The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-25
A BRIEF SUN MING UP
Defense Holds That Wilcox is a Vic
tim of a Combination of
Circumstances.
MANY THINK THERE Will Be HUNG JURY
Others Expect a Verdict Of Murder in the Second
Degree. Ward and Aydlett Make the
Final AppcaIs. Wilcox
Sphinx
Especial to News and Observer.)

Especial to News and Discovery
Elizabeth City, N. c., March %
The State of North Carolina has pre-
scented its case against Jim Wilcox. Not
only is all its evidence in the jury's
hands, but when the morning session was
over the lawyers plea against him had
just been completed by Mr.. Ward, leading
attorney for the prosecution. The COM
monwealth has told why it believes vii
cox should suffer death to avcnge Mel,
Cropsey's murder. In the afternoon chief
counsel for the defense. Mr.. Aydlett. told
why his client should not die for a crime
about whose commission there is so much
doubt. His was the last plea made before
The jury.
The State rested with the presenta-
tlon OF a very strong ease of circumstan-
tial evidence, testimony, on less thar
which, il says, many a murderer has SUI
fered death.
THE CASE FOR THE STATE.
The State says Wilcox, after visiting
his sweetheart frequently for three years,
had a falling ont, that his attentions were
no longer agreeable to Nell Crop5ey, that
he made an indirect threat about turning
the laugh when Nell ridiculed him, that
he was the last person seen with, her
alive when he called her out. that she
was killed by a blow; that Wilcox's after
conduct was indicative of Indifference and
that there is twenty-five minutes of I'M
accounted for time between II and II
o'clock on last November 20.
THE CASE FOR THE DEFENSE.
The defense holds that the evidence is
not sufficient to convict; that Wilcox was
a creature of unfortunate circumstances:
that his Indifference was in harmony with
his nature and he could not help it; that
de has been bounded down by sentiment.
Money, influence. detectives and newsDa-
pers, ard that his conduct which has
caused so much feeling, is not compatible
with guilt.
There is much talk that a hung jury
VIII result, though many people think it
VIII be murder in the second degree.
WILCOX A MYSTERY.
WilcOX's iemeanor before and during
the trial is one Of the features of the
case. Charged with cowardly murder, exc
Grated on every hand. held in contempt
by public opinion, the target of LAWYERS
,rbh 49, 0'" ~ " 9Cldlh
nrisoaa "~"Ho q hG.ne vi SCeel tne
Uho+h, - l an.
Nhethcr good or bad is said of him,
whether the speaker pleads fo~ his death
or his freedom the expression is always
the Same-cOld, rigid, emOtiOnless. Dur
ing this trial scenes of sorrow and pathos
nave brought tears to the eyes Of his
father and sisters, to the eyes of the
Cfop9eyS and spectators and to the law
49, 800 "i'7'' 'IU StI Jim wilcox
Its ie'a",neu uni3oEeo ana chewed gum:
." ming lor 'he STUDY OF
hns eopie say ne IS elther
ttat an 0nio'i"h o' SENTIMENT or
W. u - "'0U'ely WITHOUT nerves.
we" WILCOX was brought INTO court
1aaaa 90 "'"n, 'le VI MS SISTERS
1900 "' MS chdlr ana spoke TO
'"' "'6i'09 are pelhG cFoWded
u " IKE court mouse. "A portion OF the
"o'll'l reserved icr them Is being occu-
~ DS aus whose number when court
r"9 auI'e '7ISe' me jury looked
'hl' lioI lhey had
~ 'Pps"'o"ce "heh adjournment was
'"' ''''VIN'S'
ATTORNEY WARD OPENS
District At+orrou c
ononod uo r. ~, ""
shayen na1o faced ana of aIaa oN
tenancc H. eo;a. ""
sWc = nav, con ,
on the oipbtb dav inoI,dina c,.n 80
the most inrort2nt trial orcr hoId !,
Pa&quOtank county.
Il shall not begin boro thie po,ni,o H.,
lecturinc this iurv know Won. cor