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


The trial of the Registers-father and
SON for one of the foulest and most
Geld blooded murders ever committed
il at an end and has brought with it
the conviction of both. This means
that unless an all wise providence sees
fit to intervene that one VINO has not
as yet reached the half-stone of the
allotted three score years and ten will
by the law be plunged into eternity
and another, whose hair and beard are
frosted by the weight CT sixty four
years, will have to occupy felon's
cell until his soul is summoned through
the dark gates into the land Of bright
ness.
The noted trial, for 1t has been a
noted one, on account of the past un-
savory records Of the accused and the
shocking nature of the crime, closed
this afternoon. The case went to the
jury shortly before o'clock and at
4:1c o'clock a verdict of guilty had been
rendered.
MR. BELLAMY'S SPEECH.
When court reconvene6 this morning
Hon. John d. Bellamy commenced his
argument, the closing one for TIE de-
fence.
For its closing srl,-'-er the defence
made no mistake i'll selc citing Mr.. Bel
l&my. He spoke fer an '1our and forty
minutes and during th5.t time made a
brilliant argument. 1t was magnlh-
O. it's phases, but particularly with the
il it's phases, but particularly with the
aIibi presented by the defendants and
tle evidence of the confessed accom-
plice, Cross Edmondson, whom he term
ed as a perjured villain.
After paying a beautiful tribute to the
brightness of the day and the presence
of the ladies, Mr.. Bellamy earnestly
discussed the case. Il do not" he said,
| approach this duty with fear and
| trembling, but with a strong belief that
1 am now facing an impartial jury not
| actuated by malice or hatred
He said that the state had not made
| out it's case and that at the very least
a reasonable doubt existed. The case
| against the Registers he declared was
| All enormous conspiracy, and expressed
| the belief that Cross Edmondson, Cole
| man Smith and the negro Nelson Toon
| were the real murderers. This trio he
| termed arch conspirators and said
that they had attempted to fasten the
crime upon label Register to shield
| themselves; that they had also accused
old man Register in order to neutral
| iZe his evidence.
| The confessed accomplice, Cross Ed
mcndson, he said could not be believed
for man who will murder will lie
| hn cfa c
dangerous to rely on and if the jury
convicted label Register upon it a
precedent would be set for a man like
EGmondson to commit crime and bring
an accusation against anybody.
Mr.. Bellamy expressed a theory as tc
| the third shot which Edmondson testi-
| fed was fired at the SOles' home dur
ing the enactment of the awful tragedy
but which shot had not been accounted
for either by witnesses or the othel
lcounSel. He said that the shot had beer
fired either by Coleman Smith or Mel
son Toon. 1t was easy, he said. for the
nspirators to lay it on Jabel Register
as he was a man of bad character
and that then Toon, whom 1t had beer
proven sold blockade whiskey, haG
induced his negro neighbors to swear
that they had seen two men on the
road near his house early Monday
nCrning after the tragedy and tha
the men had three guns.
The only evidence against the Regis.
ters he said, was that of EdmOndson
who had been found in possession o.
Jesse Soles' gun and whose handker
cl.ief had been found wrapped around
the bung of the keg of whiskey.. while
the stolen watch nor any of the stoler
money had never been found in the
possession of either one of the Regis
toTs. Cross Edmondson, he said, had al
appetite for crime and convicting othel
people and as evidence of this that hi!
testimony had sent young Harry Cole
nan to the penitentiary, thus blightins
one of the fairest names of Columbu!
ccrnty. He termed him a regular
Jack, the Ripper" who would commit
crime and throw it on his neighbor
The evidence of this perjured william
he said, was not by far sufficient ant