Rockingham, October 11—William B. Cole, charged with the murder of his daughter’s former lover, William W. Ormond, was acquitted on the charge of murder by a jury which has been considering his case behind locked doors since Saturday at noon when it filed into court shortly after 9 o’clock this morning.
Although acquitted of the charge of murder, Cole will have to face a hearing on a charge of insanity. The hearing will be held at Wilkesboro Tuesday at 1 p.m.
When the jury had been polled, the foreman of that body in a clear voice, following the question as to whether they had found a verdict, announced that they found the defendant, William B. Cole, not guilty on the charge of murdering William W. Ormond.
Immediately after the jury had given its report, Cole was returned to jail where he will await the hearing on the insanity charge which he will have to face.
The jury which decided the fate of the rich mill owner, retired for deliberation of the case at 12:42 o’clock yesterday afternoon, following the charge delivered by Judge T.B. Finley. Shortly after 7 o’clock last night, the jury came into the courtroom and asked that Judge Finley read to them the conclusions of his charge.
Following the re-reading of this part of the charge, the jury again retired for further deliberations.
The jury had the case approximately 22 hours. Immediately after the verdict was rendered, Cole was remanded to jail to await a hearing at Wilkesboro Tuesday at 1 o’clock when Cole must show why he should not be committed to the criminal division of the state hospital for the insane at Raleigh. Cole made no comment on his acquittal. Rev. A.L. Ormond, father of the slain ex-service man, made no comment other than, “What isn’t right now will be right some time.”
It had been agreed that the courthouse bell be rung when a verdict had been returned, but Judge Finley ordered the sheriff not to ring the bell in order to prevent any possible violence to the defendant. Only 31 persons, including the prisoner, head the announcement of the verdict. Not a single woman was present. Cole shook hands with the members of the jury, and James H. Pou, senior counsel for the defense, thanked the jury on behalf of Mr. Cole and his family. Judge Finley thanked the jurors for their patriotic service, and the sacrifice which they had made to serve as jurors.
On the first ballot, taken after the case went to the jury at 12:42 on Saturday, the vote stood 8 to 4 for acquittal.
“Three times during the afternoon and night the jury prayed. When the jurors went to bed at 10 o’clock Saturday night, the vote had changed 11 to 1 for acquittal. The jurors stated that one vote changed after each prayer. This morning after breakfast the jurors again prayed for guidance and the unanimous vote for acquittal was secured.
“Locked in the jury room the 12 men agreed that the name of the man who held out against an acquittal would be kept secret by them. They stated that this was done at the request of the one man.
“One feature of the deliberation of the jury was that C.O. Howard, who was accepted by the defense in spite of the fact that he stated he had formed and expressed the opinion that Cole was guilty, voted for an acquittal from the onset.
“Howard and Clyde Edwards urged the man holding out against an acquittal to change his vote before the jury went to bed. He said that he could not do it then, but that he would pray over it. Following a final prayer this morning, he cast his vote to acquit Cole.
“Although defense attorneys regard the insanity hearing as perfunctory, the State will e well represented at the hearing Tuesday. In addition to Solicitor Phillips, Clyde Hoey of Shelby, Douglas and Douglass of Raleigh, and W.R. Jones of Rockingham, will be present to resist Cole’s effort to prove himself sane. Cole’s full battery of defense lawyers will also be on hand.”
From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Tuesday morning, Oct. 13, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073982/1925-10-13/ed-1/seq-1/
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