The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-12-15
NO FAKE But SOUR GRAPES
That journal Scoop Did Not Set Wei
On Some Journalistic Stomachs

A few days g The Journal Dub
lished a story about a sensational af-
fair in the penitchtiary in which CA
vlct Wilcox and Utley were rni.llcat-
ed in a plot to kill the guard anC
gain their liberty. 1t will be remcm-
bered that the undoing of the two
men was through a third party whom
they trusted, The Journal had high
authority for the account and fe.t
sure Of it's authenticity.
Sundays News and Observer show
ed a disposition to doubt the truth Of
the narrative. It said:
~ report has been published III
some Lapers out of Raleigh, sent out
IN Raleigh CORE s]pondence that Utiov
Of Fayetteville, in the states prison
tor the murder Of a clerk in the hotel
at Fayetteville and Wilcox of Eliza
beth City, in for the murder of Nell
Cropsey, had secured pistols, had plot
ted to, shoot the guards and escape.
but had been betrayed by a third par
ty.
From an official in the state prison
1t was learned last night that the re-
port was entire wrong, that there
vas nothing in it. It was stated DDS
lively that neither of the men had
pistols nor had they been found with
them. There is absolutely no truth
IN the report, is the statement thai
Is authorized to be made in the mat
ter"
IhIs, OF course is supposed to de-
fend them in not giving the news,
But the truth Of the matter is The
News m Observer was a little sore
because it had been beaten out of a
good news story and thought it better
cry fake" than to confess that they |
were scooped
And now NJ the Raleigh Times |
and c~orroborates all that The Journal |
said in relation to the incident. The
Monday issue of that paper says:
Some months since, though it has !
Just come to light, Ed. Utley. the
young man serving twenty years from
Fayetteville for killing the hotel clerk
there. and James Wilcox. serving
thirty years for the. murder of Nellie
Cropsey at Elizabeth City, armed
themselves with pistols and plotted
20 escape from the penitentiary.
The statement has been denied BAT
It was given on the authority of Sun
>r'ntendent Mann, of the prison to the
governor. who is now having an in
T~estlgation conducted to ascertain if
.'oSslble. who furnished these convicts
With pistols.
The plot Of Utley and Wilcox
might never have been known but for
the tact that an application has been
made to Governor Glenn for Utley's
pardon. The governor then called
lfcn the ~penltenLiary authorities for
tSe mans prison record. He was IN
lcl"H1 mat there was g mark against
otleV, because ne and Wilcox had
osen tonnd Will: PISTOLS on them and I
lhelr plan was evidently to overpower
OF Kill the guard and make their
This Influenced the governors
n not pursuing further Utley's apuli-
cation. ,
Governor Glenn said TODAY he :
would first have 'probed thoroughly ,
he evidence ~obtainable in order 70
who had tried to aid these men
n THEN plan. The pistols mus, OF +
have been slipped TO them in :
way by an accomplice either {
inside or outslGe the prison. If Ut 5
ey and Wilcox did not plot an es- :
APE the governor has been misi1- }
Crmed." =
h affair was Of little importance !
.Ncept In a way to show the desper-
tie character of the convicts. Had it ,
cen known at the time it would have =
cen hot stuff but time has ma1e =
he news feature rather stale. It IS A :.
closed incident now, however. Tne :
nurnal is glad to establish the sratn :
t the story.-New Bern Journal. :.