The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-16
THE WILCOX TRIAL
STARTS WITH RUSH
Eight Witnesses Testify and
Stand Aside.
THE STAR WITNESS TODAY
No Word Was Said Yesterday to Connect The
Prisoners Name With the Deed
Mrs. Wilcox in the Court
Rtor.
Especial to News ana observer.)


Hertford, N. c., Jan. 15.-Nell Cropsev
did not act to end her own pure young
life She did not die by drowning. The
left temple from round padded instru-
ment.
This is what today was sought to be
shown by States witnesses in the trial
of James Wilcox for the death of whose
sweetheart he is being tried for his life
today there was said not one word to
connect the prisoner with the deed but
everything tended towards proving the
corpus delict.
The defendants name will be brought
in tomorrow when Miss Ollie Cropsey,
the star witness. will be called the first
thing. With dramatic pose and eloquent
utterance. she will tell tale of life and
love and death.
With the dispatch that is characteristic
of North Carolina, Judge Councils
tribunals got along very rapidly today.
Indeed, so much work was done that the
LAWYERS prediction of longer trial may
have to De rewseb
A.e tae twelftG juror had been got
." Fos tt 3Icl ana eight wit
were Ic@s stand aais be-
court a nsa9 One of these DR..
Fe4s4g. was Kept ca the stand more
than uay do ,hv last trial.
The status of the case is theb same as
last year at this stage. District Attorney
Ward considers that it is even stronger,
while the defense lawyers say it's just
the same. But with the same evidence
throughout it is doubtful that the verdict
will be identical.
Queried as to whether Wilcox will
testify in his own behalf Mr.. Aydlett
said tonight that had not been determin-
ed, that Mr.. Bonds illness had forced
his return home and prevented the con-
ferences needed to decide whether Will
cox, his mother and sister will be in
troduced
For the first time during either trial,
Mrs. Wilcox was in court today, but the
meeting between her and Jim was un-
eventual beyond the mothers evidences
OF emotion The Misses Wilcox. Jim's
sisters, will arrive here tomorrow. They
meant TO come today, but one of them
had a chill. Gale Parker is here and
his wife. an alleged new witness, awaits
q bidding by wire if needed Mr. Saw
yer, of the prosecution, predicts tonight
that all the States evidence will be in
by Sa1rday noon, DIR. Mcmillan, a de-
fense expert, is in town.
After the examination Of several tales
men today w. A. Dale was chosen as the
twelfth Juror. Then the prisoner was
arraigncd and the indictment was read.
The TESTIMONY of DR.. j. E. Wood, county
health officer and Nelrs physician. and
OF DR.. Isaac Fearing, county coroner
was OF an expert nature. Lawyer Ayd-
let's objection to their qualification as
experts was over-ruled. Their evidence
went TO prove that the absence of blood
from the heart. water from the lungs
stomach and pleural cavity and d contu-
sion two inches across on the left temple
all tended to prove that Nell was stun
ned or killed by blow and then thrown
into the water. They said Nell was
virgin and that all the organs We're
healthy but the brain which was badly
decomposed, presumably from the blow.
After DR.. Fearing came ]. H. Leroy.
a coroner's juryman, who told of the
body's finding, the vain search for a
photograph, the temple wound and other
things which corroborated with the doc
tors had said.
p. S. Shipp, another juror, went on and
testified along the same line. He spoke
about the fullness on the left temple as
compared with the right and said finger
pressure would leave identations there,
but nowhere else on the person.
j. B. Ferebee was introduced. He is
white barber who was on the jury
and who was the first to notice the
wound, which brought a second autopsy
in which the head was cut open. His
evidence was cumulative.
c. A. Long said he and j. d. Stillman
found the body on the river floating
face downward. He declared Stillman
said. Il believe it's the drowned girl.
And / said. let's push over that way
Istuck down an oar and tied the body TO
it. The water was shallow. 1 sent my
boy after Mr. Cropsey, who identified
the body. 1t seemed like her skirts were
still holding to the bottom, for the water
was muddy when we took her away"
Stillman was put on and said they were
few bricks on the river bottom, and
that wind tides made the river vary about
two feet in depth.
Mayor Wilson, Police Chief Dawson
and Sheriff Reed all states witnesses
came this evening from Elizabeth City.