The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-09-02
THE JURORS REPLY
Wilcox Seniors Affidavit
That they Were Intimi-
dated Resented.
Special to News ana Observer

1GtF'4ai 10 @>tA~ ana 'fGF@*IAfE
Elizabeth city \. a.. AK >-Tbe
following wtl appear In tomorrow tFri-
day - Issue ~ the Tar H..I. tb. local
paper OF this city:
The Suprem. Court 81 North Carolina
heard the appeal FOR a now trial Ia the
Wilcox case Tuesday The account OF
the proceedings IS published III tn. News
and Observer VAS supplemented hy "a
lengthy AFFIDAVIT made ~ ThoS. =
Wilcox. father OF Jim
After briefly rehear~iug tho affidavit
it goes on to say.
Upon reading the affidavit in the col
umns OF one OF the leading dailios in the
State We could not refrain from empress
ing our surprise. Knowing as We 10
that many OF the accusations We're false.
and knowing also that the publication ol
suct filth is disparaging TO the town ana
county, our city editor immediately
sought TO investigate the charges. In
interviews With lawyers. jurors and va
rious officers, he received assurances Of
the incorrectness Of the charges.
Mr.. Geo. F. Derickson. who was fore
man or the jury that returned the yer
dict in the Wilcox trial. Was inter
viewed. Mr.. DeriCkson said that he
knew nothing whatever Of any member
of the jury being inundated. Said H..
We We're closely confined and could not
know Of the sentiment OF the people.
We heard nothing in the way OF threats
from the public, and if there had been
any threats We would probably have
never known it because Of our being
closely guarded against receiving any
word or message from ever our families
unless the officer of the jury first read
it. As for informing outsiders. IL was
impossible to do so by sending them
messages direct. because when "A note
left that room every member of the jury
had read it. | was sitting near one OF
the windows in the room and had notes
been dropped to the crowds outside |
think that ! would have known some
thing about it. | never saw anything
like that going on. and my personal ac-
Quaintance with every man on that jury
gives me grounds to believe them limo
cent of such actions.
Nov about the crowds leaving the
court room and the ringing of the fire
bell, we did not know what 1t meant
and never found out until the judge
mentioned it in his charge. When the
crowds left the court room we all
thought it was just a row At the outside.
and then there was such a few that got
up and went out that we paid no atten-
ton to il. As for the fire bell ringing.
we thought it was fire and held to that
belief. | do not think any one of the
jury was in%timidated. We did what we
thought was right"
Asked what he thought of Mr.. WileoN's
affidavit. Mt. Derickson replied, II think
nothing Of it,
Other members Of the jury were inter
viewed. Among them We're MIR. j. G.
Nash and Mr.. Will Jackson. Both OF
these gentlemen bore out MIR. Derickson's
statement and strongly denied having
been the least intimidated o. in fact,
aware of any such fervency Of sentiment
as expressed in the Wilcox affidavit.
Asked if they thought it even probable
that notes of Information Were dropped
out of the window to the crowd. they
emphatically denied there being the least
truth in such assertions.
Hon. Haywood Sawyer was interviewed
and his attention called to the assertion
Of the affidavit, that his speech against
The defendant was a bitter one. Mr. Saw
yer said. There is one truth in the
thing. Ny speech was bitter and when
the opportunity is again presented |
shall be more bitter. l believe Wilcox
guilty, and the guilty should pay the
tull penalty of the law
What do you think Of the affidavit
as a whole"
II think it is a lie. a miserable and ne
farious dnfamer of Pasquotank people.
I have talked with a number OF mem
bArs Of that jury and their statements
10 me have been: Only three things
influenced US in arriving al a verdist.
our oaths before our Maker. the evidence
in the case and the charge Of the
judge"