The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-18

"Jim answered, I will swear and kiss
a Bible l don't know l left her on the
piagga crying
Later some one said Nell had been
found. Jim walked over to the window.
| saw his hand shaking and Mamma felt
his arm trembe.''
Sunday morning when Jim was at
home he gave her the picture in the hall.
Nell said i know what this means" and
she cried. l gave her the parasol. l
told her to go into the house or she
would catch cold. l could hear her cry
ing when | had gone as far as the gate"
On cross examination Lawyer Aydlett
brought out from Miss Ollie that there
had been a conversation about suicide
that night at the Cropsey home She
said the subject had been suggested by
either Jim or Carrie. Wilcox said he
would prefer drowning. He had been
nearly drowned once and it was q de-
lightful sensation. Nell said she would
rather freeze to death. 1t would make
her hair come out so straight to be in
the water dead.
MISS CARRIE SWORN.
Miss Carrie L. Cropsey who said she
lived at Manuel, N. Y, but who visited
here last year and in 1900, was sworn.
She corroborated much of Miss Ollies
testimony and told of the following con-
versation regarding the lovers quarrel:
II said, why is it, Jim, Nell dislikes
you so much?" Tell me and I'll tell
you," Jim replied You haven't quar-
relied, have you? No, but she won't
come TO the door to meet me and l am
goin gto drop her You mean she will
drop your That's about the size of
it,"
At another time Jim had said to the
witness, You're a nice girl" whats
the matter Jim?" Listeners never hear
any good of themselves. Last night |
heard what you said about me-
Jim didn't talk much that night. I
don't think he spoke to Neww at all.
Ollie once said What are you smiling at,
JIM? I didn't know was smiling He
was looking straight ahead. 1t was so
quiet l went up about 1920, leaving Nell,
Ollie, Roy and Jim. Let had gone ahead
of me-"
Miss Carrie also told of the suicide con-
versation She said on cross -examina-
tion there was pond near her Northern
home she had alluded to in that connec-
ton She said when the alarm was
given there was much confusion. Nell
was gone and Ollie was weeping
OWENS or THE STAND.
Leonard Owens took the stand He
said he was 2S years old and was engi-
neer on the gasoline boat Ray, which
runs to Manteo.
zHe landed here at the Norfolk and
ho iOb Of bo,,
goth. 1t was 1870 when Sherman Tillery
and | left the boat. Captain Bailey told
us to bring half pint of whiskey We
went to Barnes barroom on Poindexter
street and bought the whskey, and also
cigarettes Owens told of other move
ments that night and said when he got
abreast of the Wilkins house he saw
someone coming 1t was Jim Wilcox.
They met near Ives house.
Witness said he talked with Jim a few
minutes and went directly home. When
he got there and his wife had let him
in the clock was striking II He judged
it was about 1850 o'clock when he left
Wilcox.
On cross examination the witness said
it was about 1870 by the bar clock when
he was there, that Wilcox presented his
usual appearance and that he was on the
usual road that comes from the Cropsey
home.
G. H. BAILEY TESTIFIES.
G. H. Bailey, captain of the Ray said
it was II 80 when Owens left his boat
and that his clock was just two minutes
fast He compared it with the town
clock when II was struck.
Through an oversight Captain Bailey
had not been sworn He was sworn af-
terwards.
CHIEF OF POLICE SPEAKS.
w. c. Dawson said he was chief of
police and had been for nearly three
years. He said the Cropsey home was
200 yards inside the corporate limits and
was a mile from the court house. Mr..
Dawson had made various measurements
along the river in the vicinity of where
Nells body was found. He said the body
was staked about 75 feet from the shore
in four feet of water. He gave the re-
suit of a series of measurements OF the
rivers depth. In several cases at the
summer house, at the pine, at the flsh
house, 20 feet west of the fish house and
other points near the shore he found the
water only four feet deep up to 10 teet
from the shore. There wer grass and
bushs along the bank where tracks would
not have shown, but near the summer
house there was sand where traces or
foot steps would have been left. He
also told of Instructions to view at varl-
Gus points along the river bank Chlef
Dawson was told about Nells disappear
ance about o'clock. He and an officer
went to the Wilcox home and rang the
bell. I'VE went up TO Jim's room He
continued 81 called Jim. He was lying
on his right side with his face towards
his bed fellow. l told him to come to
the Cropsey home. He said, 'Ill GO lie
began to dress, putting on his working
clothes. There was pistol on the
shelf. l saw Jim look at the pistol and
than at the lamp. l drew my flash light.
The witness said Wilcox could not ac-
count for the girls disappearance.
Asked if there had been a lovers quar-
rel. Wilcox said they were a little on the
outs, that Nell had laughed at him the
evening before, but that the laugh would
be on the otheN side.
Witness said it was ten and one hai
minutes walk from the Cropsey home TO
where Owens saw Wilcox that night.