Rockingham, N.C., Sept. 26 (AP)—Charged with the murder of W.W. Ormond of Raleigh, W.B. Cole, wealthy manufacturer of Rockingham, will go on trial in Richmond County Superior Court here next week. The special term oif court to try Cole will be convened Monday morning by Judge T.B. Finely of North Wilkesboro, named by the governor as presiding jurist.
Indictment is expected as a matter of routine during Monday after which the trial is expected to get under way at once.
That every issue presented to the court will be contested was indicated there this afternoon. A staff of defense attorneys led by James H. Pou of Raleigh, attorney of note, was ready to submit a plea of “not guilty” and to follow it up with a defense which it is said, will be based on self-defense. On the other hand Solicitor Don Phillips will be aided in prosecuting the case by several attorneys retained by the Ormond family and led by Clyde Hoey of Shelby, former congressman and one of the outstanding lawyers of North Carolina. Mr. Phillips has indicated that he will urge a verdict of first degree murder.
Ormond, who had been attentive to Miss Elizabeth Cole, daughter of the defendant, for a long period of time, had been requested by the parent to discontinue his attentions. It is said that there resulted a series of letters between he two men in which Ormond is alleged to have threatened Cole and which will form the basis of the defense plea of self-defense. On August 15th, the young man had visited Rockingham en route to a beach resort and it was while standing in front of his automobile on a main street of the city that he was shot and killed by Cole. The latter was arrested a short time later and has been in jail without privilege of bail since that date.
W.B. Cole, wealthy manufacturer of Rockingham, shot and killed W.W. Ormond of Raleigh, on the streets of Rockingham, Saturday afternoon, August 15th. The young man was standing near his automobile when Cole approached and fired the shots which resulted in death.
Immediately after the killing Cole returned to his office and subsequently to his home where he was arrested in a few hours and lodged in Richmond county jail. The defendant remained in jail without privilege of bond until this trial opened at Rockingham on September 28th.
With the killing there appeared a confusing mass of statements relative to Cole’s relations with Ormond prior to the killing. Out of them it was possible to ascertain that Ormond, formerly electrician of State College, had paid considerable attention to Miss Elizabeth Cole, daughter of the defendant, for a number of years. Ormond apparently was received into the Cole home for a lengthy period but recently had been denied this privilege.
A number of letters were said to have passed between Cole and Ormond following the request of the former that the latter cease his attentions to Miss Cole. Prior to the trial the contents of these letters were not revealed though there were vague reports as to what they contained.
On the day of the killing Ormond had left his home near Raleigh for a trip to one of the Carolina beaches and decided to pass through Rockingham. Before leaving Raleigh his parents urged him not to go to Rockingham. It was generally believed he wished to communicate with Miss Cole but it was not known whether he accomplished his prupose before the shooting which resulted in his death. It was later in the day that he was killed while about to enter his automobile. First reports were that he was unarmed at the time and later it was stated there was a pistol in the pocket of the automobile on the side opposite to which he had been standing.
Ormond’s funeral, held in Rockingham was said to have been attended by the greatest throng which ever gathered in that little city for a similar service. The young man was a veteran of the world war and had been gassed in action and for a number of years suffered as a result.
Governor McLean was requested to call a special term of court for the trial on September 21 but it later was decided to hold the term on September 28. The Governor requested former Chief Justice W.A. Hoke of the Supreme Court t preside over the court but the aged jurist replied that he would be unable as he expected to enter a hospital for treatment sometime before the trial. Early in September he underwent a slight operation and died from heart trouble on September 13. Governor McLean then appointed Judge T.B. Finley of Wilkesboro to preside at the trial after announcing that he would not appoint any judge which either side urged.
Attorneys for Cole for a number of days refused to state what his defense would be and up to the time of the trial no definite statement had been issued though tit had gradually been made known that a plea of self defense probably would be entered. In advance of the trial the State planned to ask for a verdict of first degree murder.
A bill of indictment against Cole charging murder was given to the grand jury immediately it reported for duty at the opening of the special term of court. A staff of outstanding lawyers of the state was employed by the defense while the State was aided in prosecuting the case by lawyers equally noted.
From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, September 26, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-09-26/ed-1/
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