The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-18
DOCTOR WOOD TESTIfIES
Stunned by Blow and Thrown Into
the Water.
HIS REPLY WHEN HIS OPINION IS ASKED
No Photograph Found on the Body. Wilcox
Claimed That on the Night Of Nelfs
Disappearance He Returned
Her Picture.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and O~bserVer)
Elizabeth city. \. c.. March 15.-At
the end of the first week the State has
proven one thing conclusively. Nell
Cropsey was g victim of foul play. She
did not commit suicide, nor did her life
end accidentally. She was dubbed and
thrown into the river, according TO tes-
timcpy.
AS yet no word duplicating jim Viii
cox has been said. An attempt 10 do
that Will be made next week. Leonard
Owens will swear he saw Wilcox near
the CT opsey homo at a quarter to twelve
on the night of her disappearance. NelIs
sisters will swear he left the Crop5ey
residence at HOS.
Caleb Parker's evidence is not expected
TO be valuable to the State. The prose-
cution will he able to get in Wilcox
statement through another witness, and
that will show discrepancies in time.
This case Will not conclude before
Thursday or Friday. The longest pre-
vious murder trial in P~asquotank coun-
ty lasted four days.
1t looks like Wilcox viii not be hang
ed. Through District Attorney Ward is
one of the best and fairest and most in
nucrtial prosecutors ! ever saw conduct
q case he will not GET a first degree vcr-
dict. Contrary 10 the general belief out
side it is possible for a second degree
verdict to be brought in this case.
Two lays will be consumed in argu-
ment. The best speeches viii be made
by Mr.. Ward and Mr.. Bend. Though
Mr.. Aydlett is leading defense counsel
and a very shrewd lawyer, he is not an
orator. Mr.. Bond is a man who can make
folks cry, if need be.
Though most people here believe Will
cox guilty, the case is just as mysterious
to people on the scene as anywhere
else. The prisoners nerve is wonderful,
his face a study. Tkoueh his yves shift
frequently, his expression remains i'm
mobile and Unconditional. He does not
act like a man whose life is in the bal
ance. There is no facial change, no mat
ter whether the ounSel win or lose in
the great battle for points in evidence
taking.
THE MORNING SESSION.
The crowd showed a slight falling of.
when court opened this morning, but it
continued to swell as the day advanced.
The jury had secured quarters at the
Rivervicw Hotel and Officer Pritchard
said they slept more than on Thursday
night.
There was a slight delay before bust
ness was begun. The court announced
that the stenographer had given out.
Mr.. Aydlett said he wanted the evidence
taken down. Lawyer Turner for the
prosecution, SAID Stenographer Spence
hol NO Af a- anl l.. I;I 80
blame him. Judge Jones said, if neces-
sary, he would take down the evidence,
but that would take longer. The court
announced that the trial would take
twice as long without a s~tenographer
and it would be economy to hire one.
Mr.. Aydlett declared that if Mr.. Spence
would serve he would guarantee him the
pay. Mr.. Spence answered that he did
not care to undertake the job, the strain
was so great he could not stand it. He
agreed to serve temporarily. Mr.. Davis,
another ~stenographer, came, he took the
questions and Mr.. Spence the
DR.. FEARING CALLED.
DR.. Fearing was called, and his cross
examination was resumed by Mr.. Aydlett
He began with technical questions about
lung fibre and the like, his object belno
" io' - IL NOOip mat LIS SIopSe} :
death may have been caused by drown
ing. During the cross examination Mi
Sawyer arose and said questions were
being repeated too much, the trial was
costing a lot OF money. and the repeti-
ton by Mr.. Aydlett was getting intol-
cradle. Mr. Aydlett replied that tls re.
mark was uncalled for, and would not
have been made by anybody else. The
question of bruises on drowned persons
was gone into. Witness said all bruise:
were made during life, for there could
be no blood clots after circulation ceased
Touching the confusion on the head
DR.. Fearing made d stronger statement
for the State than he did yesterday, oy
saying, with assurance, that the con-
fusion was forcefuI enough to produce Z
conclusion. He said that confusion:
may be external or internal.
Mr.. Aydlett completed the cross OK
animation at 11:15 O'Clock, and Mr.
Ward began the redirect examination
The witness. in response to a question
gave the order in which human organs
decay, naming the brain of adults as the
seventh. He said the brain of Miss
Cropsey was in a de1uent condition. anC
it was the only organ decomposed. He
said the brain had been disorganized as
the result of d blow.
Witness said the formation of gases
caused bodies to rise. and the time re-
quired depended on the medium and the
weather.
The witness accounted for the body:
excellent state of preservation by givine
his opinion that the juniper in Pasquo.
tank River had preventative qualities
He had not found any token or picture
in the examination of the body and
clothes. The prisoner has claimed al
along that he returned Nell's picture on