The body was easily identi- fled as that of Nell Cropsey by all who had known her in life. The spot where the body was found had been dragged several times since her disappearance but with no result.
 Coroner Fearing summoned jury Of nrominent men from among the crowd that had assembled on the spot where the body had been brought ashore. and called if three of the best physicians Of the city to make a thorough and exhaus- tive autopsy to learn if there were any signs of violence on the body. but up 10 this time nothing official can be learned from the physicians as to their opinion, they refusing absolutely to give out any information until after they make report to the coroner's jury, which convened at g o'clock tonight after an adjournment at o'clock without reaching any yer dict.
 The fury has been in almost continuous secret session since the finding of the body and holding of the Gutonsy, 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, and groups can be seen on almost every street corner dis cussing the affair, but making no mani- festations, simply waiting for 1e verdict of the jury to to whether the girl met with foul play of committed suicide.
 Anticipating that trouble may be hrew- 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 barrooms in the city have been ordered @osed.
 Wilcox has been removed from the May or's office where he has been since his arrest, this afternoon to the county jail for his own protection, and strong guard has been placed around the jail.
 The family of the dead girl refuses tc express an opinion as to the cause ol the death of Nell Cropsey.
 The mother of the girl Is completely prostrated and little can be done on tht part of friends and relatives to comfort her. She has watched daily, hoping fol the return of her daughter alive. ane the sad ending of the disappearance hai completely broken her down.
 Wilcox apparently maintains the same indifferent air that has characterized hi' actions all the way through this case.
 The report of the coroner's jury IS moi expected until late tonight. The repor made by the physicians who performed the autopsy on Miss Cropsey says:
 "The garments showed no marks oi violence The garments were removed and body fully exposed. The epidermi' of face and head, together with hair o head, was peeled off. The face and heaC were swollen and soden. There was n' external marks of violence of head thu body or face. There was discolora ton of a pinkish tinge on the front O. face, with a slight bIuish discoloratoI on the back of the neck and occiput There were no marks upon front of hel neck except as made by constriction o her dress collar. An examination or th' internal organs showed she was pure girl.
 The stomach upon being opened emitted gas and was found to contaiT about two ounces of dark fluid and solit substance The solid substance is pre- stunned to he undigested food. The ap
 pearance of the stomach and othei | abdominal organs is normal. The lung'
 were collapsed and free from water. Th' heart was normal
 "On the section of the scalpI all rounC the head. one inch above the brow. ther' | was found a dark discOloration of thu
 muscular substance. The bone beneath l this confusion was discolored. belnt slightly blue There was no other abnor
 mality on any part of the scalp. whlci | was completely dissected.
 "There was no fracture discovered | any point of the cranium.
 | "A thorough examination of the braiI | showed no evidence of violence | The verdict of the CorOners jury Wal | as follows:
 l eve the coroner's jury having beer | duly summoned and sworn by pr. l Fearing. to inquire what caused the deatl of Ella NJ. Cropsey, do hereby repor that from the investigation made by thre'
 nhysicians of Elizabeth City and iron l their opinion and also from our persona observation that said Ella M. Cropse!
 came to her death by being stricken. blow on the left temple and by beihi
 drowned in the Pasquotank River. w
 have not yet investigated nor heard am 1 testimony as to who inflicted the blov and did the drowning. We are informed 1 that one James Wilcox is charged witt same and is now in custody. We recon mend that investigation as to his or an! | one else's probable guilt be had by one oi | more magistrates in Elizabeth township