Richmond County Courthouse, Rockingham, N.C., Oct. 3 (A.P.) – The first determined effort in the defense of William B. COLE to prove the wealthy cotton manufacturer insane at the time he killed W.W. ORMOND, his daughter’s former sweetheart, came today.

A crowded courtroom also heard the state charge the defense with publishing copies of “slander” letters received by COLE for the purchase of creating sentiment in his behalf and obtaining evidence for his cause.

After COLE was submitted to a gruelling three-hour cross-examination during which the state sought to force the admission that he killed ORMOND “to shut his tongue” and not to protect himself, the defense swore five witnesses, two of whom testified to the “queer acts” of the defendant.

Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 4 October 1925. Available at Google News Archive.