The people of Richmond County are strong for the prosecution of W.B. Cole, rich and prominent Rockingham manufacturer, who shot and killed Bill Ormond, the sweetheart of his daughter six weeks ago. That much is evident from the account of the trial wired this newspaper as it went to press Thursday afternoon.
R.E. Powell, the well-known Raleigh newspaper man, is covering this story for readers of The Independent, from the courthouse in Rockingham where Cole is on trial for his life for the slaying of his daughter’s poor sweetheart. Witnesses who identified the shirt young Ormond wore when eh was shot down in his car, were introduced in court yesterday.
Aubrey L. Brooks, in the role of principal attorney for the defense, laid himself and his client wide open and Solicitor F. Don Phillips bowled him completely over and scored heavily for the state in the first clash between the great legal batteries representing Cole and the prosecution. Mr. Brooks made a characteristically daring move, one which he evidently did not expect the prosecution to repel. Solicitor Phillips not only replied to the satisfaction of Judge T.B. Finley as to the ruling over the raised issue indicated, but brought from the court room a sizeable demonstration which Judge Finley had to rebuke.
It came about when Brooks, cross examining Dr. C.O. Bristow, who had dressed the wounds of young Bill Ormond, said he had identified the blue shirt the war veteran wore on the afternoon he was slain by the Rockingham Textile Baron. The Greensboro attorney, who had borne the brunt of the defense in battle so far, asked “where is the pistol Ormond had in the car?” The witness replied that he knew nothing of any pistol in the car, that he had not seen one.
Brooks then arose and addressed Judge Finley:
“The defendant now asks, if your Honor please,” Brooks said, “whether or not the defense will introduce in evidence the pistol which I have just asked the witness about.” W.R. Jones, local associate of the solicitor, and Larry I. Moore of New Bern were both on their feet to reply to Brooks. “I am asking the State of North Carolina,” Brooks interposed with a flash of bitter feeling between partisans in the case, “who has been very fair in presenting this case, and not the array of private prosecution here.”
Phillips moved with court house immortality and began his reply to Brooks, “I thank the gentleman for the compliment,” the young prosecutor said evenly and suavely, “and I say to him that the State of North Carolina will introduce its evidence and testimony in this case in such manner and at such time as the State’s attorneys deem best and not at the suggestion or dictation of any attorney for the defense.”
He had hardly ended his blistering answer to Brooks’ challenge when the gallery started loud applause. It was picked up on the main floor of the court room but was swiftly checked by Judge Finley who ordered the next applauder brought before him.
From the front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 2, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83025812/1925-10-02/ed-1/seq-1/
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