The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-18
PATHOS IN PLENTY
IN CROPSEY TRIAL
SorTowfuI Recital Of Events
Leading to Tragedy.
a SISTERS TESTIMONY
Her Evidence Affected to Tears
All the Court.
THE JURY DEEPLY IMPRESSED
Conference OF Lawyers as to tf. Further
Conduct of ,he Case-Not Known
Whether or Not WILCOX Will be
Placed Upon The stand-!is
lawyer Cleared His
Uncle.
Her Evidence Affected to Tears
All the Court.
THE JURY DEEPLY IMPRESSED
Especial Dispatch TO The Iines.)

Especial Dispatch TO The Iines)
ELIZABETH CITY, n. C.. March H.
There was patlos in plenty to-day. Miss
Ollie Cropsey's story of her sisters going
WAS the feature Of the Wilcox case
Graphically, dramatically, beautifully, pic
tul'esqueiy, she gave q soiTowfGl recliai OF
the events leading up TO the tragedy. AND
q vault like silence, the great croWo
hung hreathless on her words. ONE Is
8 tall and graceful girl, y years old,
with soulful, sorrowful blue eyes, d mouth
that expresses volumes of tenderness and
sympathy, a face of classical contour,
fair-haired and flushed. Her raiment OF
black emphasized her beauty. When dur
ing her story. she raised the veil and ex-
posed her sweet featuees. the spectators
leaned forward with an involuntary sigh
of relief, and remained well nigh spell
bound TO the end. The jury itself was
Nishly impressed.
BROKE DOWN AND SOBBED.
The climax of il all came when Ollie,
after bfarely bearing up for half an hour,
broks down and sobbtd Like a child. The
auditors sad-faceed and sympathetic,
drank in the s.fonS feeling which stirred
this young woman, and remained immov-
able but for heaving breasts and drip
ping eyelids. Some of the counsel wept.
One lawyer told me afterward he could
not help it Judge Jones tender and
chr;ralous. though stern at times, was
yisibly affected.
lie looked down at his desk and teais
saalled into his eyes. Without any ordcr
.rr cessa ticn Of proceedings everybody
assumed almost The stiffness OF death
through respect for the passion that
swayed Ollie Crcpsey's bosom. A COM
lt,5riplacc remark would have seemed sac
liiege III the face of such a scene II
oh,
Incst persons lives.
AN ELEcTRIC EFFECT.
The cIeauence OF Clay, Webster, or Cal
noun. or the efforts OF an emotional stage
climax cEld not have produced The effect
made by the words and derneanor of this
,>cautifui girl, unused to the air OF court
rooms. but more effective and more force
ful because OF her unsophistication. Busi-
i.css was resumed after a while, and
though time and again she was almost
overcome, she bore UP with fortitude and
told her tale to the end.
ii is possible the State MAY rest Its
casc Tuesday. a conference of lawyers,
going on tonight, will determine how
lnany more of their witnesses will be
,'eeded Some of those uncalled will SIM
lily be corroborative-
WILCOX MAY TESTIFY.
Defense Lawyer Bond asked tonight
whether Wilcox would go on. said that
would not be decided definitely until the
State had closed. Up to now, he sad.
,iley have shown what was necessary
hv States witnesses. have proven prac-
ideally all that Wilcox could say. There
is perhaps as much interest in the case
L.: Elizabeth City as at any time since
Ecll disappeared. Lawyer Bond happened
to defend Jims uncle. James S. Wilcox.
who was acquitted on the second trial
&c. killing a man. There is now one
Juror who sat on the same case.
,>,,. ,,t,xv 7 I 1Cl az
man. told how the body was found. Ollie
Cropsey was introduced and said in part:
Nell was my sister. She was nine
! leon, less than two Years Younger than L. .
MET WILCOX.
After describing Nell IL rther. and say
!ng the family came here from Brooklyn
-Four years ago, she raised her Veil and
s,cnt Oh: I'VE met Jim Wilcox June OF
4ha. scar. He paid Nell much attcI-
tion from the first. lie used to como
ovcry Sunday. Tuesday and Thursday
an1 later came most every afternoon.
They would walk and ride and sail to-
Eether, ard Jim took her TO most all the
shows. He gave her his picture and
handsome birthday ana Christmas pres
cAts.
Last fan they quarrcled. In September
nealz, .Nel, say to say. If you're going
ia act lH.a that all season, YOU may stay
home
.tNe,l went to meetings and joined the
Methodist Church in October. After No
s,eIrber eth aim came two or three times
n week. but Nell would never SO to the
door with him. She often spoke OF what
fun she expected TO have during her New
York visit.
"wednesday evening Jim and Carrie
went 10 tbs skating-rink- They came
Ionic. biit jim and Nell cid not speak
during his half hours stay.
NEVER SAW HER AGAIN.
THAT night Jim came over. He was
very still. ard kept on looking at his
watch He and Nell did not speak until
10 sec Nell. Without answering Nell
followed him to the piazza. We never
saw her alive after shat.
..l,oy Crawford stayed half an hour
longer when told him to go. and went
I'D stairs. When the 1880 whistle blew
some one called papa.
Police Chief Dawson brought Jim
over. Mamma grabbed him by the arm.
and said: Jim. fer my sake and Your
mothers sake. tell :ne where Nell Is !"
Here is where Olic broke down and
sebbed.
Il viii swear ard kiss Bibic I don't
tnow |; left her ON tho porch crying, "
HAND TREMBLED.
Later Some ore said Nell lad been
found. siin walked over. to the lace cur
fair and grabbed 1t In his hand. Mamrnn
had him by the arm I saw his hand
shaking. and mamma felt his arm tTcna-
.,ie.'.
On craas-exam.ra.ior Ollie said they
were talking about suicide that night.
.,yin, eSaresse6 :. liking Tor drowning.
rnd Nell snid si.. would rather freeze to
c.at;,.'
Miss Cari. =. cropse2. Of View Ye-k,
ven, on and corroborate6 o...es tass.-
roors.