The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-25
District Attorney Ward Believes 1t
Will be Murder in the
Second Degree.
THE JUDGES IMPRESSIVE CHARGE
AT a Late Hour People Gather on the Street and
There Are Reports Of a Mob Forming,
But the Police Fear No
Trouble.
Especial to News and observer.)

Elizabeth City, n. c., March 21.-Af-
ter being out five hours it is decided
th2t the jury viii not render a verdict
tonight. Lawyers on both sides say a
conclusion Will no be reached before Sat
urday and that if a verdic be decided
upon the judge Will not receive it before
tomorrow morning.
The afternoon session was taken for
tho most part in the reading Of evidence.
When Court Clerk Jennings had read
during the morning session and for an
hour after lunch, Miss Anna Delon took
his place and read the rest of the tcsti-
monv. The crowd of spectators had
dWindled down to a few hundred While
the evidence review was going on. Some
of the jurvmen paid close attention, but
others were languid in appearance, and
having heard the testimony already, Tic
not care for it's repetition in the record.
Many thousand words of testimony were
read to the jury during the day, but
they had heard it all before and the
reading was rather fiat. The number OF
women present was smaller than at pre-
y IOdS StSSIo1S' Jill ~ iieoh - = $50
without showing any emotion. The evil
dence reading concluded at 4:25 o'clock.
THE JURY RETIRES.
Judge Jones then announced that since
all the evidence was in the jury should
retire and consider nothing hut the facts
and that no impression gained from the
outside should influence the verdict. Ali
of Which meant the jury should not take
into account the index of local feelinG
shown yesterday by people leaving the
courtroom, when WilcoN's last lawyer
spoke, nor the ringing of the fire alarm
to distract their attention. The court
told the jury to go out and bring IN 9
verdict of murder in the first or second
degree, or of acquittal. He concluded
Mr.. Officer, take the jury to their
room. You can retire gentlemen
Questioned about what he thought the
jury would do, Mr.. Ward, District At
tornev, said of course he did not know,
but he thought a verdict of murder in
the second degree would be brought.
Mr.. Bond, for the defense. while the
jury was out. said: Il have no idea
what they will do. I've gotten old
enough to let nothing that a jury would
do surprise me-"
/ Or1nCr Sher1ff WILCOX, Jlm'S father.
was present when the lengthy time
talen by the jury was commented Upon,
and some one thought the verdict would
he brought quickly. Mr.. Wilcox said:
4 hope the verdict will not be brought
so soon. / have heard that they are now
getting up g crowd to lynch my boy. I
have tho names of three leaders who are
seeking to get up a party"
NJ yTr,,I VIII
that his was a most remarkable family.
He said they seemed incapable of feel
ing. Mr.. Wilcox looked sad and said
nothing. They had already led his son
away to Jail pending word from the jury
room.
Soon after the jury retired Judge Jones
went driving with a friend. He did not
expect an early verdict.
At a late hour tonight there arc re.
ports that a mob is gathering to lynch
Wilcox in case he is freed. They are
not important, for in the first place a
verdict oc acquittal is not likely, and 10
verdict of any kind is likely to be
brought tonight That's what law yers
on both sides say. The police say people
are gathering in small punches, but they
don't expect trouble tonight.
Later.-At this COMMUNICATING CITY
is quiet and the jury has not yet returned
q verdict. The crowds are dispensing and
there probably will be no trouble night.