The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1918-12-23
W|LCOX|S
PARDONED
After Serving Fifteen Years of
His Sentece. Made a
Model Prisoner
GOVERNOR GIVES REASONS
GOVERNOR GIVES REASONS

Raleigh, Dec. 21.-James Wilcox
the young whie man from Elizabeth
City, son Of the ex-sherif of Pas
quotank county, who has served
nearly 16 years of 80 year SEN
tence to the penitentiary, after being
convicted of the murder Of Miss
Nellie Cropsey of Elizabeth City, his
sweetheart, and granted pardon
yesterday afternoon by Governor
Beckett, is expected to arrive in Raj
eigh this afternoon from q prison
camp in the western part of the
State and report at the State peni-
tentiary here to receive his pardon.
Prison officials here believe that
Wilcox will leave Immediately for
his old home In Elizabeth City to
spend Christmas.
Seven other convicts, serving
terms for various crimes, were par
doned today by Governor Beckett,
including Carl G. Frizt, Of Davidson
county, John Teachy, of Watauga
county and Ned Black, of Cumber-
land county.
Wearing a slouch hat bedecked
with band made from the skin of
an eleven rattle rattler, high hunt
ing boots, a small red tie around an
army shirt and brown suit-the
Quitting lacking harmony only be-
cause it was set off with colonial
moustache-Jim Wilcox, given free
dom. Friday by Governor Beckett in
the middle of thirty-year sentence
from the east bound Southern rail-
for killing Nellie Cropsey, stepped
way train Saturday night and an
nounced that he was in waiting for
the State carriage. He was going
to the prison on what he said was
his last trip but didn't want to walk.
He was a free man again and he
showed it-not in any spirit of hu-
mility but more like a victor utterly
dazed to find out that he had won.
Wilcox was minus bag or bagge and
brought from the prison camp moth
ing heavier than pocket kodak, a
bag of tobacco and a package of
cigarette papers. He looked the pic
ture Of health in the tramping out
door attire and, barring his appa-
rent subjugated morale, typified the
part that John Fox might build a
ale of romance around.
Wilcox was characteristically re-
,icent and impatient to go, first to a
,afe and then to the penitentiary |
where the document that certified |
lis freedom awaited him. The recep-
ion committee that met him at the
lnion station consisted of quartette
If newspapermen and to the few
questions asked he would make none
)ut cynical, or strikingly indefinite
answers. He was loath to say when
lie would go on to Elizabeth City,
lis home, and manifested no serious
concern for anything beyond meal
md a pardon with the great seal of
he State on it.
Least of all did Wilcox look the
nan to keep the picture of his dead
weetheart, for whose death two ju-
les found him guilty, before him on
he walls of his prison cell. During
lis wait down town fcC the prison
arriage, where he expected to spend
he night, he was first light hearted
md then morose, varying the mood
between puffs at the cigarette he
oiled himself and lighted with
match fired between the thumb and
ndex lnger with impressive dex-
Gritty. ! "~-"''
Indicative Of Wilcox's levity of
pirit was his turn to a question in
ended to get picture. "How about
picture?" he was asked.
He pulled the kodak for answer
nd offered to "shoot" the newspa-
'ermen. Then his expression
witched and he talked about the
ictrres Chicago newspapermen made
f him when he was tried in Pas
uotank in 1902. Other than a sue
essful attempt not to be discourte-
us, Wilcox evinced no interest in
ublicity. When the question was
epeated about the picture, he half
ray promised to pose for one, but in
tead Of remaining in Raleigh for a
ay or two as he said he intended,
o caught an early train for Eliza
eth city, arriving there yesterday
fternooa.