Richmond County Courthouse, Rockingham, Oct. 9 (AP)—W.B. Cole pleaded “toe nail insanity” in his defense for killing W.W. Ormond, Harold Cooley said today, charging that the plea “is a fraud against public justice.”
The Nashville lawyer, the first to address the jury for the State today, referred to evidence that Cole was suffering from ingrowing toe nail on the day he killed the former sweetheart of his 24-year-old daughter, Elizabeth.
James A. Lockhart will follow for the defense. Larry Moore of New Bern, A.L. Brooks of Greensboro and Solicitor Don Phillips were to be heard before the court delivers his charge to the jury.
History, the Bible, and tales of American bravery in war today, were taken before the jury in whose hands will soon rest the case of W. B. Cole.
The wealthy cotton manufacturer, charged with the murder of W.W. Ormond, heard James A. Lockhart tell the jury that Andrew Jackson killed two men for slandering his wife.
“And yet you would condemn a man for being forced to kill a man who had slandered his daughter.”
“Jackson, a native of North Carolina, never said he was sorry. The prosecution has charged that a decent man would not kill and not regret.
“The people thought him decent enough to elect him President for eight years and take his advice in the election of another. He killed two men and said he was not sorry.
“If you convict Cole you ought to go back to Union county and change the name of Jackson Township.”
Later in the argument Lockhart said he did not intend to argue about “the electric chair.” “I know you will not send Cole there.”
From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Friday, Oct. 9, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-10-09/ed-1/seq-1/
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