The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-16
The TRIAL OF JOHN EVANS
FOR CRIMINAL ASSAULT UPON
MISS LILLE COLE

Assatlhat--I ne case Probably to Close To
day-rhe Jah Guarded by Troops-ihe
Prisoner Taken to and From Jail by Two
Depu y sherifTs Ai"ne
Especial to The Messenger.)
Rockingham, November 11.-Court
commenced at 8 o'clock a. m. with the
prisoner Evans. Miss Coles assailant,
in the dock. The clerk proceeded at
once to cal, over the special venire Of
300 men summoned yesterday from
which to secure a jury for the trial OF
this case. At 1876 o'clock p. m. a jury
of twelve of the county's best citizens,
all white, was empaneled. 1t is a jury
which cannot be swayed by prejudice,
a jury of good and true men, a jury
that will dare to decide this case upon
it's merits.
Here the court adjourned until 3
O'Clock p. m. to allow counsel for the
defendant to consult and prepare for
trial
Immediately upon the reassembling
OF the court, the judge had the court
house vacated by everybody but the
counsel and parties concerned in the
case, the newspaper reporters and the
court officers. When this was done
Miss Lille Cole, the victim Of the trag-
edy, her sisters, Misses Maggie and
Matte, their parents, and two lady
relatives came by a private entrance to
the our room.
Miss Lille was the first witness
sworn. Her evidence established the
fact beyond all question that she was
the victim of a most brutal and dia-
bolical assault, but she made no effort
to identify her assailant; said she did
not see him until he was some distance
running from her; she said she was
sure he was a negro, but further h
that she could not testify. The first she
knew Of the presence of the brutal
fiend was when he grabbed her, pulled
her bonnet over her face, dragged her
down and choked her. She was never
wholly unconscious, but was for a
time not fully in her right mind. She
knew enough tO know what was going
on, but powerless to resist except to a
certain extent.
Miss Matte, the youngest sister. who
Is a remarkably we'll grown girl, of IA
years of age, was the next witness.
She testified that she say the man
squatting by the fence where they
crossed it to go to the factory; she
passed in about three steps Of him,
saw him clearly, passed by him and
went through the fence where she had
to stoop to pass between the wires. She
to look out. which warning h failed
to heed, being somewhat hard of lea
ing, and, wearing a sun bonnet, she
failed TO see him She saw the brute
grab her sister and she ran, screaming,
to the residence of Mr.. Skies.
h was then asked If she was sure
she could recognize the man she saw,
to which she responded. Il can"
Then she was asked If she a seen
him since. To this she responded in
the affirmative. Then followed the
questions: when and where did you
see HIM" With the utmost composure
and clearness she said: There he Is
over ahere,' pointing to the defend
ant.
On cross examination she was asked
if she was fully aware Of the great
Importance Of being positively certain
as to the identity of the prisoner, and
she Responded: Yes, I think 1 am"
She stood the cross examination hero
icly. never varying from her state
ments In the direct examination.
The third sister, the next Oldest,
about Is years Of age, was called to
the stand, and. while not used by the
prosecution, was placed at the service
of the defence. She was only asked to
tell what she knew of the matter. Re-
plying that she ran and did not see it,
she was discharged.
Here the court house doors were
opened to the public, women and chill
dren excepted.
The next witness, Columbus Taylor,
a clerk in the Everett store, testified
mat ne "recOSnlZSu lle pIlSolleI DIS lAS
party who came to the Everett store
early Saturday morning, the morning
on which this assault was made; that
he seemed to be in an excited state
of mind; had dirt on his clothes; was
dressed in the same kind of garb, blue
overalls, pants, ETC.; he also made
other statements, making his presence
here at that particular time rather
suspicious.
The next witness was w. c. Leake,
the president of the Pee Dee cotton
mills, who testified a. to the good char
acter of the prosecutrix.
Here the state rested it's case, and
court adjourned to meet at 9 o'clock