The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-03

~ ~" NRo~ P~So-N - =
TO-DAY accompanied by her uncle. a. q
Cropsey, lawyer. of No. 3 Chambers
street. New York.
A large crowd met it at the depot.
Lewyer Cropsey will return to Eliza
beth City and assist in the prosecution
OF Wilcox.
Wilcox has been taken from Elizabeth
City under cover and is on his way to
Norfolk in a wagon. He is expected by
the county authorities here and will in
all probability be confined in the county
Jail, though there is a probability of
the city Jail being used. This step has
been taken by the Elizabeth City au-
thorities for the protection of the pris-
oner. 1t is thought that he will be car
ried away from here tonight TO Raleigh.
where he will be confined in the penI-
tertiary until his trial in March, unless
he is bailed prior to that time.
Elizabeth City, December Gothic cy
citement over the CrOpsey case is dying
out n usiness is being resumed. The
talk of lynching James Wilcox is heard
no longer, the people having decided L"
permit the law to take its course. The
citizers' committee and solicitor Ward
are collecting evidence against WILCOX
to present to the Il and jury when j.
meets in March next.
There has been a report for the pas
twenty-four hour that Wilcox had bee
removed to Norfolk, Va, for safe keen
ing, the authorities fearing that the
people would attack The Jail. Tonight
sheriff Grandy denied this. Wilcox !
still in Jail here and the authorities eE
pect no further trOuble. Solicitor Ward
a insisted that Wilcox be given a pre-
Gminary hearing mex Wednesday. H"
was anxious that it should be held |"
day. but f. T. Aydlet-. who represents
Wilcox. demurred, saying that he had
not had an opportunity to confer Will
WilcoXis father. who Is i'll at his home
ANY attempt to get Wilcox out on bail
will be resisted by solitOr Ward.
Chairman Greenleaf. of the citizens
committee. asserts that he has much
additional evidence of which the public
is in Ignorance. 1t is known that one
important piece which the COMMITTEES
has is an empty whiskey bottle on the
river bank in front IF the CrOpsey
home. a local saloon keeper has iden
titled the bottle as having been sold BY
him and has also said that he sold one
like II to Wilcox.
Wilcox is still in Jail and refuses alb
solutely to make any statement regard
ing his on the night Miss Crop
sey disappeared.
a Committeeman Talks
An Elizabeth City special to the Bal
timore Sun of Saturday. regarding the
Cropsey murder. says:
we have now sufficient proof" said
Mr.. Turner in an interview, Ito convict
Wilcox and will ave no trouble in con
Meeting him with the crime. Miss Crop
sey was killed by a blow on the head
with a sandbag or blackjack This
blow was struck either while she was
standing on her fathers doorstep or
out on the lawn. If it was struck while
she was standing on the doorstep, then
her unconscious form was dragged
across the lawn to the river, only a
short distance away, and thrown into
the water. But if the blow was struck
on the lawn We are convinced that she
was induced TO cross the lawn by Will
cox and that while walking across the
lawn she was struck by him.
IAN important witness who may be
called upon to testify is r. F. Parker.
He told. his wife the night after Miss
Cropsey disappeared that he had seen
Wilcox dragging a young woman across
the road in front of the WILCOX nome
L understand he now denies this. We
will examine him on this point soon
The committee has also investigates
Wilcox's recent affidavit and has found
Is or 40 minutes of his time unaccounted
for. WILCOX says he NdS at HoIlt d
1850 o'clock the night Miss CropSey dis,
appeared. We have found witnesses who
will testify to seeing him enter his home
h after midnight"
wilcox Moro Nervous.
Young Wilcox retains much of tbs
don't-care spirit. but he is much more
nervous than he was yesterday. III
kpassed without a tremor through tn
ordeal when the crowds were clamOrins
! to lynch him, but the confinement i:
telling on him.
z The guards have been withdraw
from the Jail and permitted TO go Il
their homes. Arrangements have beer
made hat at the first sign of trouble
an alarm is to be sounded on the fir
hell and the men are to assemble at tn
Jail
Wilcox's meals are brought to him b,
his sister. Miss Sadie. each lay. App
emily he eats with relish. While occa
sionally bemoaning his fate. he says h
Is comfortable n is willing to sta
until the people let him out
Likely to Waive N Hearing.
With reference to his preliminar.
Roaring no arrangements have bee
made. Lawyer +. F. AydIett, represent
Snr wilcox, has not made Il formal re
Guest for a hearing. and Solicitor War
A;tinr to hear from him. The i'm