The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-29
THE JURORS REPLY
Especial to News and observer.)

Especial to News and Observer)
Elizabeth City, N. c., Aug. 2S.-The
following will appear in tomorrow (Fri
days. issue of the Tar Heel. the local
paper of this city:
The Supreme Court of North Carolina
heard the appeal for a new trial in the
Wilcox case Tuesday. The account of
the proceedings as published in the News
and Observer was supplemented by d
lengthy affidavit made by Thos. P.
Wilcox, father of "Jim."
After briefly rehearing the affidavit,
it goes on to say:
Upon reading the affidavit in the col
umns of one of the leading dailies in the
State we could not refrain from express
ing our surprise. Knowing as we do
that many of the accusations were false,
and knowing also that the publication OF
such filth is disparaging to the town and
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. +. Derickson. who was fore
man of 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 intimidated. Said he:
eve 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 even our families
unless the officer of the jury first read
it. AS for informing outsiders, it 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 1
think that / would have known some
thing about it. I never saw anything
like that going on, and my personal ac-
quaintance with every man on that jury
gives me grounds to believe them inno-
cent of such actions.
''Now about the crowds leaving the
court room and the ringing of the fire
bell, we did not know what it 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 row at the outside,
and then there was such a few that got
up and went out that we paid no atten
tion to it. AS for the fire bell ringing,
we thought it was fire and held to that
belief. 1 do not think any one of the
jury was intimidated. We did what We
thought was right
Asked what he thought of Mr.. Wilcox's
affidavit, Mr.. Derickson replied, 81 think
nothing of it,
Other members of the jury were inter
viewed. Among them were Mr.. ]. G.
Nash and Mr.. Will Jackson. Both of
these gentlemen bore out Mr.. Deriekson's
statement and strongly denied having
been the least intimidated or 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 We're 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 bitter one. Mr.. Saw
yer said. "There is one truth in the
thing. My speech was bitter and when
they opportunity is again presented I
shall be more bitter. / believe Wilcox
guilty, /and the guilty should pay the
full pdhalty of the law
'What do you think of the affidavit
as a whole?
81 think it is a lie, miserable and ne
farious defamer of Pasquotank people"
/ have talked with a number of mem
bers of that jury and their statements
TO me have been: "Only three things
inhuenc I'd us in arriving at verdist:
our oaths before our Maker, the evidence
in the case and the charge of the judge"