Richmond County Court House, Rockingham, Oct. 2 (AP)—Ten witnesses for the defense had testified to the “splendid reputation” of Miss Elizabeth Cole today n the progress of the trial of her father for the murder of W.W. Ormond, at one time a sweetheart of the young woman.
Miss Octavia Scales, fiancée of Don Phillips, director of the prosecution, testified for the defense that in a conversation with the young woman last fall Miss Cole had expressed herself as glad that she and Ormond had “broken up.”
The State contends that Miss Cole loved Ormond and gave him up because of parental objection. The defense claims that the young woman broke her relations with Ormond of her own accord when she knew she did not love him.
Miss Cole testified yesterday that she broke her love affair with Ormond in the fall of 1924. Miss Scales, who said she was an intimate friend, described a conversation some time in the fall in which she had remarked to the 21-year-old woman:
“I believe the conversation started something like this:
“I hear you and Bill have broken up,” and I said I knew it was hard to give up a friend like that, “because while you had never told me anything, I thought that you had grown fond of Bill.”
“She said, I did, but I have found him out now and it is all over and I am glad.”
The State cross examined all but three of the character witnesses and brought out that over a period of a year Mr. Cole had been a rational man and no noticeable change of conduct except nervousness had been observed since the homicide.
Fred Bynum testified that he had represented Cole in transactions with W.W. Ormond.
Mr. Bynum said Cole came to him on the morning of February 20, 1925. Cole’s manner, he said, was unusual.
“He didn’t speak but came into my office and sat down. The first thing he said to me was ‘hold my hands.’ He was crying as he stretched out his hands. After a few minutes he said: ‘Fred, it’s that damnable Bill Ormond.’”
Cole then became composed and produced a letter. Bynum said and told of a conversation with Ormond earlier in which Ormond had come to his house. The witness said Cole told him he had remarked to Ormond that his daughter had acquainted him with her change toward Ormond, and had suggested that since she did not love him, for him not to bother her.
Ormond left soon after, and later Cole received a note from Ormond a “bit sullen” Bynum said Cole told him. Cole later received another letter and went to Elizabeth with it, and asked to let her answer it.
Bynum’s testimony then corroborated that of Miss Cole yesterday, in which she described receipt by Cole of a letter from Ormond, mentioning relations of “man and wife.”
Cole in answer to that letter addressed to Ormond a short note beginning:
“You damnable, mean, insulting cur.” It said that if he ever heard anything else about Elizabeth from him, or through him, he would “fill your body full of lead.”
The letter was identified by the witness and introduced into evidence by the defense.
Ormond’s answering note also identified and introduced, included such phrases as:
“You are going to chew and swallow all of that cur stuff.” “To call you a cur is too great a compliment.” “Will show when it becomes necessary. Your bluffing has come to an end.”
Some time after this, Bynum said, he volunteered to try to settle the matter with Ormond. He was accompanied to Raleigh by Mr. Cole after Cole had insisted on accompanying Bynum and W.A. Jenkins, their only other confident of Cole.
The witness testified over objections that he had objected to Cole’s accompanying him because “he was afraid to have Cole go in such a state of mind.”
In Raleigh where they understood Ormond to be, they learned that W.W. Ormond was in Nashville at the home of his father, Rev. A.L. Ormond, and it was agreed that Bynum was to go to Nashville.
Bynum said he saw the two men and after their conference wired Cole “Everything all right. Meet me tonight on No. 11.”
When he met Cole on his return, Bynum said, Cole’s first remark was “Your wire certainly made me feel good.”
The witness was allowed to tell the jury what he had told Cole in the conference.
The substance of Bynum’s testimony was that Rev. A.L. Ormond agreed that his son and Cole should stop such a correspondence. Ormond told him he had not intended the letter as Cole had taken it, but he did think Cole should let his daughter marry whom she pleased, instead of trying to make her marry someone else.
After settlement had been agreed upon, Bynum said he addressed the letter to Cole and Ormond signed it.
The letter, introduced in evidence, was an apology from Ormond for writing the letters.
“My purpose in writing threatening letters was to induce you to let me see Elizabeth, whom I have always loved since I first met her.”
In closing it, he agreed that he would not write threatening or abusive letters, and that he would never again attempt to see or communicate with him or his daughter. The letter was signed “Yours very truly.”
After obtaining the letter, Bynum said, he accompanied Ormond to Raleigh in the former’s car by invitation. While en route Bynum said Ormond told him that “all Cole thought of was a dollar.”
During the conversation Ormond spoke out voluntarily one time, Bynum said. “If Cole ever crosses my path I’ll shoot him through.” Bynum said Ormond reached to the pocket of this car, and showed him a pistol. Bynum gave his testimony as his report to Mr. Cole.
Bynum said Cole came to his office one Saturday, in May, and nervously informed him that Bill Ormond was in town. Cole asked him what he should do, and Bynum said he told him that although he disliked advising a man to arm himself, he believed Cole should be prepared.
In July Bynum said he received two letters from Ormond which he showed to Cole. The letters were introduced in evidence and read to the jury. They were written from State College.
Attempted bribery of witness for defendant was charged by Clyde Douglas in his cross examination of Bynum.
From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Oct. 2, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-10-02/ed-1/seq-1/
No comments:
Post a Comment