E.B. Hunter in Greensboro News
Rockingham, Sept. 30—Some sort of temporary insanity will be the major defense of William B. Cole, who is fighting for his life on a charge of killing William W. Ormond here August 15th.
This was apparent late this afternoon when the defense in cross examining an eye witness to the tragedy asked if Mr. Cole didn’t present a maniacal appearance.
Frank Steele, a first cousin of Cole, and Mrs. W.A. Wentz, both of this town, eye witnesses, pinned the slaying of young Ormond onto the cotton mill manufacturer. If Mr. Ormond made a dash for his gun, which it is said he carried in a pocket of his Ford roadster, neither of the witnesses were aware of it.
Mrs. Wentz, the wife of the manager of the Western Union here, demonstrated before the jury her recollection of Ormond’s posture in the car. A member of the prosecution’s staff acted as Ormond. Her vivid picture of the dead boy’s final moments on earth created a touching scene. Misses Myra and Ophelia Ormond, sisters of the dead man, dressed in deep mourning flocks, cried bitterly, while their father, Rev. A.L. Ormond, bowed his head in deep reverence.
Miss Elizabeth Annoyed
Miss Elizabeth Cole, who wore a diamond ring on her engagement finger Monday, today had it on a right hand finger. She spent most of the morning trying to shield her face from the glare of the photographers. She was visibly annoyed.
There was more talk of impropriety today. It was reported that a woman sympathizing with Mr. Cole went to one of the State’s witnesses last night and pleaded with the witness, a woman, to be very careful what the testifies because it might mean life or death for the defendant. Nothing official has been announced.
The court room was jammed, every foot of space being utilized by the throng. Cole stood and listened to the solicitor recite the charges against him. The mere mention of young Ormond brought tears to Miss Ophelia Ormond, the youngest of the three sisters. Mr. Cole, with the sangfroid that has characterized his appearance in the court room thus far, rocked to and fro for a moment, but he soon steadied himself and listened attentively to the charges. The eyes of the crowd were focused upon the central figure in the tragedy.
Cole listened to the evidence with unusual interest; at time he lunged forward to hear every syllable. Most of the day he sat with his wife and daughters and son.
From page 3 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Thursday, October 1, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-10-01/ed-1/seq-3/
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