Richmond County Court House, Oct. 6 (AP)—The defense of W.B. Cole rested its case at 11:05 o’clock today and the prosecution called its remaining witnesses to rebut the contention that the wealthy cotton manufacturer did not deliberately kill W.W. Ormond last August 15th.
Two physicians, Dr. H.H. Dodson and Dr. J.T.J. Battle, both of Greensboro, testified to a physical examination of Miss Elizabeth Cole they conducted September 9th. They were the last witnesses for the defense.
The physicians testified that from their examination of Miss Cole it was their opinion “she is as pure as a new born baby.”
This testimony will not be admitted unless the State takes the position that Ormond’s charge of “man and wife relations” with Miss Cole were true.
The State served notice that the letters identified by Miss Elizabeth Cole as having been written to Ormond would be introduced as an impeachment of her testimony. She testified she broke off with Ormond of her own accord, not as the result of her father’s objections. Cole does not know the contents of the letters the State holds.
Richmond County Court House, Rockingham, Oct. 6 (AP)—John W. Porter, president of the cotton mill once owned by W.B. Cole, and friend of Miss Elizabeth Cole, took the stand for the defense at the opening of the seventh day of the wealthy cotton manufacturer’s trial. The state contends that Cole objected to Ormond’s suit for his daughter’s hand because he had no money, and favored Porter because of his position.
“Are you engaged to Miss Elizabeth Cole or have you ever been engaged to her? James Lockhart asked.
“No, I think she is a fine girl, but I am not engaged to her.”
Porter said he is 33 years old. He was in conference with Cole a few minutes before the shooting at the Manufacturer’s building, but did not see the homicide. The witness bought a controlling interest in Steele’s mill in 1919.
“Did Mr. Cole say anything to you about arranging his business in the event he was killed?”
The state objected and was overruled.
“Mr. Cole asked me if I would use my influence to get his Superintendent J.W. Jenkins his job as manager. He also asked me to look after his family as much as I could.”
Larry Moore conducted the cross examination.
“Is the fact that you are not engaged to Miss Cole your fault or hers?”
The court sustained an objection from the defense.
Miss Cole smiled.
Mr. Moore dwelt on Porter’s contention with Cole and then brought in the war records of Ormond and himself.
“Were you in the war?”
Porter said he had not been in the war. His mother was dependent on him, he said, and he was turned down by physicians when called in the draft. During the war he was connected with his mill.
“You went with Miss Cole while Ormond was in the war?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t like it much when he came back with an honorable war record, and started going with her, did you? You were jealous, weren’t you?”
“No.”
The witness said he was not of a jealous nature.
Porter described the conference with Cole a few moments before the shooting. He said Cole was seated about five feet from the window, and had he looked out he would have looked away from the position of Ormond’s car. Porter himself was seated near the window, and his outlook was in the direction of the dead man’s car. He said he didn’t see the car.
Cole has testified that he was seated next to the window, and that he looked down the street straight to the front, and saw Ormond’s car turn in to the curb from the street.
On direct examination Porter said he had observed Mr. Cole during the month preceding the killing, that he had formed an opinion as to his mental condition.
The state objected to his giving the opinion, but to preceding questions he had said Cole was not in his right mind.
Five witnesses next were called by the defense to corroborate previous testimony, and four of them, friends of the Cole family, said Cole’s reputation was good.
Mrs. M.B. Leath, wife of the assistant treasurer of the Hannah Pickett Mill, and a neighbor of the Coles, corroborated Mrs. Cole’s testimony late yesterday that she had said to her “I believe dad is crazy.”
Two physicians who examined Miss Elizabeth Cole were called by the defense and the State objected, on the grounds that the character of Miss Cole is not an issue.
From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-10-06/ed-1/seq-1/
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