Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-01-04
NELL CROPSEY IS DEAD
Missing Girls Body Found in River
at Elizabeth City, N. @.
WILCOX CHARGED WITH CRIME

The Body Was Found Floating Face
Downward In River-Verdict Of the
Coroner's Jury Is That She Was
Murdered.
Elizabeth City, N. c., Dec. 2S.-Five
weeks OF mystery and speculation as
to the fate of Miss Nellie Cropsey ter
minated yesterday at 10 o'clock, when
the body of the missing girl was found
floating in the river opposite her faith
er's home. The body was discovered
by ]. d. Stillman, a fisherman. Upon
discovering that the floating object
was the body Of young girl. he inn
mediately notified the committee.
When found the body was floating
face downward. All the wearing APP
parel was intact with the exception
OF the rubbers which Nell wore on
the night OF her disappearance, and
that was missing. With the excep-
ton of some slight discoloration OF
the face the body was in a state of
good preservation and little decom-
posed. The body was easily identified
as that Of Nell Cropsey. The spot
where the body was found had been
dragged several times since her dis
appearance, but with no result.
Young Wilcox, who last saw Miss
Cropsey alive, was arrested, charged
with murder
Verdict Of Coroner's Jury.
The verdict Of the coroner's Jury
was: 1--WE hereby report that from
investigation made by physicians, Ella
M. Cropsey came to her death by be-
ing stricken a blow on the left temple
and by being drowned in the Pasouo-
tank river. We have not yet investi-
gated nor heard any testimony touch
ing as to who inflicted the blow and
did the drowning. We are informed
that one James Wilcox is charged
with same and is now in custody We
recommend that investigation as to
his or any one else's probable guilt
be had by one or more magistrates in
Elizabeth City township, and that said
Wilcox be held to await said investi-
CATION"
Funeral Services Held.
Elizabeth City, N. c., Dec. So
Funeral services over the body of Miss
Nellie Cropsey. whose remains were
discovered in the Pasquotank river af-
ter search lasting several weeks,
were held in the Methodist church
here yesterday. The church was
crowded to suffocation. and the street
leading to 1t was lined with people,
who uncovered as the hearse drove
past. The remains were taken by An.
drew G. Cropsey, uncle OF the girl, to
Brooklyn for interment. The Jail In
which young Wilcox, who was arrest
ed for alleged participation in the
girls death, lies only a stones throw
from the church. The guards
were withdrawn from the Jail yester-
day and permitted to go home. Pub
lie sentiment Is strong against Will
cox, but there Is less talk Of lynching,
and some Of the ministers took occa-
sion in their sermons to advise against
mob violence.
r. w. Tuner, q member of the citi-
Gems committee, asserted that they
would have sufficient evidence to con-
meet Wilcox with the crime. He said:
I'VE know Miss Cropsey was killed by
blow on the head with sandbag
or blackjack. If the blow was struck
while she was on the porch, then her
unconscious form was dragged across
the lawn to the river, only a short dis
lance away. II the blow was struck
on the lawn, we are convinced she
was induced to cross the lawn by VIII
COX, and that while walking across
she was struck by him. There is one
other witness who may be called upon
to testify. 1t is r. F. Parker who told
his wife the night after Miss Cropsey
disappeared that he had seen Wilcox
dragging girl across the road in
front Of the Wilcox residence. We will
investigate that"