The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-04-09

Appeal FOR WILCOX . 1A3y Aako
Year to Dispose Of the Case.
Elizabeth City. N. C.-The jury In
the trial Of james Wilcox on the charge
Of numbering Nellie Cropsey came into
court with q verdict Of guilty Of muir.
der in the first degree. The jury had
been out thirty hours.
A crowd had fingered about the court.
room all day and there was such feel.
Ing against him that 1t was feared they
would resort to violence II the prisoner
were acquitted or II the jury disa.
greed.
The trial lasted six days and caused
much excitement. These are the facts
brought out on the witness stand:
In 1893 William II. Cropsey moved
from Brooklyn. N. T., to Elizabeth
City. He brought with him a family
Of attractive girls. Miss Nellie. then
fifteen years old. was pretty and bright.
She had received common school edu.
cation. The family arrived here In
April. and In June james Wilcox. only
son of former Sheriff Thomas p. vii.
cox, began TO call on Miss Nellie.
He was a regular and devoted beau
from that time till last September.
when he and the girl seem to have had
the first quarrel Of any consequence.
During those days Of intimacy Wilcox
took the young lady to the shows ut
the Opera House. to the skating rink.
to the dances. driving. sailing and call
Ing. They Were together several times
every week. They exchanged Christ
mas and birthday presents.
This period of friendship came to
an end last September. Rev. George
Stuart, q popular evangelist, preached
In the Methodist Church here. He
stirred up considerable excitement and
many people Joined the church. Miss
Cropsey was among the number.
From the time Of that religious re-
vival there was trouble for Wilcox. He
did not get on well with the young
lady. She seemed to avoid him. One
Of her sisters heard her tell him: III
you can't behave better than that you
stay up home"
The evening of November 20 Nellie
Cropsey disappeared. Wilcox called
at o'clock. Miss Carrie Cropsey let
him In.
Carrie got up to 90 to her room sew
eral times. but Nellie persuaded her to
stay. Finally. however. at 10.45. she
retired and left the two couples in
the sitting room.
At 11.O5 o'clock Wilcox got up from
his chair and announced that he must
20. He said: Miss Nellie. may see
you In the hall?"
She made no answer. but went out
That was the last seen Of the girl
Her dead body was tished out OF the
river thirty-seven days later.
Young Wilcox left the parlor at 11.05
and was seen In his own home several
blocks from the Cropsey residence. at
l1.JO. All told. he had twenty-five min
utes unaccounted for. The place where
the body was found Is but 135 yards
from the house.
The defense contended that all tests
Of drowning fail In case where the
person has been dead and buried In
the water thirty-seven days. The best
medical authorities say all signs fail
In such cases.
The people are tired Of discussing
the case, and since the verdict gives
the prisoner the full penalty Of the
law. the people are satisfied. The first
degree verdict was hardly expected.
District Attorney Ward has stated
that he did not expect one other than
In second degree. Lawyer Aydlett.
for the defense. will file an appeal,
and as the Supreme Court does not
meet until September next the case Is
likely to hang on for months.