The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-09
mel C,RlJP J! E
MUIR DER TRIAL |
James Wilcox to Go Before the.
Grand Jury Monday.
WILL v III BE TRIED /! D THIS TIL WEEK.
Eight or Tea Witnesses 10 Be Examined.
A Demaod for Seats in court-Wileox
Keeps Up the Indifference He
Has Always Shown.
WILL BE TRIED THIS. WEEK.

ELIZABETH CITY c. March 81
SpeciaL-The grand jury will meet here
Monday to examine into the murder of
& Nell Crupsey. There are eight or ten
witnesses to testify against James Will
cox, who stands charged with her murder.
Judge G.. A. Jones will preside. AS the
trial approaches interest becomes more
III to Sheriff Grandy for seats, a large
number of them being from ladies, an
unheard-of thing in this city.
Wilcox maintains the same indifference
which has characterized his actions
throughout the whole affair since the
disappearance Of Nell Cropsey.
REVIEW OF THE CASE.
Nineteen-ycar-old Ella Maud Cropsey,
affectionately known-:as II ell. daughter
of Justice W. H. Cropsey, disappeared
from her pretty suburban home in Eliza
manifest. Applications are being sent
beth City about II o'clock on the, night Of
last November Goth. The local alarm re-
sutinS from her mysterious going soon
spread sll over the South and East. The
Elizabeth City police and citizens COM
mittce figuratiyely ransacked the heaT-
ems and earth. the waters on the earth,
and even explored the wells for miles
around.
Large sums of money were offered for
tho mystery's solution. Detectives from
New York and other cities exhausted
their resources, and Hurricane Branch's
hloodhounds,. taking scent from the miss
ing girls shoes and stockings. were put
upon the trail and finally followed it to
the banks of the Pasauotanll river. near
where the| water later gave up its dead.
TIGERS NOSE TRUE.
Bloodhound Tiger was: not much be-
lieved then, but results showed that his
wonderful instinct had not erred. while
the best human intelligence, the talent
of score of detectives and the police
Of hundred cities were baffled for thr-
ty-seven days.
It was December 9th when fisherman
Stillman and a, companion found the
body of Nell floating on the river in
front of the Cropsey. home. Mrs. Cropsey.
watching from a window, saw the OBJ
jcct just before the fisher folk siEnaled
to the shore. Her eyes were affected by
the ceaseless vigil, the everlasting scan
ming. day and night, of the barren river
front and it's dark and tdeless waters. .
Then came the arrest of James Wilcox,
Nells sweetheart who had all along
maintained a bearing of indifference. who
had been arrested and released on re-
cognizance,. but who was never locked
up for keeps until the body's finding. g
The autopsy, with its testimonial OF
Nellie's blameless life. the gathering of
enraged citizens who clambered for sum-
mary vengeance the ordering out Of the
naval reserves the great funeral crowd
and their sohs of sorroW-ail these things
are yet fresh in the public mind:
The bearing of the flora1-laden casket
to Brooklyn, where it was laid among
the Cropsey ancestors, ended the first
chapter-sof the tragedy. The suspense
of the parents and sisters was supple
mented by an awful certainty, whose on
tly soothing factor was the vindication
Of Nell's character.s
THE ACCUSED.
And now. the fate of Jim Wilcox is be-
ing considered. That will be the second
chapter. Wilcox z bears up remarkably
we'll in the county prison, where he is
held in one of the strongest cages. He
eats moderately, reads and smokes much,
talks about himself and his coming trial
little.
The most uncertain part of the legal
battle is where it will be fought Lawyer
AydIett, Wilcox's counsel will most likely
seek a change of venue. The ground to
be alleged is that al fair trial may not
be had in Elizabeth City. District At
torney Ward will insist on the trial be-
ing held in Elizabeth City. lie says alb
solute justice will be done at home, and
there is no need of a removal. The pre-
siding judge will have to decide. He
comes from a judicial district on the Ten
ncssee line, remote from thescenc There
is practically no doubt that the grand
jury which will convene next month, will
find a true bill. Then the prisoner will
be arraigned and the motion for a change
Of Venue argued.
There is a great difference of opinion
as to the strength of the States case
against Wilcox. Most people in Eliza
beth City profess to believe in his guilt
but none can cite enough admissible ev-
idence to make an exceptionally strong
case.
If Wilcox is convicted it will be brough,
about chiefly by circumstantial evidence
Friends believe he has a good chance tc
so free.