The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-04
THE CRoPSEY HOMICIDE
review of the Eyfdeuc and Sur
rounding Circumstances by Rich-
Coroner.

The Comments and opinions OF Coro-
uer " II. Taylor on murder cases IN
volving any mystery are always valu-
able. His long experience in this di-
r~eCtioE, and the many Investigations
that he has made in celebrated eases,
entities his views to public credit
While not exactly a Sherlock Holmes,
he has accustomed himself for years 10
make u most careful scrutiny of every
bit OF possible evidence in murder
cases that might be fashioned into q
chain of substantial testimony.
The coroner a not inclined to ex-
press his opinion too dogmatically in
the Cropsey-Wilcox affair on account
OF the meagre data thai was at his
command. but his reflections on the
case are interes-ing:
"When Cluyerius was convicted for
the murder OF Lillian Madison / mad
some very decided opinions as to the
value of some o. the widen broughl
out at the time but public sentiment
then dld not h1rmonize with nv no.
tions. l hesitate to discuss the Crop
sey case, because | do not like to an
pear in the light Of criticising the fol-
loW-members Of my profession, and the
facts IN connection with the affair and
the evidence submitted at the trial are
not thoroughly familiar to me.
The Evidence Analysed.
The evidence that 1 have gathered
from n Of the North Carolina pa
dictory in certain points. and l have
no means 10 get hold OF any steno-
graphic report.
Miss Cropsey's body was in the wa
ter for thirty-seven days, l think
and from my experience with cases
where bodies nave remained under
water. it is often difficult TO determine
whether death resulted from drowning
or otherwise. Bodies that have been
under water fnr some time are often
well preserved when taken out, but
decomposition sets in very rapidly
when exposed 20 the open air. I have
seen bodies taken from the James river
in a good state Of preservation, but as
soon as they were exposed the disso-
luton was so rapid as to be noticeable
by any one.
THE physicians in the Cropsey case
examined the lungs and stomach of
the dead girl and their conditions did
not show that she had been drowned.
OF course this is negative evidence.
Sometimes these organs do not indi-
cate death by drowning when such is
known to be the case. A juror in the
Cropsey case called the attention of
the doctors to what appeared to be a
swelling of the girls head on one side,
which he supposed might have been
caused by a GLOW. Upon further ex-
animation this appeared to be the case.
I might add here that it is not custo-
mary for jurors to be present at an
autopsy.
1.-THE juror reached a correct con-
clusion perhaps, but his premises were
doubtless false. The swelling might
reasonably be attributed to the effects
of putrefac elton, and not to any injury
Upon cutting into the scalp. the evil
dence attributable to the wound was
found, although the external evidence
was wanting. This is perfectly pos
sible. I recall ! man who was crushed
between a car and a wall. His interna
organs were badly crushed. but there
were no signs On the outside to indi
cate this fact. I also remember the
case of a small boy who was killed by
n brick. He was struck in the groin
There was no external appearance OF
any serious kind, but a small blood
vessel had been ruptured by the blow
and he died Of internal hemorrhage.
Now it is possible that Miss Crop.
sey's head nav have rested on the
bottom of the river. n hat the side
where the swelling appeared may have
been next to the bottom. This would
have caused the decomposed blood t.
have settled there by grav1tation anC
putrefaction would likely have taker
place there first. 1t is extremely diff.
/. ficult at times to discriminate between
the result of putrefaction and of in,
} juries.
Three SuppOsitios.
7 Three suppositions seem to me to b.
5 possible in the case. She may havt
, committed suicide by drowning. How
| ever, she could swim. and 1 am of tn,
= opinion that it is very difficult for per
sons h can swim to drown them
r selves. It is somewhat like killini
oneself by holding the breath. TIL
e desire to die may be overcome by tn
r involuntary acton Of the muscles tina
prompt n to strike out even agaius
his will.
y "She may nave been struck wit
some weapon, knocked senseless an
thrown into the river. The medics
e evidence did not prove that she ha
{ been drowned, and if we accept that t
mean that she had not been drowneC
then that fact taken in connectio
with the acceptance OF proof OF tn
blow on the head would be strong ev
dence of murder.
III may nave Deen Il caSe OF acc
detail drowning. This appears to
: set aside by the fact that she coul
swim.
There is a celebrated case of a w,
man whose body was found in the WI
ter. and who was supposed to ha,
been drowned. Upon investigation.
was found that she had been killed
d poison, and the body afterward throw
in the river. We can hardly suppo.
:. that the CroDsey case is analogous
"a this. A quickly acting poison wou'
have been required to cause her deai