The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-22
District Attorney Ward Believes it
Will be Murder in the
Second Degree.
THE JUDGES IMPRESSIVE CHARGE
AT Late Hour People Gather on The Street and
There Are Reports Of Mob Forming,
But the Police Fear No
Trouble.
(Specia Ito News and Observer


Elizabeth City, N. c.. March 21.-Af-
ter being out five hours it is decided
that the jury will not render verdict
tonight. Lawyers on both sides say
conclusion will not be heard before Sat
urday land that if verdict be decided
upon the judge will not receive it before
tomorrow morning.
The afternoon session was taken for
the most part in the reading of evidence.
When Court Clerk eJnnings had read
during the morning session and for an
hour after lunch, Miss Anna Delon took
his place and read the rest of the testi-
mony. The crowd of spectators had
dwindled down to a few hundred while
the evidence review was going on. Some
of the jurymen paid close attention, but
others were languild in appearance, and
having heard the testimony already, did
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-
vious sessions. Jim Wilcox heard it all
without showing any emotion. The evil
dence reading concluded at 4:25 o'clock.
Judge Jones then announced that since
all the evidence was in the Jury should
retire and consider nothing but the facts
and that no impression gained from the
outside should influence the verdict. All
of which meant the jury should not take
into account the index of local feeling
shown yesterday by people leaving the
courtroom, when Willows 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
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
torney. 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 wa sout, said: 'I have no idea
what they will do. I've gotten old
enough to let nothing that jury would
do surprise me-"
Former Sheriff Wilcox, Jim's father,
was present when the lengthy time
taken by the jury was commented upon,
and some one thought the verdict would
be brought quickly. Mr. Wilcox said:
Il hope the verdict will not be brought
so soon. l have heard that they are now
getting up crowd to lynch my boy.
have the names of three leaders who are
seeking to get up party"
Mr.. Ward remarked to Mr. Wilcox
that his was 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.
Socn after the jury retired Judge Jones
went driving with friend He did not
expect an early verdict.
After the jury had gone up | talked
with Miss Louise Cropsey, young wo-
man with a pretty, reflective face and
intelligent expression She was Miss.
Cropsey's sister. Miss Louise spoke OF
the relations between Nell and Jim and
said Nell had ceased 20 love MIN. that
she had heard Nell frequently speak
ABOUT ldlU dSItl6 Ills dIIeCJlOuS.
This afternoon an Elizabeth City lady,
the wife of a prominent merchant, said
most of the women here were against
Wilcox, but that she felt lots of sym
pathy for the family, and that she diff
fered from most men in the courthouse,
who said Jim showed no emotion. She
thought he did show feeling, and that if
he had broken down and cried. people
would have said that indicated guilt
The sac lady said she noticed that when
women and men were leaving the court
room yesterday. the wife of we'll known
juror did not move
As is usually the case in matter of
this sort, some of the prisoners stauhch-
est friends are women, though most of
that sex in this town are against him.
Always nicely dressed, cleanly shaven
and neatly groomed Jim Wilcox is
young man whom women would like if
he could cast aside the prison pallor and
courtroom rigidity of expression. VIII