The Washington times., 1903-01-22
WILCOX SENTENCE
FULL LIMIT OF LAW
Thirty Years for Second De
gree Murder.
JURY OUT TWENTY HOURS
Judge Council Declares That Accused
Deserves Maximum Sentence
For His Crime.

HEREFORD. \. c.. Jan. -@.-lhe sen /
tence of thirty years al hard labor in I
the penttentiaTy. imposed on James E. /
Wilcox. slayer Of Nell Cropsey. convict /
ed OF murder in the second degree, is /
the full limit OF the law.
The jury deliberated over the case /
twenty hours before arriving at a de- .
cisiOn. The verdict was reported 20 the /
court yesterday afternoon
Wucox's attorneys have given notice /
that an appeal viii be taken to the State /
supreme court. He viii be returned to /
was committed. to await the orders Or /
the court.
The jurymen sent word 10 the sheriff +
at II o'clock Tuesday night that they /
desired Judge ". B. CounciITs charge re- /
peated 10 them. This was done at $3.50 /
a N.
IN sentencing Wilcox, Judge Councill
said IN part:
The jury has seen ft to return d
verdict of murder in the second degree. 1
II has found that you took the life OF
Miss Cropsey through malice. but with
out generalization and deliberation- By
N44dL u StGSS o. LS1SBLii4lS tl4t uAE4Aabtt@
OF the jury arrived at this conclusion
1t is not for me to say.
I regard their action. however, in the
light that they have been as charitable
10 you as possible. in view of the evi-
dence N the case as they see il. and re-
solved all doubt upon the question OF
generalization and deliberation in your
favor. If guilty. think you deserve the
fun limit of the law"
Based on CircumstantiaI Evidence.
An account of the murder Of Miss Ella
CTopsey and the subsequent develop
ments in the case is in brief as follows:
Wilcox went to the home OF W H
Cropsey. father of the dead girl, on the
night Of November 20. 1901. to call on
Miss Ella. TO whom ne had been paying
considerable attention several years
When he arrived at the Cropsey home.
about S o'clock, the family was in the
sitting room. Young Roy Crawford was
there calling on Miss Ollie Cropsey. a
sister of Miss Ella
Soon after 9 O'Clock all the members
of the household except Misses Ollie,
Ella, and Carrie Cropsey, a cousin from
Now York, who was visiting there at
the time. retired and left the young
folks alone Later. after having made
two or three attempts TO excuse herself.
Miss Carrie went TO her room. THIS
left Wilcox, Crawford. and the TWO
sisters in the room. It was said that
Wilcox and Crawford were at outs with
each other at the time They did not
eDo-l- -.-,-,
At II o'clock Wilcox, who had appear
ed restless and moody during the even
ing. rose from his seat, saying: Il must
go home; nay mother viii be uneasy
about me If I stay out after this hour
This was said IN q jocuIar way. Con
tinuing, Wilcox said Miss Ella,
would like to see YOU in the hail.
Rolled a Cigarette
He rolled a cigarette and went out.
followed by the girl After that moment
Miss Ella Cropsey was never seen again
by anyone save Wilcox Her dead body
was found floating just beneath the sur
face of the water Of Pasquotank River
on the morning Of December p follow
ing
Thirty minutes after Wilcox and Miss
Ella left the room Miss Ollie babe
Crawford good night. saw him to the
door and went upstairs TO her room
thinking that her sister had gone ahead
of her; but not finding her there she
concluded that she and Wilcox. who had
been having lovers quarreIs. had made
Up. crossed the hall into the parlor for
a quiet talk, and were still there. After
having taken q short nap she awoke,
heard the clock strike y, missed her
sister, and gave the alarm Soon the
whole family was up and searching
everywhere for the lost girl But the
efforts we're il vain. No trace OF the
girl could be found until her body was
discovered in the river
A bruise was found on her head The
prosecution declared that this was due
70 the fact that she had been hit with q
weapon and then thrown into the stream.
WiIcoz was arrest ed. He was unable to
account for all his time on the night Of
the murder. The entire case rested on
ciTcumstantiaI evidence.
Wilcox was convicted OF murder III the
first degree at his first trial last March
in Elizabeth City. but on account Of a
demonstration IN the courtroom new
trial was granted and the case was
moved to an adjoining county He is
about thirty years Old and has never
been popular in Elizabeth City. but his
record previous TO the Cropsey affair had
been good. so far as any criminal act is
concerned
Wilcox has main aimed a stolid indif-
ference throughout the time he has been
in prison and on trial and was uuuOvcd
even when at the close of his first trial
Judge George A. Jones sentenced him to
death.
NAVAL VESSELS REPORT.