Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-13
NELL CROPSEY
SLAYER IS
INDICTED
WILCOX MUST FACE A JURY ON
THE CHARGE OF NUMBERING
HIS YOUNG SWEET.
HEART.

The grand jury today found a true bill
for murder in the first degree against
James Wilcox, charged with killing his
sweetheart, Miss Nellie Cropsey. The
prisoner will be arraigned this afternoon.
Miss Cropsey was the beautiful
daughter of Judge w. H. Crop
sew. of Elizabeth City, who mys-
teTiousIv disappeared from her home
the night of November 20 last, after
stormy interview with the man who is
now charged with having caused her
death.
Preparations are now being made for the
trial. which will in all probability, on ac-
count of the Importance and the great IN
terest in it's result, be the first case on the
docket of the court which convenes next
Monday.
AS to what defense the prisoner will
make, 1t is more than probable that ne
will attempt to prove that he left the girl
some time prior to her disappearance. Inc
only statement made by the prisoner since
his arrest was that he left the girl crying
on the porch of her home, and that she
was still crying when he passed out of the
front gate of the yard quite distance
from the house. What caused the unfor-
tunate girl to weep Wilcox will not say.
Before Her Death:
The night Miss Cropsey disappeared
from her home she was last seen alive by
members of her family when she accom-
panied Wilcox, who had called, to the
front door to bid him good night. What
transpired after that no one, except per-
haps Wilcox, knows. 1t is known that
the two uuarrelled, and that Miss Cropsey
was never seen again until five weeks lat
er when her lifeless body was found float
ing in the waters of the Pasquotank river,
almost in front of her home.
For more than two years prior to the
paid marked attention to Ella Cropsey.
That night Wilcox, with Ella, her sister
Olive. and Leroy Crawford, spent the ev-
ening until II o'clock in the parlor of the
Cropsey home At the hour named Will
cox invited Ella to accompany him to the
door. Crawford and Miss Olive chatted
for half an hour longer, and Crawford left
the house. Miss Olive, thinking her sis
ter had retired, went to her room, but as
Ella did not appear within reasonable
time she grew apprehensive. AT mid
night the barking of dog on the lawn at
tracted her attention and also that of her
brother, who fearing robbers were about
took gun and went out of the house.
Miss Olive called to her brother not to
fire, as she believed Ella was on the lawn
with Wilcox, and he might shoot them.
Neither Wilcox nor Ella was seen, and
this caused the beginning of an investiga-
ton into what proved to be one of the.
greatest mysteries this section of the
country has ever known.
The entire Cropsey household was
aroused and an unsuccessful search of the
premises ensued. 1t was at first thought
that the missing girl had eloped with Will
cox, whose early appearance put an end
to that theory.
WiIIcox's Strange Conduct.
Wilcox was apparently the least con-
cerned man in town in regard to the girls
disappearance. His demeanor was such as
to rouse indignation and suspicion. A mass
meeting was held in the town hall, at
which funds were raised to prosecute the
search, and rewards were offered for the
recovery of the girls body or information
leading to her whereabouts. Divers were
employed, and an unsuccessful search of
the river bottom was made. Meanwhile
Wilcox was kept under strict surveil-
lance. Bloodhounds tracked the missing
girl to the end of small pier, directly
in front of the Cropsey residence, and
this led to the belief that Ella had either
committed suicide or had been murdered
by drowning.
The drowning theory proved to be cor
rect, for on the morning of December q,
just 81 days from the time of her disap-
pearance, the body of Miss Cropsey was
found by a fisherman, floating face down
ward In the river, only a short distance
from the pier to which the dogs had
LTdCGu neTs
Never in its history has Elizabeth City
experienced such excitement as that which
followed the discovery Of the body. But
there was one man who, outwardly, was
unmoved, and that man was James E.
Wilcox. Public sentiment against him
was at fever heat. So great was the feel
ing that after his arrest the advisa bility
of removing. him to this city to prevent
lynching was seriously considered. But
wise counsel prevailed, and Wilcox was
allowed to remain in jail. where he now
awaits stoically the result of the trial.
Ella Maude Cropsey was scarcely more
than a child at the time of her tragic
death. Just seventeen years old, bright
and of cheerful disposition, she was a
great favorite with the young people Of,
Elizabeth City. She was regarded as a
beauty, and would have had many suitors.
but for the attentions of Wilcox, who at
times, seemed devoted to her. Wilcox,
though of good family, was not popular,
on account of his surly disposition. His
father, a former Sheriff of Pasquotank
county, and w. H. Cropsey, father of the
dead girl, are very popular men and warm
friends.