Section One iSetoOn Pages 1 to 12 VOL. XLI MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1921 NO 2 JUDGE OVERRULES PLEA FOR BINGHAM Refuses to Grant Continuance of Case TRIAL TO START THURSDAY Ihstory of Case of Great Interest to People of South Carolina Florence, March 22.-Judge Mem minger in General Sessions Court this afternoon overruled the motion of Attorney A. L. King for a continuance of the case of Edmund D. Bigham. Bigham is charged with the murder of his mother, Mrs. M. M. Bigham, his sister, Mrs. Margie Black, his brother, L. S. Bigham and Leo and John McCracken, adopted children of Mrs. Black. Mr. King's motion was based upon reports of the case in the newspapers, which he claimed tended to influence opinion against his client, and also upon what he termed the present op position to Bigham as shown by the community at large. Hle also presented his own affidavit that he has not been able to secure the attendance of one person, who he claimed, is a material witness to the defense, having knowledge of insane attacks by L. S. Bighlam on other members of his family. Judge Memminger in refusing the continuance characterized the conten .tion of Mr. King as irrelevant and not calculated to show that the interests of Bigham would sdffcr through be ing tried at this time. Witnesses were then called to appear for the trial of the case on Thursday. The case of Edmund Bigham fur nishes one of those rare instances where the finger of circumstance has pointed directly at one man, and then after one little waevring turned sud denly and indicated another in such a way as to impress a community and a State with the justice of its accusa tion. So unusual was the crime, so brutal the manner of its carrying out, so contradictory the first and last as sumptions of the public as to the blame that the cause will be one that will be remembered for many years and cited wherever crime and crini inals are discussed. It is of first interest to Florence county, because of the fact that the principals have from time to time fig ured in the history of the county and State and more than once in the criminal records of South Carolina. The victims of the wholesale homi cide that shocked the section when it became known on Saturday, Janu ary 15, were Mrs. M. M. Bigham, widow of L. Smiley Bigham, a for mer Senator from Florence county; Mrs. Marjorie A. Black, Mrs. Bighams daughter and Leo and John Me Cracken, adopted children of Mrs. Black. A day after the community surrounding Pamplico, in Florence county, had been shocked by the news of the murder of these fout, sensa tion was piled upon sensation by the discovery of the lead body of L. Smiley Bigham, a son of the older woman, and the man whl to that time, had been suspected of the crime. And it was just there that the whole aspect of the case changed and that an element of mystery in a crime that until that time had no feature that (evershadowed. its wv'anton qbrutality. Story of Crime The first story of the crime to get publicity was that Edmund Bigham a brother of Smiley, had left the Bighani homestead on the afternoor of Saturday to see a neighbor, Bob Foxworth, Ediund said le had had dinner with the family and that there had been nothing to indicate any trouble in the family.. Ile had beer absent from the house only a few~ minutes when lie returned to see hhi aged mother staggering dlown th< walk to the road, faint fromi th< wound that. caused her death a feui minutes later. "Smiley has shot ame'" was the ob woman 's cry to her son as lie left hh~ automobile to meet her. Twvo neighibor~s, accordling to th< son, camne up). 'Thiese were T. D. Gar. rison and I loyt lHost ick. Acconipa. nied by them, Highani said lie weni to the back piazza where they foumi the mother's cap on the floor and neam it the body of the youngest child, Johr McCracken. Two hours later the body of Mrs. Black was found in the up stairs room she hiad occuipied. On pile of strawv behind a piotato bank ii the hack yard the searchers, dIirect e< hy Edmnund Highiamn, found the bJody of Leo M~lcCrackeni, the other adlopte( son (of Mrs. Black. TUhe chiild at th< time wvas not dhead and1( a messenge1 was hurried t~o Dr. Postoni. Heo dier at 5 o'clock Sunday morning. According to Edniund Bighami' story, lie had seen his biroither Smiles going to'wardl the woodls niear thn house just at the time he sawv hi mother, wounded, running towvard thi road. Smiley, he said, carried his righ hand up toward his bireast so that ,i he hind carried a pistol in it it couh not have been seen. Appeared D~epressed Smile y, Edmund said, hiad been hi financial difi cul t ies and had~ ofter spoken of them. That Saturday morn ing his brother had appeared to b< very miuch dep~ressed, lIe did no knowv that his birother had a pistol In fact, the pistol with which he die the killing, according to Edmund had belonged to Edniund. Hie had lef it in a bureau dirawer wh'len lie wen away to Foxworth's wvith his wvife an' daughters in their automobile. Edmund Bigham's 'story was cor roborated in every detail by his wif, and daughters, who had recently com< bMck with himn from Georgia, whern they Ena1 been living fr emvmiai year It was this circumstantial story that started the authorities of Florence county on a search for L. Smiley Big ham. In fact ,the first news that came to the Times was a request from Co lumbia that the editor give informa tion about the crime for which L. Smiley Bigham was a fugitive and for whi h all police officers of theState had been requested to look for him. On Sunday Edmund Bigham de manded that search be made for his brother's body in the woods toward which he had seen him going. The search was made and Smile 's body was found. The man had fa I len upon his face and in his hand was clasped the revolver which Edmund said was his. Previous to the search Edmund had gone to the woods and remained there for a few minutes. The discovery of Smiley Bighani's body seemed to point to a quadruple murder followed by suicide, and that was the impression under which the community rested until the Friday following, when Philip 11. Arrowsmith, a Florence attorney, furnished the Coroner with a most sensational nfl davit, and it is on this stement that the whole case has since turned. There had been some rumors to the effect that there were family differ ences regarding the interests in the estate left by former Senator Bigham. The general shares of this estate had been pledged to make good the bond of Dr. Cleveland Bigham, another sn of the former Senator who had fl d from justice after conviction of man slaughter under an accusation of hav ing killed his wife in Georgetown county while a visitor was being en tertained in their home. This friend. a man named Avant, was a re spected citizen and on conviction served a sentence. Mr. Arrowsmith was the attorney who represented Bigham and Mrs. Black in the settlement of the bond of Dr. Bigham after it had been for feited to the State. In fact, the afli davit of Mr. Arrowsmith was the first news to many that the bond had been paid by the Bigham heirs, who had be conie sureties for their brother. The attorney had in his hands the original deeds to the Bigham lands, the deeds, it was reported, that had been muti lated and partially destroyed in the record books of Florence county. Mr. Arrowsmith's testimony showed a motive for murder and established conclusively that all was not well with the family relations of the Bighais. Smiley Bighani 'and Mrs. Black had come to the attorney's home on the night of January 8, just a week before the killing. le had accompanied them to his office and there Mrs. Black told him how she had executed three blink dedds;And had given them to Smiley so that if anything happened to her the father's estate could be handled as desired by her mother and Smiley. These papers were stolen from Smiley Bighani and Mrs. Black said they were found by her in posses sion of Edmund. When she attempted to take them Ednund had flown into a rage and threatened the life of let self and iother. In her excitement Mr's. Black paid she feared for her life and felt so sure that she would never get the deeds back that she wanted Mr. Arrowsmith to draw up her will giving all property to Smiley and charging him to take care of ler' two adonted children and their mother. The lawyer drew the will as recuested and it was witnessed hv himself G. T. Bryce and Marshal W. Bridges. Edmund Bighani Arrested The next turn in the case, follow ing the Arrowsmith amidavit, was the arrest of Edmund Bighani, accused of the murder of his mother, brother, sister and the two McCracken chil dri'en. The lawyer's aflidav it had shown a motive, with which the most circ'(uistantial testimioniy some times fails to convence. Before this Idiund Bigham had posed as the well-o' member of the family, pie turing his brother' as the man har' rassed by financial difhic.!ties that thire-tened his undoing. Now lie hiim silt' alpear'ed as the memibeir of the family who hadl noi iteriest whiatever in the '..luable estate of the fathei anid as the objector to the ways Iis sister' had chosen to dispose of her prioper'ty. Edmund Higham wvas arrested the samtie day thne affidavit was made and was pnt in j'til. Tlhe same daiy searchd was madtie of the Bighiam home fo' the deeds of wvhich Mr's. Black and Smi ley Bighamo had spoken, but no trace of themli was found. Fol lowing his arrest Edmund1( Big hnami remiaitned silent and though ru miors atssociatedl this aii dt hat att or ney with his interests it was not unii t il (quite recent ly thait he inade ('hoice of couitnsel andl the sta:itemnit was made t hat t he attorney chiosent Mr. King, had dcided t o ask a chIange of' venue, alleging that hnis cl ient coubh not secure a fa ir trnail in Flbrenet c'ounity. M'ea ntime the cooner''s inqus~t(l added I.o the acecumiulation of' test i miony connecting Edmin md Bigh an with the kill inig, or r'ather (establ ishinig a motive for it. Wesle Tymian, a ne gro wvoodchoppter'51 sid he h-td seent 10d mud aind his famiily moving house hol goods into an unoccuipied htousi on the Bigham esta te on the a fternooi of the (lay whlen Mr's. Black had gone to Florence to consult Mr. An-row simith. Otiher witnesses(' testifiedh that there hadu been a viohent,. quari'el t hat sam te day between Edmund Bighan anid his brother and sistern. The ne gr'oe's withdrew from the house. They' hind been there to settle with Edtiindn Bigham for' the workl they ha ddomn as wVoodchopphers. Th~e quarrei'ol liad beeni so viotlent thatt Mi's. IHigham had I asked a neighbor, Williani But'ch, tc go to tPamplico and ask Officer Rtosc -to come atnd pi'otect them from Ed mnd i. Ed muiid hand, intet'cepitedhht urch and~ thr'eatenedl him with death if he (Continued on nnane nou CIVIC L[AGUE HOLDS I ANNUAL MEETING The Manning Civic League met < Monday afternoon March 21st with ai splendid attendance. The minutes of the last meeting were read and ap proved and the reports of the com mittees given. The court house, school house and depot committees re ported excellent work accomplished and the results speak for their great efforts. The League decided to add two thirds of Its gross receipts to the paving fund already put aside and it is hope that this paving on school grounds can be done as was planned, at an early (late. The League passed a resolution to continue the support 1 of the two French Orphans. It was announced that the Wofford Glee club will be here March 31st and general 1 admission fees will be thirty-five and fifty cents. A motion was passed that the See retary notify by mail each new mem ber and oflicer of the League of their election. The following ladies were unani mously elected . members of the League: Mesdames 11. C. Curtis, Ralph Ward, Clyde Ward, W. M. Brockington, Seaman Richardson, Leslie Bagnal, James Dickson S. L. Davis, R. I). Cothran and J. M. Shaw. The roll for the fiscal year has been increased by fifty-two members. The officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows. President, Mrs. W. E. Reardon. 1st. vice- pres-Mirs. J. II. Orvin. 2nd. vice-pres-Mirs. 1. I. Appelt. 3rd. vice-pres-Mrs. J. H. Rigby. 4th. vice-pres-Mrs. C. B. Geiger. Secretary and Treasurer-Miss Mattie Appelt. Miss Irma Weinberg was elected delegate to accompany the president to the State Federation of Woman's Clubs to be held in Camlen, April 5th to 8th. The following is the complete fin ancial report, of the League from Jan. 1st, 1920 to March 22nd 1921. Report from Jan. 1, 1920 to March 22, 1921. Receipts Jan. 1, 1920, amount in bank-. $93.73 Dues ---- -- .---- -------- 72.00 Teas, for 1920 and 1921 ------ 268.83 Tag Day -_......-45.00 Flower Sale ---- ---- ------ 106.61 Wofford Glee Club 117.10 Paving Assessment - _... 65.00 Paving donation from school children----.-.... .. -.. ..__. 52.05 Paving donation from Weinlberg Company 2 5.55 fee cream stand at Chatautua- 19.30 Chatauqua .----....-.-_--.__200.00 Ball games --------- ------ 175.90 Sandwiches and punch old at baseball . 6--- ..- .....-....-- .00 Play ..___--.--___..--_--_.-. 142.05 Refund of magazine iubscrip tion --9-- ---. . 2.00 T)TA L, . ..$1.631.12 Expenditures .._ . -1 002.35 Balance . .------628.77 Expenditures Play ground fixtures repaired 63.86 Work and fertilizer for school grounds .-.. _. !. .. _ 70.45 Plumbiig and piping material for school grounds .-67.27 Stamps __ ..-...-_2.00 Seed for court, house 5.38 Work and fertilizer for court house .. --- -.33.00 Ma inLenance of rest room-.... 15.25 Dues to S. C. F. W. C.- --.- - 8.50 Winthrop schiolIrshilp fund. 5.00 Expense of tag day ------.... 2.10 Flowers for flower sale . - 57.85 Painting of signs for votford Glee Club -1.... .....-.1.50 Support of two French Or plihals ..7:.. . ...7.00 Ad'ert ising and dist riblit ing of WAeinbierg Co. - --- .. ... G3.20) < 1ia-.--......-----..-----14.00 Prize oif $5.00 gold y i'ee for essay ..... .... ..' 5.00 Subhscription to( genera 1 Federa tion Magaine_...........2.00) P'rinin g for play and e-lec trie~ bulbs for~ play ..-.....- 15.70 Baseballs, per~ coint ract H. B. associ(atlion--------- 2.50 Donations toI Endowment Fund1( S. C. F. W. (*.........501.00 Hook on c it izenishiip - . 1 .0(0 Dist ributiomn by chariity com. 20.040 E~xpense (If dlelegates to Sumiin ter, district 111 m tinl1, if S. C. F. WV. C.......... .2. Western Union . .. . 1.40 Explense~s memiorial exerceises, tree,~ stoneils et...... 4..0.68 'Tran sfer' charge1 $5 .0(4 andl l py men'tt. of Mrs. Dillard 25.00 I and1(1sca pe Ga rdle'er......30.00 Plants for public squar es ..293.35 Expen(~s( (ha rge oni Planits .50. 16 WorIk and1( fert iIi zer at dlep fid .4.00 I TOT A L...... $1 ,002.315 Secriet ary an iT1''reasurier. MISSIONARY M~EETING T1he Younig Peol~le's Missionalry' So e it~y wvill meet. Sunday afternoon, Ma reh 27th , at fouri o'clockI at. the Music. Bible lesson. ''A Sa bbaith Day in the Cou ntriy,'" IMatt. 12 1-8, bly Lula Rigbiy. Prayer. Business meeting. A D~ay with the D)eaconess in her Auito, by Mary Sue Wilson. Music. Social conditions (If the peole at. home,,at wvork and at play, by Hattie Breedlin. IThe agencies at wvork and the need for the opnl1 by Mary migb 'ALMAFESTA TO BE I MAMMOTH [VENT tage Set In Columbia For The Big Gala Week, March 28 April 2- ' Amusement Features to Be Style Show, Auto Show, Baby Show, . Fireworks, Parades and Crown- I ing of State Beauty Qneen. Columbia, March 21.-With only ai t veek intervening before the opening f Palmafesta, March 28 to April 2, kil Columbia is busy dressing up for he big week of social gaiety at which ime she will be host of thousands of >eople from every section of the state. For weeks the decorators, float >uilders, social organizations and busi less interests of the capital city have >een preparing for the celebration ,vhich, it is said, will eclipse anything >f its kind ever held in the South, not !xcepting the famous New Orleans 'dardi Gras. More than $35,000 is be-. ng spent in various amusement fea ,ures planned for the week. $10,000 ias been spent in litting up the Steel Building at the State Fair grounds, where the Auto Show, Style Review, rrades Display and the crowning of ,he Pailmafesta Queen will .be held. With the primary elections for 4ueen Candidates closed, and the most )opular young women chosen to rep -esent each of the 45 counties, interest low centers on the selection of the Queen of all the state beauties, the most attractive and popular young wvoman in thi State. This selection vill be made in Colunrbia during Pal nafesta, pach admissio.. ticket to the fair grounds entitling the holder to )ne vote for Queen. The 45 candidates will be introduced to the audience :laily from the stage of the fashion review auditoriin, st, vnat a personal selection may be made. Voting for the queen will close on Thursday, March 31st, at noon and the crown ing ceremony will take place that Lvening. The Queen i Grand Ball will take place at the Jefferson Hotel ball room, Friday evenin, April 1st. During the week three mammoth parades will pass through the streets of Columbia, led by the World famous Scotch "Kilties" band; the baby par ade on March 30th; the Floral parade on March 31st; and the Trades Dis play parade on A pril ist. With the entries for these parades already signeld up and many of the floats already - t e f- !)Y h farl the lai t i p ,: . a thi section of the country. Many floats have (( !:t more than $500 to build. Fifty .Iuntel marshalls and scores of bico.y'e boy scouts will guide the line of r iarch. Eve" y preparation Is being made for th comfort and convenience of visitors. A room registry is being conductt I by the Columbia Chamber of Conniuerce and there will he ample acconmlad(ation for all in the many restaurtlaits, lunch rooms, hot< sW cafetri.-s, where nothing in adv m. if regrular 'ates will be charged. .\.i. imbile may be parked within the fair grounis and will be looked after by special attendents at a reasonable charge. JUDG[ HANDS OUT SOM[ STIFF SENTENCES 'Te fo.llowing cases were tried and sentenced last week after we vent, to press on Wednesday: In passing sen telce 1.1 e Judge suspended several months for good behavior and that they nte\ci' ergage in the liquor busi ness a gain, but, if they shouold be caught , then the sus cnoded time goes mito elk (et, andi without trial, but oni afidavi t they must serve the suspend ed time. -The liquor cases are: Remos White, one year, rone months suspendeil. L ou isi Scott, one year, six months stusplen ded. lHenry WVilIson, one' yeari, ten'i months suisperah dI. Ben I Joliday, onle yeari 3, six imoniths sspenl dd-a ppea led. J im 'Vay, (one yeari, six months suislicmad--appeatled. P inkneyoi Feler, sealhed seaten'ce. 11. l . D rakeford, one year, six mon this suispied.ed-iaeled. ILau renre G rillin d ispo3sin propieirty tinder lion, two yearis or $3001.00 twenty-nt monthIs siuspendled. Nea P'lowdlen, simpjle assatilt and ha tteiry, $1003(.00 tor thirity day s ini jail. WXilliama DingIe, grmiail hireeny, not guilty. I11li.. and JTilly Felder. idisposing of $500.00, Junly six months or $250.00.. Civil ('ases it. D). lTions vs. A. IP. Iliowie .iury re~iiturne a verict for uplaintif' ini the sum ofiti $22' .001, to blet restored'i the property anid a. imres oif $50).0 0. l'(dwardi Briunson vs. W. D). Willie andll Mris. WV. I). Younyi. Th e jiury re. tiuned a verdict for' phiinrt illT in the stum of $80.00. B t~ t he l~aw is where prioperty is taken by force of arms the vet'rd ict is a tom na ica lly t rebled . Tlheref'ore the lplain tiff will receiv $240.00. ('OUGHIS UP' I::LI.lT laanatIt, AlIa. Marich 22.--W-X. v. Mleadows,%' aged5 seven't'iy-e(igh)~t, oif th is place, veteran of(i the civil wari, andi shot in the eye at the battle of Vicks htirg ,July I , 1863, today ('oughed tip the bttllet and is in his usual gootd health. The bumllet, weighing atpprotxi.. muately one ounce has been lodged in his head fifty-eight years. Mr.. Mea dows was a miem'ber of ('ompanay G. Thirty-seventhi Alabama Infantry,I commandoed l i nol mavdln OCAL HAPPENINGS Of WlNTY YEARS AGO Miss Lucie Barroi, state librarian pent last Thursday in Manning. Miss Bessie Gerald of Camden, ii isiting her brother's family, Mrl. J, ). Gerald. Mrs. Sarah J. Tobias, the grand. nother of Mrs. T. 11. Timmons, is ex. remely ill. Miss Lillian Ilarvin of the Colum ia Presbyterian College for Women ame home last Monday night. Mrs. H. S. Briggs of Silver, ha ntirely recovered from her recent ill iess and was in Manning Monday. Rev. S. A. Nettles has had an at ack of grippe and is in Alanning 'isiting his sister, Mrs. E. C. Alls Prook. Married near Lake City on the 20t1 nst., by Elder .1. 1). Kendrick of th< second Advent Church, at the home o: he bride's father, Mr. .1. M. Cohia o Vatertown, Fla., formerly of Claren Ion, and Miss Estelle Strange o 3ayne, Fla. On the 17th inst., the Clarendon see ion was thrown into the throes of th ensational by an elopement which re mlted in a marriage. Mr. Dempse, Colb and Miss Anna Rodgers skippe >y the light of the moon, as othe overs had idone before, and they wer nade man and wife, but oil returnimt o the parented roof, report has it tha I warm-1 reception was given th room by his manna. Mr. and Mrs. T. Baker llayneswort >f Florence, are in Manning oin a vis t to Mrs. Hlayneswirth mother, M rs . E. Iluggins. 'ile name of "Packsville" wa 'hanged to 'Paxville" in order t Ivoid the annoyance of mind ani Freight being sent to "Parksville." Mr. Clarence Breedin has bough rrom- Mrs. I.. E. Hiuggins the coMe ot opposite Bradham's Mill, where I iitinnds to erect residlence. Little Edna Brockinton has returr L'd home from Charleston Very mue improved and we hope soon to see he pretty bright face ol oul streets. The county dispeisary proits f thle qImlrter enldingv December 31, 19M~ was $;,3l9.97. Mr. D. R. Reaves is hauling th lumher for the erection of a home o Rtailroad Avenue. IOCAL NEWN'S llS FOi TOWN O1 PA XVI I,. Miss Alice Broadway, at the home c Mi.-. T. R. Ow< ni. '!r-. J I!adg of ! n te v'isited his relativxes luar town. Mr. G. Henry Curtis complimn. Ci1 a few of his genth-leen friilds o last Thursday evening with a delighi ful fish stew and fry, at his beautift mill place near town. N:. C ar!:e .p t -.f t r 1 spent last. week with his brolher, .\l Jewii Itz.sprct i. 'Tiss Vivian) 1mIdon h17s nenNr signed ler position as pimiary teail er 'I th irr:A2 1 .ch ---. Th - : -u , . alnd patrons regret. to give her I Imo. , <1 posit i.,! i. bt.' ig , :.b filled by Miss IEva Bane itof Summ1nie ton. Mr's. S. I. I). WVise of' Flynian, r' cenitly visited her asistIeris, Mris. TI. Owen and M rs. .1 eti' ~la irt inl. By request of the locali Womiani Chiristian Tem'i)per'an'e Uion11 '"W. ized at, t' M\ethodtist ( htr n i la ioh C. WV. Dukes, niadle a strong Itrohih tin a1ppealI, strlesM ing~ the fact. thIiat is the dunty of every citizen to assi the oflicers of the hiw x in enItore ir these hi ws. 11ie sta:tted that the WV. T1. U. as one of the or'ganizations th: 11haiorne the hieavy end of thIeli hu will conti linueit tiht figtht I I sav x'priohi for' adilt'qilt' law en ftirctm'nt. 1 enluisitn, he laid t'mp 1hasisup ,ltudge Plitfoy'sx~ ("Puroiftier'") as ori has called him) striong~ charge~t to iI grlandt jury' in last week's coaurt. So dhay, aftt'erniion, Mrs. 1nmmai (;'ar. Diet rick spiokt' to aii assembillagei o beg~innig tin Mari ch IlithI and colim i'; unt il May' 10th. She t'numerait. 'Te ltw has:t Ilit llas ::l i i sll -i v 44lan 414 i.'' th it iis. At t h ' stati A i' ( nltrv - dwarf t spire' itd shrubi T44' 'hils tol mak41e f iiibeau- '4:4t aruug te . a 1. io .wf h wl mh aly t h i eors hesune is ovrwllge - (h i il tear an the (is i I i wue de.4 -0 servesit the thankace o the entisctire curc t. munit oor iTsdntiaftenortsn t