The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-26

Register INTO eternity.
THE REGISTER FAMILY.
No one in Whiteville speaks i'll of label
Register, from the fact that it is believed
he was under the hypnotic influence of
| his father since childhood.
| II. b. Register was terror to the
community. Many were afraid of him and
he was permitted to do about as he pleas
ed, irrespective of the law. He was post
master at Vineland at one time, at the
| A. G.. L. station about one mile from the
court house in Whiteville, and almost every.
body signed his petition to the President,
and many through fear, although they
| knew he was not worthy Of the position
At the same time he was postmaster he
and his SON. label, it is alleged. ran Il
blockade still in the White Marsh. He
was revenue officer at one time also,
ard it is said ran a blockade still at The
same time and protected every one else
in the district who was in the business Of
illicit distillng.
| When H. B., or Buck" as he was call
ed, was postmaster at Vineland there were
Irregularities in the post office, which COM
PEELED him to face a Federal Court. but
tins was Strengthened out in such a man
ner that he was released from custody.
ID. j. Register, brother of II. B.,
knocked the top of the head off a
man named Lewis with persimmon
cudgel. killing him, over land line dis
pute some years ago, for which he served
a term in the penitentiary.
The Registers are supposed to be comfort
ably supplied with this worlds goods
There are many Of them in the county,
and according to labels statement they
own about fifteen hundred acres OF Crusoe
Island between Waccamaw River and
Juniper Creek The soil is rich and valua-
bic
H. p. Register owned a neat cottage be-
tween Whiteville and the depot on about
thirty acres Of land which ne disposed of
since he has been in the penitentiary for
$3.50. He still owns several hundred
acres on Crusoe Island.
label Register owned eignty-four acres
in the White Marsh. which was decided
over to his mother Mrs Rhode Register,
aged over fifty years. who was almost an
every day visitor to her son label during
his Incarceration in Jail.
CAPTURE OF THE CRIMINALS.
After the murder of Jim Staley and Jesse
Solos, II. B. and label Register went into
hiding. Gross Edmondson was arrested
immediately after the murder at his home
and made confession duplicating H B.
and label Register. He swore out war
rant against and search was at once made
for them. But, they could not be found.
Then Governor Aycock offered a reward OF
5000 each for their capture. Sheriff Butler
and his entire force of deputies were
searching diligently for them, but for a
long time could find neither. As soon as
II. +. Register learned of the reward offer
ed for HIM, he went to the sheriff and
gave himself up. Eugene Cook and Will
liam Hall accompanied him ard they are
now trying to get the reward offered for
his capture, Register expected that the
authorities would permit him to give bail,
but me was disappointed. He was kept in
Jail here from the time he presented him
self to the sheriff until he was taken to
the penitentiary
The house of H. B. Register was watch
ed and searched again and again for label,
but for a long time without avail. He
was said to be hiding in the owods There
was large closet in the home of the Reg
listers running to the ceiling and of consid-
cradle width. which was searched every
time the house was entered ny the sheriff
or his deputies. The last time the house
was visited one of the deputies prodded
| with the muzzle Of his rifle what seemed
to be a solid board partition in the top,
but to the amaZement of those in the
party, including Deputy Sheriffs w. J.
Benton C. l. Benton. Chester Watkins
and z. @. Maulsby, the board covering
dropped down, revealing the end of a mat
tress. Further search found the person
of label Register He was taken into
custcday and remained under the eyes of
the law until he was hung.
CHARACTER SKETCH OF JABEL.
label Register was difficult man to
study. He was about five feet and ten
inches in height, was thirty-five years old
wore No. glove and a No. shoe. weigh
ed about one hundred and fifty pounds and
had a piercing blue black eye. While the
reporter interviewed him he watched his
every movement. He was not a bad look
ing fellow. He used very good language
and had a well modulated voice and did
not look in any way the cold-blooded muir
erer that he was When you spoke of his
mother, or asked if he had made peace
with his God the tears streamed down his
face and if there was one contrite man
who went to meet his Maker that man was
label Register. He spoke of those he was
friendly with with great emotion ana
could crack a joke, too, if you turned
his thoughts in that direction.
For the last two or three days he did
not eat scarcely anything, although
he was plentifuly supplied with the best
of everything by his family and those
who knew. him before he was doomed 20
death sent him cigars, fruit, etc, con-
stantly.
label Register was a victim of crcum-
stances and if he could have gotten away
from the influence of his father it is the
opinion generally expressed by our citi-
Gems he would have been a better man.
The Registers are OF Scottish descent
and have been residents of the county
for over one hundred years.
label has three sisters two of them
live near the Atlantic Coast Line depot
and one at Crusoe Island. They are
Martha, Callie and Alice. Martha is mar
ried to Frank Martin, most estimable
gentleman. who keeps livery stable at
Vineland, and conveys the mail to the
Whiteville postoffice. Alice married R.
A. Rockwell and label said, Hes doing