The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-14
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RRA0F1n0 REGULATOR CO., Ak&WE
plotting the murder. He also stated
that the day after the murder there
had been a pile of rails in front Of the
house.
WANTED JABEL TO SLIP.
4 most damaging witness was next
introduced in the person Of Jack LIE
Sarge. who testified that old man Reg
lister had spoken to him about trying
to get label to go to his lie Sarge's)
mothers home in Canada. He also
testified that Buck Register, before the
tragedy, had told him that Staley had
between $500 and $1,000 and predicted
him Owe kill him and get the money.
INDICTED FOR MURDER.
On crOSs-eXamination the witness
admitted having been indicted for
murder and acquitted, and on the re-
direct examination counsel for the state
cleared up the shadow by showing
that at the time of the killing the
witness was a deputy United States
marshal doing his duty and was d
member Of a posse, in which We're
United States Marshal J. c.. Parish,
Sheriff Geo. Mcleod, of Robson cour-
ty, and others.
WANTED HIM TO SWEAR FALSE
LY.
Another hard blow was hit the de-
fence by the testimony of an aged
white man. John Rouse. He testified
that on several occasions that old man
Register had tried to get him To
promise to swear that l was at his
house the night of the tragedy and
that label Register was there; that
! each time he made an excuse about
| cnatpr him 1ntnr nc hn MO n frni2 or
| the old man Finally, when H. B. Reg
lister got in Jail he received the follow
ing note from him (exact copy:
j. w. Rouse,
Dear Friend and Bro:-I am now
certain 1 think that 1 ave got my
matters about Strait and if all of my
! friends stand TO me with the firmness
that I know you will 1 am now un~
easy, but l will be Dismissed when I
go before the Judge in Wilmington
next week.
Il am Suing out Haperrous orpiOus
proceedings no tow file with Judge
Peoples in Wilmington, Next Monday
Herbert McClammy and John D. Bel
lamy, with Dan McCracken will ap<
pear for me. We will talk over the
matters on the way there. There is no
evidence against me, but the criminal
in here, and we can down his evidence
by any amount of good men. I am
depending on my brother, my neighbor
and my friend. Look we'll to the east.
Il am your Friend and pledged Bro
until death.
H. B. REGISTER.
"You and Bro Cook can talk, he
will apply for reward n our friends
will be remembered &c. On the"
STATE RESTED.
Upon conclusion of Rouse's testimony
the state rested, at 12:15 o'clock and
court, in order to permit the &c
PENDANTS counsel to have a final con-
ference with their witnesses, took a
recess until 2 O'Clock.
A SENSATION.
When court reassembled Hon John
D. Bellamy, of counsel for the defence,
sprung a sensation by virtually ask
ing for a mistrial on the grounds that
two of the d~efence's most important
witnesses, Charles and Vaney Ward,
had skipped out" at the last minute.
although each had been ~subpoened.
In order to allow a discussion of the
question the jury was exclude from
the court room.
Then Messrs. Bellamy and McRack-
en- both stated that they had intended
to establish an alibi for Jabe Register
by the Wards that Chas. Ward had
voluntarily stated to them that he had
seen label Register at the Vineland
depot about 5 O'Clock Sunday after
noon, March 90. Both Witnesses they
said, had gone TO South Carolina a
urday and that it was said they had
beeen inundated. Further, they
stated, hat they had had summoned
two witnesses from Brunswick coun-
ty to prove ChaS. Wards good charac-
ter.
Solicitor Lyon then exploded a bomb
by calling one of the character wit
nesses, Furney Gore. of Brunswick,
who was summoned by the defence.
Under path he stated that since com
ing to Whiteville he had seen Ward;
that yesterday Sunday he saw him
and that Ward admitted that he hac
lied to Messrs. Bellamy and McRacker
and said that he was going to South
Carolina to save ~puiuring himself.
This one shell fired by the states
counsel succeeded alone in routing the
other side. so the jury was recalled
and the trial proceeded.
BUCK REGISTER ON THE STAND
The defence commenced the preSen.
tation of its testimony by introducing
H. B. Register, the alleged accessory
to the CUB murder. Register de-
MED everything in toto, save for the
writing of letters to Cross EdmOndsoI
and John Rouse. He testified as fol-.
lows:
I heard the testimony Of Cross I'D
mondson. and deny what he said.
never saw Edmondson on March 2nl.
saw him pass my house. but he die
not come in. He vas not at my house
Saturday night. I did not counsel. ad