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Devoted to the Industrial and Educational Development of Eastern North Carolina.
EASTERNj NORTH CAROLINA'S LEADING PAPER.
Vol. 2.
ELIZABETH CITY, N. C, FRIDAY, JUNE 12th, 1903.
No. 63
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urnnen
Meet. Here
Seventh District Elects Del
egates To Ocean
City.
A Mutual Benefit Society
Elizabeth City People Extend; A
Welcome and Banqueted Them
At Dinner Hour. The Y. M. C.
A. Special Services. 1
Three years ago the surf men of
the seventh district of the United
States Life Saving Service, organ
ized an association for the mutual
benefit of its members. This or
ganization was affected in Eliza
beth City. The object of the as
sociafion was to protect in case of
the death of any member, the fam
ily or nearest of kin of the deceased
The association also provided irafc
ernity features, which added zest
to the meetings and Elizabeth City
began to feel as though she had
become - the permanent meeting
place of the brave men of the banks
and coast At every meeting of
the surfmen the people here met
them with open arms, ' flags and
free lemonade,' with' a banquet and
a suitable number of welcome
speeches. The men of the waves
always reciprocated with compli
mentary speeches and kind words
for our people, and it .became a
sort of animal carnival for this as
semblage of sea faring men, and
the inland water people, who ex
tend theca hospitality.
The association grew into such
-proportions that it finally over-ran
the seventh district, which extends
from Cape Henry to Cape Fear,
and other surfmen wanted to be
admitted. For this reason it was
turned into a national organiza
tion, and it gradually extending
its arm along the entire coast of
the Atlantic. Perhaps it is to
some day work on the pacific coast
There is no? good reason why it
should not- '
On Monday last, the members of
the Life Saving aervice, who be
longed to the association in the
seventh district, assembled here
and elected delegates to the an
nual meeting which was held this
year in Ocean City, Maryland. The
first president of the association,
the late Hodges M. Gallop, was
elected at . this city three years
ago, and there were not a few who
remembered the gallant sailor,
whose acknowledged 'bravery and
courage has forever endeared him
in the hearts of the people.
Sunday the men began to arrived
and the Y. M. C. A., under the
s 3 uretary, Mr. Eight, active man
agement first threw open its doors
in a special meeting for surfmen.
This meeting was well attended
and much enjoyed by visitors and'
citizens alike. -A Special address
was delivered by Rev. L. L. Wil
liams, the Episcopal minister.'
On Monday the flags, red, blue
and white; with the figure "seven;
sswd thereon, were - everywhere
fluttering in the breeze. Several
hundred of them were distributed.
They were pennant shaped, and
attracts no little attention.
The Tar Heel collected all of the
station Captains and carried thuno
TMrty Years Hard Labo
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rii
1 1 1 NVf
Sill
Po
m
WMcox
Alleged Murderer is
to Pay The Penalty.
Married on
Wednesday
SUPREME COURT IS OBDURATE
Mysterious Death of Miss Ella
Maude Cropsey is to Be
Avenged. Many Think A
Pardon Will Come Later.
Prisoner is Unconcerned.
Miss Penelope Pendleton
Burgess Weds Mr. Char
les Pritchard.
Rev. L L. Williams Performs The
Marriage Rites at The Episcopal
Church. " Only a Few Friends
and Relatives Attend the Wed
ding Supper.
? rosecuting attorney Ward, yesterday leceived a
telegram from the attorney general or Mate stating
that the-Supreme Court-had confirmed the decir
HMV" inn nf thp Inwpr rnnrt in thp Wilrnv r.aP. .
k J The case of the commonwealth against Wilcox for the
i
rrjurder of Miss Nellie Cropsey, November 1901, is too well
known and has been too frequently published to admit of
any great comment. It is alleged by the prosecution that Wil
cbx threw Mfss Cropsey into the Pasquotank River, causing
her to drown, or that he first struck her and then threw her
into the river,marks on her head showing concussion from some
cause. The defendent has had two trials and twice the case
Has been before the Supreme Court, the last time, resulting in
I'
af confirmation of the case as it was decided bv the Perquim
mons county court.
"I The first, trial took place in this citv; the second trial was
held at Hertford, the county seat of Perquimmons. Judge
Jones presided in the former case and Judge Council in the
t
latter tiial.
1 When a party consisting of the SherifT and Chief Dawson
iwith several citizens were admitted to the prisoners cell to
break the news to him, they found him quietly reading a paper.
IThe sheriff calmly announced the decision of the court to the
fimprisoned man, and requested permission to search the cell.
This act was done to prevent any attempt at suicide, c It was
evidently unnecessary, however, for the young man was quite
'cool and seemed .not to pay any great attention to the
'news, which means, in the words of the jury's verdict; thirty
years in the penitentiary.
! The only thing found in the cell was a razor, which the
sheriff had loaned Wilcox. This was removed. On leaving
the cell .Wilcox jokingly called to 'the Sheriff, requesting him to
come back and make up his bed, which had been tumbled up
4n:tM4sesrcr have plenty
of work to do when you get to the penitentiary, won't you
Jim?" The answer was, "111 not have any work to do there."
It is not generally known that SherifT Reed will not con
vey Wilcox to the penitentiary at Raleigh. He will be escor
ted hither by Sheriff Winslow, of Perquimmons county where
the last verdict was rendered. Wilcox himself, is alleged to
have expressed a desire to have Mr. Reed take him to Raleigh.
During his long confinment in the local jail, Wilcox has
had every possible courtesy shown ;him, by the sheriff and the
jailor. He seems to appreciate this kindness, and is not alto
gether the grum rough prisoner which report would make him.
Naturally he feels the disgrace to which he is being subjected
and is effected thereby.
It is said by many that in the light of the fact that Wil
cox was convicted on circumstantial evidence a petition will be
brought to the governor asking for his pardon, after he has
served a part of his sentence. There are few who really think
the young man will ever serve the full sentence. In the first
place the penitentiary rules provide for a reduction of time
for good behaviour and faithful work. This will reduce the
term four or five years, if the young man makes a good record!
In addition to this a good record is. an almost sure means to
bring him before the executives eye in the matter of pardon.
Of course the excitement of the present day will have" subsided
after the lapse of five or ten years, 4and it is predicted by many
that Jim Wilcox will be a free man many years before the
year 1933. ,
lover to Zoellers where they wore
grouped, and their photographs
taken. A cut of these gentlemen
will be produced later;
At the dinner hour the chamber
of commerce gathered the surfmen
under its wing, and escorted them
to an upper room, over . M. Hills
store. Here they were fed , on the
best that could be placed, before
them.
Mr. Walter Cohoon, of the Tar
Heel, called the meeting to order
and welcomed the surfmen. Then
the mayor, Mr. Wilson, made a
brief, but emphatically welcoming
address assuring the visitors every
hospitality, and turning the keys
of the 'city over to them, so to
speak. v !
Perhaps the most en joyable part
of the opening ceremony, was the
prayer of Ker. L. L. Williams,
which directly proceeded the re
past. At the conclusion of the
blessing, the order ' to eat dinner
was given, and those who were in
vited from among the citizens, as
well as the seamen, all spent that
hour in genuine pleasure. There
were plenty of jokes, and plenty
of witticisms, and all that- anyone
wanted to eat.
. The meal lasted until the strag
glers had all been hunted up and
feasted. Then there was agreat
shaking of hands, and the delegates
made for xbe train, which will
carrv them to Ocean CityV Those
who were not delegates were de
lighted with their, visit here, and a
card of thanks from the president,
Mr. J. E. Woodhouse, shows in this
issue how greatly the cordiality of
our people was appreciated by our
friends from the coast.
Mr. and Mrs. Jet Ferebee o
Shawboro were in the citv a few
days this week, attending the - A.
j C. I , commencement excersises.
Ceremony 'A Pretty One
On9 of the prettiest weddings
ever witnessed in Elizabeth City,
was said torhave been that of Miss
Penelope Pendleton Burgess, to
Mr. Charles Gurkin Pritchard. The
affair took place at the Episcopal
Church, on June 10th, at 8:30
o'clock. The church had been.
beautif ully decorated with daisies'
ferns and potted plants, and,, was
filled to overflowing with friends
of the popular couple. .
Promptly at the hour appointed!
he bridal party entered to , tho
strains of Lohengrin's wedding
march, which was played by Miss. .
Kathryn EheringMaus. : The bride
and groom were proceeded by they
ushers, who were followed by Miss.
Katherine Stallings, the maid of:
honor, who was attired in an exquis
ite gown of white Frnch lawn
with lace trimmings, and carrying:
a boquet of pink roses.
The bride . was given away by-
Mr. James Hill. She was elegently
attired in white' silk, mull, over
affeta, and wore the gift of the-
m m 1
groom, a diamona ana peari
brooch, and an exquisite cameo
belt, an heir loom,; in the brides
family. This belt was the wedding
present of the brides aunt Mrs.
Penlope Wilson.
The ceremony was conducted in.
the impressive service of the Epis
copal Church. Rev. Ii. Jj. Wil-
liams, the pastor of the church inj
which the. wedding took place,
officiated. The wedding ring of
the brides mother was used in this
service. ;
At the conclusion of the wedding
the bridal party, with the family
and immediate friends and rela
tives, who were invited, repaired to
the groom's home, where they were
delightfully entertained and Bum
ptiously feasted. ' :
Among these who attended this
repast were the following:
Rev. and Mrs. L. L. Williams,
Rev. and Mrs. Dennis Harris, I Mr.
and Mrs. Jesse Pritchard, Mr.
Evan Pritchard, Miss Eliza Pritch
ard, Mr. and Mrs. James Hill, Mr.
and Mrs. Matt Baker, Mr. and
Mrs. H, C. Gripe, Mr. and Mrs. A.
. James, Mr. , and Mrs. Lem
Pritchard, Mrs. ,Midgett, of Ply
mouth, Miss Katherine Stallings,
Miss Florence Williams, Mi9s
Glennie Bell, Mrs; Mae Guirkin
Miss lena Gilbert, Miss Kate
Burgess, Miss Ruth. Straughn, Miss
Clinnie White, Mrs.' Mabel Jewell,'
Mr. John Snowden, Mr. Guy
Brockett, Mr. J. ;V. -Whitehurst,
Mr. .a E. Thompson, Mr. C. G.
Blani : ' ' , - ' -
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