The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-12
ON TRIAL IN ROCKINGHAM
JUDGE CLEARED COURT ROOM
WHILE MISS COLE TSETIFIED.
HER SISTER IDENTIFIES THE BRUTE
She Modestly Told About the Awful Crime
and Says Positively that Evans is the
Demon The Trial Will be
Concluded To-Day.
Concluded To-Day.

C0nCluded Io-Uay.
Rockingham, N. c., Nov. 11.-(Specian n
The fate of John Evans is practically
sealed, even his own counsel admit to-
night that there is little hope for him.
The testimony of Miss Matte Cole,
fourteen year old sister of Miss Lilly
Cole, the young lady Evans is accused
Of assaulting, has removed all doubt Ms
to his guilt. In simple, unaffected,
straightforward manner, that carried
conviction to court and jury, she told
the story of the crime. She was most
positive in her identification of Evans as
the man she had seen crouching like
a wild beast beside the fence that fate
full morning to spring upon her unsus-
pecting sister. The evidence of Mss
Lilly Cole and Mr.. C. G.. Taylor was
also very damaging in effect. While the
young ladies We're testifylng everybody
except jury, lawyers in the case AM
newspaper men were excluded from the
court room. In addition to those oa.y
one other witness, MIR. w. G. Leak WAS
examined. He testified to the good charac
ter of the other witnesses. At the con-
clus:on of the evidence the court took
a recess until tomorrow morning at
o'clock, when testimony for the defence
viii lie introduced.
This and the argument of counsel viii
probably consume most OF the day. AS
there are twenty witnesses summoned
by the defense, verdict is not expect
ed before late tomorrow afternoon or
Tomorrow night.
The trial began this morning as soon as
court convened at $ O'Clock. Over three
hours were consumed in the selection
of the following jury: Al gus Blue, Yam
cey Smith, I. L. McNair, Il. Ii. Gibson.
J. III. Pate, w. FL. Roberts, Capt. w. !.
Everett, H.W. Cooper, George j. Free
man, w. Il. Thomas, g. I. Pate and
A. j. Little. All of these are white
men, prosperous, intelligent farmers,
merchants and manufacturers. The
community Will be perfectly willing to
abide by their decision of the case. In
securing them, almost the entire yenire
Of three hundred was exhausted. The
defendant used ten peremptory chal-
ienges, the State two and stood thirteen
at the foot Of the panel.
As soon as the jury was empanneiled
court took a recess until O'Clock.
At that hour the taking of testimony
for the State began. Miss Lilly Cole, the
young lady who was assaulted, was the
6rst witness. She came into court ac-
companied by her mother, grandmother,
three sisters and father. She is tail,
rather good looking young lady, modest
and unaffected. Her demeanor on the
stand was such as to impress all in the
court room, both with the gravity of the
crime that had been committed upon
her and the truth Of her statements.
H-e started from home Saturday morn
ing, October 23rd, she said, to the Pee
Dee factory, where she was working.
She was accompanied by her sisters,
Matte and Maggie. They left home
about $50 O'clock, and had gone about
200 yards when a negro assaulted her as
she was going through a wire fence. Her
sister Matte went through first and
then Maggie. The witness had bon
net on and when the negro seized her
he pulled. the bonnet over her face and
choked her, throwing her to the ground
and accomplishing his purpose. Miss
Cole said she was choked, but not to un-
consciousness. The marks are still on
her throat. These were shown to the
jury. When the assault was made the
witness said her sisters ran on toward
the mill screaming. When the brute had
gone and Miss Cole had rega:ned her
strength she got up and ran home. On
the way she met her father and told him
what had happened.
On cross-examination the witness said
the assault happened about five minutes
before o'clock. She said she did not
see the negro before she started through
the fence. 1t was light but her bonnet
prevented her from seeing him before
he seized her. 1t was a fair, bright
morning, light enough to see anybody and
tell who it was. Miss Cole said she did
not see her assailant except as he ran
away and could not describe his dress
Being frightened she only thought Of
escaping. She knew it was n negro.
Her Ii year old sister, Matte, pret-
ty curly haired grill. was next sworn
He, account Of the assault corroborated
that Of Miss Lilly's except that she (the
witnes) saw the negro crouching be-
side thu fence about three feet away,
before she got through the fence. 'As
I got through the fence he jumped up
and said look out Lilly Then he
abhod her md / ran on screaming to
Mr.. Skies and> came part of the way