The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-14

wise, aid or ask Edmondson to commit
the crime. or take part in its commits
sion. I did not "a any knowledge
that the act was to be done. My son.
label. was at my home in Whiteville
a part of Saturday. March md. and
all day Sunday. March %. He was at
my home all Saturday evening Cafter-
noon). except when he went to the
depot to get some laudanum for my
sick horse. He was at home Saturday
night and went to his room when we
! retired at 1870 o'clock. he did not
go out of the house unless he did SO
after we went to bed. He ate break
fast at home Sunday morning. March
90. William Register was there. He
was away a little while in the after
noon. but returned in time to drive the
COWS in and helped me feed up. Jabel
was at home Sunday night and at the
house were also my wife. Callie Regis
ter. Martha Martin, William Register
and John Burns. William Register
stayed at the house until Monday
morning and slept in the same room
with label. We got up early Monday
morning. 1 never sent for Cross Ed
mondson to come to my house. nor did
l give him a gun to ~ shoot Nelson
Toon. He has never been to my house
in three years. l never went to Ed
mondson's house either Tuesday. We'd
nesday or Thursday. for on Tuesday
Il went to CrusOe Island and stayed
there until Thursday. l never sent for
Edmondson to come to my house. nor
did he ever come to the house while [
was there. 1 never had any conversa-
ton with him about the murder. l did
write EdmOndsOn a note asking him to
come plOw for me, but did so because
he owed me q debt and l was short of
hands. 1 never gave EdmOndSon a
gun, nor drew him a maj to go by in
order to reach Nelson Toms house. I
have never seen the gun produced in
court before.
81 have known Cross Edmondson
ever since he was quite a boy and he
worked for me three or fou years ago,
but got into a difficulty and left for
South Carolina. 1 nave never had a
dollar in an Illicit distillery in my life
and never tried Edmondson. 1 did
have a conversation with Mr.. w. A. ].
Soles about some money 1 owed Jesse
Soles. but don't recoliect any onv
| sation about Jim Staley having monev
Only remember seeing Staley once.
heard he had been run from Randolph
county for illicit distilling and run from
Bladen."
objection to testimony of this charac'
ter. The objection was sustained. Con
titnuing Buck Register said:
Il never asked ack LIE Sarge to hide
label in Canada. He came over to my
house Monday night after the murder
n We talked about the tragedy. One
night, after the warrant had been is
sued for label, LIE Sarge came over tC
my house. He had been drinking. He
spoke about label being indicted and
said ne was afraid that label would
be convicted, as people were so much
against him.. He said he could fix him
and get him out of the way: that he
had a mother living in Canada and
that to give him $50 and he would
purchase the railroad ticket and get
him out of the way. l told him that
label had not done anything and WE
would take our chances with the peo-
pie of Whiteville-
Il did talk with Rouse. He is a
neighbor of mine and was over at my
house one night after the warrant had
beeen issued for me. He said hat he
knew it was wrong, but he knew
where Jabe was and had me to believe
that he knew label was home Sunday
He said if 1 ever needed a friend tC
call on him.
w then talked about the White,
vile lawyers and officers. He said he
heard that Alexander and Benton were
against me. 1 said hat Schulken was
also fighting me n he said yes.
told him that Schulken was an enemy
of mine and at the bottom Of the pros
ecution.
Il was born and raised in Whiteville
I am going in GA years of age. / have
lived here all my life, save three OF
four years when I was in the turpen.
tine business down south. I have beer
a Justice of the peace. a United States
commissioner, a deputy United State;
marshal and postmaster several times
I ran for clerk of the court, for thu
legislature and for the senate. I raj
as an independent candidate agains-
Schulken and both were defeated.
Il remained out of the way Of thu
officers after being indicted. as I knew
I would have to go to Jail and J. wante
time to arrange for A habeas corpus il
order to obtain bail. l am now under {
$4,000 ond I admit writing a lettel
to Rouse, but did it as 1 thought h
knew hat label was home Sunday
March 30"
RIGID EXAMINATION.
At this stage the examination o
Buck Register was given to the stat,
and the witness fell into the hands o
: Colonel N. A. Mclean. who conductet
a most severe crOSS-examinattiOn
: during which the witness showed man!
: first questions made the witness winc'
n were as follows:
Colonel McLean-Mr. Register. at tn
I close of the war didn't you go from
I here to South Carolina to do business
l RegiSter-YeS.
e Colonel McLean-Yon went there un
= der what name?