Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-16
EXPERTS TELL OF. A CRIME.
ana Witnesses Positive Abou,

A4A|ASA = wv, 4rt-sttS., Oo!uol 4u.-tStC-
ci--).-With a thousand eyes focused up
on her. the mother Of James E. Wilcox
entered the courtroom this morning. and,
stepping to the side of her boy, imprinted
a kiss on his brow and, pillowing her.
head on his bosom. wept with emotion.
It was pathetic scene The woman is a
sufferer from heart trouble. and even last
night was reported dying. To-day she
recovered and met her son for the first
time since March, Of last year. She sat
IN the courtroom much of the day, and
announces 1t as her intention to testify
In his behalf should her health permit
It IS also stated that. James Wilcox him
self will testify and break the silence.
which he has for months maintained. The
! defence had no witnesses at the last trial
but this time they will. in addition to
the court that Nell Cropsey committed
suicide.
The famous trial is now under way.
Early in today's session the twel--. juror
was selected, the jury ernpanelled and the
taking OF testimony began.
DR.. ]. e. Wood was the first witness
| called by the prosecution. He qualified
as an expert He stated that he was the
Cropseys, family physician, and that he
was present at the post norton examina-
ton OF Nell Cropsey's body. He described
| the condition Of the corpse. He said that
| there were lacking symptoms of drown
| ing; there being being an entire absence
of watersin the lungs, pleural cavity and
! stomach and an absence of blood In the
| heart. The witness then told Of finding
!; a severe bruse on Nells left temple. and
! of tue decomposition of the brain incident
! to same.
After. overrufng certain objections Of
fered by the defence DR.. Wood continued
! in clear. emphatic tones:
I'm my opinion the bruise was produced
| by direct blow, some covered or blunt
| instrument being used
Or. Wood was succeeded on the witness
! stand by DR.. I. Fearing, who assisted him
at the autopsy. Or. Fearing's testimony
was substantially the same as DR..
| Wood s.
! In the cross examination by the de-
/ fence Fearing was asked if he could
/, swear that Nell Cropsey was dealt a
! blow. He replied:
81 can swear that someone dealt that
blow and rendered her unconscious In
! the latter state she was thrown in the
4 water"
/! Other witnesses corroborating the testi-
| mony of the experts were heard Among
these was c. A Long, who found Miss
/ Crorsey's body. He stated that the corpse
/ WAS discovered in shallow water and that
! the girls skirts chung to the rivers bot
! tom.
4 The mud, too was stirred UP by the re-
1 n1oval OF the body.
| Present indications are that trial will
4 consume two weeks. The opinion that
1 the prisoner will be acquitted is gaining
in popularity.
WHAT DIR. WOOD SAID.
DR.. Wood declared that he was pres-
ent at the autopsy over the body of Nell
lie Cropsey. DR.. Isaac Fearing, coroner
4 ~ 20
the Coroner's jury were with him: The,
. found the body Of the girl on a table in
an clubhouse near the FCropsey home. An
internal examination revealed the fol-
i lowing facts:
The girl was asvirgin; the heart, lungs,
/ pleural cavities and stomach we're free
i from water, and the lungs when squeezed.
emitted little: bloody froth. Dr.. Wood
i said he went back for q second autopsy
after some time had elapsed. It was
then that bruise on the side Of the head
4 was noticed and examined The bruise,
4 when cut was found to contain dark
4 h1ood.sThe BRAIN; though IN outward ap
neararce all right, had begun to decay.
( The witness declared that, In: his opin-
4 ION, the brLfse on the left temple sof the
head OF Nellie cropsey was made by a
4 direct blow. He could not give posi-
1 tive answer to the kind Of instrument
used in making it, However, he thought,
some blunt or covered instrument would
! have produced It. Such blow would
have stunned the girl and rendered i1er
unconscious The witness did not be-
i lieve. from the absence Of water IN the
lungs, the heart. the pleural cavities and
the stomach that the girl could have been
killed by droE-nig.
She must have been Knocked uncon.
i scious and then put in the water.
The State turned the witness over to the
4 defence. Mr. Aylett cross-examined him
and among other things he admitted tina
no notice of the bruise on the head had
been taken during the first autopsy
sI5asDr.. Isaac Fearing followed DR.. Wood
4 Hesis the coroner, and gave it as his
i opinion that the bruise on the temple was
j caused by some round irstrumen t. SEE
Dr.. Woods testimony was corroborated
by Messrs. Leroy. Shipp. and Ferri5ee
5 members Of the jury that held the autop.
s sS- Miss Ollie Cropsey will take the wit.
ness stand tomorrow.
4 "A Loudoun wedding.
LEEsBuRG, AZ, January 15.-(spe.
i gciais} Rev. Sydnor e.. Ferguson, astol
4 OF the Method list Episcopal church. South,