Rockingham, Aug. 17—The tremendous and far-reaching interest in the homicide of last Saturday wherein W.B. Cole, wealthy textile manufacturer, shot and killed W.W. (Bill) Ormond, son of a Methodist minister, as he sat quietly in his Ford roadster, unarmed, was manifested here this afternoon by the attendance at the funeral of the slain man. It was held at 4 o’clock from the Methodist church, of which his father, Rev. A.L. Ormond, had been pastor for four years.
The stores and places of business of the city were closed for an hour, from 4 to 5 o’clock, during the time of the funeral out of respect to the dead young man and his parents.
Scores of Friends Present
Scores of friends form adjacent towns, among them President E.C. Brooks of State College, were here. The parents of the young man wished to have a simple service in a private home, but bowed to the insistence of friends that it be held in the Methodist church. However, Rev. Mr. Ormond requested that no hymns be sung, and no eulogy be uttered. He simply wished to have his dead put away as quietly as possible.
But despite this, the funeral became the largest attended of any private citizen ever held in Richmond county.
In the procession which had to bass by the residence of W.B. Cole, where over 300 automobiles, by actual count. The church is about three blocks from the county jail where in is Mr. Cole. Rev. and Mrs. Ormond, three sisters and one brother besides many other relatives were here today, the Ormond family being guests in the home of William Little Steel, a kinsman of Mr. Cole.
Review of Tragedy
The correspondent for this paper in his previous articles and now has and is endeavoring to give a colorless story of the events that happened on the day of the tragic homicide, and since. But since the interest in the entire affair is so widespread, the writer feels it but fair to give here a brief summary of those events in the ?? of which the general public locally appears to be familiar. And the following is not given with any attempt to prejudice either for or against either of the two principals.
One basic fat is locally conceded to have existed, that Bill Ormond had no worldly goods and that he and Miss Elizabeth Cole, aged 24, and a splendid young daughter of W.B. Cole, had been going together for many months, and were generally supposed to be in love with each other. Their going together was an accepted town fact. But it appears that in more recent months Mr. Cole had objected to young Ormond keeping company with his daughter.
Sometime last winter, rumor has it, Mr. Cole forbade Ormond going with her. Ormond moved to Raleigh last September, to State College. During the winter considerable feeling developed between the two men, and it is said that letters of physical violence had been exchanged between them. Finally, along about last April or May, Mr. Cole in company with his attorney, Fred W. Bynum, are said to have gone to Raleigh to see Ormond but found that he was in Nashville, at his father’s home. Mr. Bynum there upon is said to have gone alone to Nashville, and to have submitted to Bill Ormond and to his father, Rev. A.L. Ormond, a paper wherein Ormond agreed to relinquish his friendship for Miss Cole and agreed not to communicate further with her, make any remarks (if any had been made) about her, and to stay clear of the Cole family. Upon his signing this agreement, Mr. Bynum is said to have remarked to Rev. Mr. Ormond that “this now ends the matter, everything is settled and there is nothing more to it.”
Friends to Defense
The friends of Ormond insist that since that time he has not communicated in any way with the Cole family, has stuck steadfastly to his job in Raleigh and had been to Rockingham but twice, once on July 4 when the Cole family were in the mountains, and again on last Saturday when he brought his younger brother Allison to visit a young lady. He and his brother left Raleigh Saturday morning, in his Ford roadster, getting to Rockingham about 1:40 o’clock. His brother went calling while he went out to Ledbetter’s pond with some friends. Returning to town about 5 o’clock he at 5:10 o’clock phoned Miss Laura Pagge Steele and made a date to call in a few minutes. He then got in his car, parked in front of the Page garage against the curb headed east, and 50 feet east of the Manufacturers building, and was seated in his car smoking when Mr. Cole, who was on the Manufacturers’ building steps, saw him. Immediately Mr. Cole walked eastward until he reached the car, and then getting abreast of Ormond at the car door began firing. Three bullets took effect and Ormond expired in a few moments. Mr. Cole then quietly retraced his steps to his office. Apparently no words were spoken, and no weapon of any description, it is said, was found upon Ormond or in his car.
So much for the events, in so far as the public knows, that led up to the homicide. On the other hand, friends of Mr. Cole assert that he is too conservative and level headed a citizen ever to act hastily or ill-thoughtedly. No one ascribes any idea of temporary insanity or Harry K. Thaw derangement. He bears the highest reputation both as a business man and churchman; his character is above reproach, and he has an intellect of the keenest sort. His wonderful business success would indicate as much. Friends further assert that he is obliged to have had good cause for his action, and that it will be developed in due time.
From page 3 of The Concord Daily Tribune, Tuesday, August 18, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-08-18/ed-1/seq-3/
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