The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-04
WILCOX MAY co FREE.
Evidence Against Him His
Own Admission.
An Interesting Review Of All the Pertinent
Fac's, The Bloodhound Trail Is
Discounted BY Authorities.
Baltimore SUM-


as the identity of the man who struck
Billy Patterson.
Nine persons out of ten here believe
the girl was killed by James E. Wilcox.
The tenth man is more cautious. but does
not think she committed suicide. That
theory has long since been eliminated
from the minds of the people.
1t is a singular fact that perhaps more
interest has been taken in the Cropsey
case elsewhere than here. Even Solicitor
Ward, the prosecuting attorney, said to-
day that he took little interest in the
case until the body was found. Then he
knew that it would be up to him and he
began looking after evidence. Even the
people in Camden county, across the
river, have apparently manifested more
interest in the girls fate than the people
Of this city. A large number of persons
from that section made things lively here
last Friday and Saturday and led to the
calling out of the Naval militia. That
guard was withdrawn Sunday morning,
however, and the city has since been as
peaceful as a summers dream.
The CrOpSeys are not well-known in
Elizabeth City They came here four
Il.
sey, the father, having arranged to raise
potatoes for a New York commission
firm. He did not prosper in the business,
and last year did little. Mr.. Cropsey. it is
said was not man to make himself
popular.
Ella was more popular than others of
the family, but even she had compare
lively few friends. Wilcox became her
persistent sutton soon after she came here
and that probably kept other young men
away, as Wilcox was not liked.
Nearly all the detective work has been
done and the evidence collected by the
ctizeus' committee appointed December
1st. This committee consists of Fl. T.
Greenleaf, chairman; A. K. Kramer, w.
M. Baxter, l.. A. Winder and Roscoe w.
Turner The evidence against Wilcox is
purely circumstantial, and unless the law
officers are in possession of facts that
have not yet been brought out, seems to
he too weak to insure conviction even in
this county, where sentiments is almost
unanimously against him.
Except for two statements made by
himself he might now be at liberty. He
said that he gave the girl two small pho
tographs when he parted from her on the
& 4
night of her disappearance. They have
never been found either on the premises
or on the girls person. He also said that
he left her weeping on the porch after
having talked with her about five min
Ites, and that he then went home The
walk home would have required about
fifteen or twenty minutes at the most.
At five minutes before midnight he was
a ba hot hp
house and hfs home. A lapse of over half
an hour must be accounted for If Will
cox had said that he talked with the girl
half an hour or more he would probably
not now be in jail but his statement that
he left her shortly after II o'clock and
the fact that he was seen about midnight
directed suspicion toward him.
The theory of the law officials here in
nutshell is this: Wilcox, knowing that the
girl was to leave in few days for New
York, and that he would probably not see
her again, and being fired with Jealous
rage, went to the house intent upon re-
venge. He called her out of the house and
induced her to walk as far as the front
gate. There, finding that she had deter
mined to have nothing more to Go with
him, ir a sudden passion he struck her
violent blow on the temple either with
his fist or a blackjack. 1t was then an
easy matter to take the unconscious girl
across the narrow strip of land to the
river. put her in boat, row out to the
channel and throw her overheard. 1t
seems that the part of the river where
the body was found had never been drag
ged. although careful search had been
made above and below. No one seemed to
think it worth while to search the river
Immediately in front of the girls home.
The wharf. about which so much has
been said, adjoins Hayman's marine rail
way, and Is several hundred yards from
the Cropsey house. Wilcox worked at
the yard and knew that three boats were
always kept at the wharf 1t is thought
by the prosecuting attorney that he used
one OF them.
Ii has been stated that a bloodhound
followed trail from the house to Hay
mans wharf. this leading to the SUPPOSE
tion of suicide. Members of the citizens
committee say it is not true. The hound
went toward the wharf while circulating
about the neighborhood. but first went
from the gate directly to the river in front
CT the house. Little attention is paid to
the bloodhound test as hundreds of per-
sons had trampled over the ground before
the dog arrived.
The question as to whether the girl
was killed by the blow on the temple
will probably not be settled until the
trial. DR.. |. Fearing and DR.. J. E. Wood
who made the autopsy, frankly admit that
they have not made public all they know
THE girls skull was not fractured =
said DR.. Fearing, "but l will not state
the extent of the injury. I will say that
Ella was unconscious when placed in the
water and / believe that she was thrown
overheard on the night OF November 10Th.
Everything else | know about the case
will be said in court and not before
Or. Wood also believes that the body
had been IN the river since November
GOTH
The last man to sec Miss Cropsey alive
other than Wilcox was r. f. Parker. re
was driving home about II 80 O'Clock and
says he saw a man and wonlac standing
at the Cropsey gate Parker insist; that
he did not recognize either. but mis- 3tate-
ment leads to the belief that the girl
Tent 10 the gate witr Wilcox and was
not attacked on the porch
Meanwhile Wilcox is in jail here enter
tanning himself by reading magazines ANA
royelS and seems 10 he we'll Satisfied IJo