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Abbeville Press Established 1844. $2,00 the Year. Tri-Weekly. Abbeville, S. C., Monday, Jan. 17, 1921 Single Copies, Five Cents. 77th Year. TAKES FIVE LIVES L. S. BIGHAM, FOR WHOM OFFI-1 CERS SEARCH, FOUND DEAD I IN WOODS?THOUGHT TO BE SUICIDE FOLLOWING KILLING OF MOTHER, SISTER AND TWO ADOPTED CHILDREN Florence, Jan. 16?Temporarily in sane from brooding over financial difficulties and embittered by family troubles in which an estate worth nrobably $75,000 was at stake, L. S. Bigham yesterday afternoon, accord ing to the best information and be lief, shot his mother, his sister, the latfcer's two adopted children and then sent a bullet, crashing through his own brain. The dead are: Mrs. M. M. Bigham, Mrs. Marjorie VA. Blacfy Leo McCracken and John Mc Cracken and L. S. Bigham. All were evidently killed instantly ejccept Mrs. Bigham, the man's mother, who lived a few moments and the oldest child, who died at 5 o'clock this morning. The tragedy took place at the old Bigham home, five miles from Pamplico, Florence county, and 25 miles from this city. After slaying all within the house at the time, it is thought, Bigham went deep into the woods surround ing the place and fired a bullet into his brain. When his body was found at noon today his right hand still grasped the pistol. It was stated by the physician, who examined the body,, that Bigham had been dead more than 12 hours. The dead per sons were all shot^in the head in each case, the bullets entering just beneatn their .temples. None were shot more than once, although two balls were found near the back door that had missed their mark. The i large pistol used by Bigham still con tained- an unexploded cartridge which indicated that the man reload ed during his orgy of slaughter. Home Far Removed. The Bigham home is more than half a mile distant from any neigh boring house. None could be found today who had heard any shooting about the place. A large crowd gathered durinc thp dav and nassed from roor~ "j room viewing the dead. The sight was a ghastly one. On a bed in a downstairs room lay the aged mother and the youngest child, their faces covered with blood. In the adjoining room the oldest of the children lay on a bed where he diod at 5 o'clock this morning, and be-, side him the body of Bigham was placed when the searchers returned with it today. Upstairs in the room she usually occupied was the body of Mrs. Marjorie Black, oldest sister of Bigham. It lay on the floor just in front of the dresser. Until late this afternoon, when the coroner's jury completed taking evidence, the bodies were undisturbed. The funeral will probably be held tomorrow.' The corner's jury will not render a ver-i diet until further investigation has been made. f Although the tragedy is said to have occurred at 3:30 o'clock yester day afternoon, it was late last night before word of it reached Florence ounty officials and they immediately sent out dispatches asking officers in other towns to watch out for L. S. Bigham. First repbrts of the tragedy were conflicting and due to the fact that telephone and telegraph com munication with Pamplico last night was impossible to secure, it was not until today that the fr- ts became known. Brother Away at Time. Bigham's brother, Edmund Big ham, had left the house with his family in an automobile at 3:10 o'clock. He returned from a short isit to a neighbor's house about 20 minutes later and found his mother staggering toward the road. He jumped -from his car, but the aged woman died almost before he reached her. Others happened to drive by the house at that time and when they bore the body of Mrs. Bigham into the house they saw evidences of WADE S. COTHRAN DIES AT HIS HOME TODAY The friends of Mr. Wade S. Coth ran in Abbeville and elsewhere will be grieved to learn that he passed j away today at 4 o'clock. Mr. Coth |ran had been in failing health for a | year. Last spring he had a severe at I tack a^nd fo? awhile his friends were I apprehensive that he would not get well, but he soon recovered. During the past fall he suffered a slight stroke of paralysis, but he was kept at home only a few days as a result of this attack, his strong constitution standing him well in hand in recov ering. Since that attack he has been at>le to be on the streets of the city almost daily until the latter part of last week. News came *then that he was not doing well, but no one suspected that he was so seriously ill as it now appears. Early yesterday morning he was sitting in his bed-room with his daughter, Miss Margaret, when another atack of paralysis came- or.^ His physician was called and it at first appeared that the attack was slight and that he ' might soon rally. But the attack was more serious than was at first supposed. This morhing news came from his bedside that he was in a dying condition, and his death followed this afternoon. Mr Hothrnn was a son of the late Judge James S. Cothran. His mother was a daughter of Hon. Thomas C. Perrin, a distinguished ' lawyer of Abbeville. He was reared in Abbe ville and spent practically the whole of his life here. He was 61 years of age. ' About thirty years ago he was j married" to Miss Cornelia Branson, of1 Edgefield. She died only a few months ago. He is survived by one son, James S. Gothran, of Greenville, and his daughter, Miss Margaret, of this place, Hon. Thomas Cothran and W. C. Cothran, Esq., of Green ville, are brothers. In- addition to these he has many^kindred in Abbe ville. He made friends amongst all classes of people and these join with his kindred in lamenting his death. , Mr. Cothran was a member , of the Presbyterian church of this city, j Funeral services will be conducted at his late residence tomorrow after noon at 4:30. Interment will be at Long Cane cemetery. COTTON GOES UP. The Cotton market advanced sharp ly Saturday, January futures closing at 17:65. The market was weak to day in the early trading* but towards the close was stronger. January clos ed today at 17:70, while other ; months were up about 12 to 16 points j There was not m^ch change in the j1 Iniol 1R 1.9 />ontc hointr nhnilt. i the best offered for good cotton to- j day. VISITOR* FROM SPARTANBURG, j i Mr. V. 0. Hendley, a prominent business man from Spartanburg, was the guest of friends here from Satur day until Monday. bloo^ on the floor and began an in vastigation which1*- revealed the slaughter of three others. At the j coroner's inquest today Edmund Big ham testified that he had been away [ from the house only about 20 min utes. He had lefWiis brother standing in j the yard. The brother had been |' acting strangely for several weeks, he said, and did not appear to be 1 any more depressed yesterday than 1 usual. "When I got into the car ' with my family, to go to Pamplico I I left my mother and sister and the : children at their various occupations 1 and play. As far as I know there, 1 had been no quarreling during the 1 day. Instead of going straight to 1 Pamplico I went up' the road to see Bob Foxworth for a minute. As we came back we saw mother stagger ; out of the yard. I turned and caught i a glimpse of Smile (L S Bigham) | turning into the woods almost in a : a run. He had his right hand toward ( his breast as if he had something in i 'v.4. ! i'.::} ft ~oe any pistol. SCHOOL TEA* HOLD The first meeting of the school teachers throughout Abbeville Coun ty was held Saturday in the graded school building in this city. The meeting was well attended by the educational folk and a very profitable and enjoyable occasion it was. Supt. J. D. Fulp, president of the Abbeville County Teachers' Associa tion, called the meeting to order at 12:30 after a prayer had been of fered by Rev. George M. Telford, pastor of Long Cane Presbyterian church, who was an interested visitor at the meeting. No delay was had in getting the association right to work and after a few preliminary an nouncements the various teachers were asked.to visit one or more of the six class rooms where regular classes were being taught for the purpose of giving the teachers an opportunity to see how teaching in the grades, is being done by the competent corps of teachers in the Abbeville city schools. The. classes which were taught Satur day and observed by the teachers were those in reading in the first, second and third grades being super vised by Misses Clara Adams, Georgia Ott, and fcebecca Jones respectively. A class in writing was given by \f!cc Wi*a TTil<?nvo nno nf flip fnnrtll <-1 -- grade teachers in the Abbeville school. This work was being well done with the assistance of a Victrola which was something new to most of the visitors and many questions were asked Miss Kilgore about the advantages gained by the use of a Victrola in this subject. Miss Ruby Anderson gave a good exhibition of the correct way to teach the most im portant subject-of English grammar in the fifth grade. Miss Susie Lown, one.of our best, handled well a sev enth grade class in geography. About forty five minutes was given over to this feature of the program. At the conclusion of the classes the teachers and their guests were invit ed to partake of a delightful luncheon which was served them by the Abbe ville Parent-Teacher association as sisted by some of the pretty local /iU a Tli a wi a*mi rt nrolffnr] a ^ O Lcatiicio. x lie menu tuuoioi-cu v/jl a, bountiful helping of real chicken sal ad with lettuce, homemade pickle, saltines, charlotte russe and coffee. It was a repast fit for a king and everyone present did full justice to the luncheon. Dr. Bailey Addresses. A breathing spell of fifteen min utes was permitted after the luncheon had disappeared when the president again called the association to order and invited Dr. B: B. Bailey, the evangelist conducting the revival ser s-ices at the Abbeville Baptist church, to speak to the teachers. Dr.. Bailey proved to be a genius at entertaining teachers, especially, and his talk was well received by them. It was full of witticisms and genuine humor, but l-V>w\iiif oil f?or? o uoi'n n*f {rpnial philosophy which w^s entirely fitting and approprite to the occasion. v Mr. Martin, the singer with Dr. Bailey, was intreated to leave the bevy of pretty teachers who sur rounded him long enough to tell a few good jokes and sing a touching little ditty to the unmarried peda ?ogs. Following Mr. Martin, Supt. Pulp called upon Mr. Telford who, as always, had a word of encourage ment for the struggling teachers and { bit of good advice to them. Rev. Louis J. Bristow, the beloved pastor of the Abbeville Baptist :hurch, followed Mr. Telford and in bis usual pleasing manner created general merriment with some of his inimitable iokes and ended his re marks by saying that Dr. Bailey was working for him this week and had already made the speech for both of them. Paul Mann's Policy. County superintendent Evans had previously begged off from making a speech but superintendent-elect Paul Mann had not made the neces sary preliminary arrangements to be excused and responded to his invitar tier to address those over whom he will soon take supervision, with a CHERS FORTH HERE / rattling good speech. Mr. Mann stat ed that it was his belief that a teach er who would not give one day in thirty to her county association was not much of a teacher and that he expected to do everything in his power, upon taking office July.l, tcf aild up the educational system in Abbeville County to. a high state of efficiency and judging from the ap plause the teachers gave him at the conclusion of his address, it is cer tain. that they have high hopes of Mr. Mann's ability to accomplish his aims in a thorough manner. Prof. Galloway of the Erskine Col 1 oo>o -faonltv uroo nrocont ?anr? lio added a few words of appreciation of the teachers''efforts and of the value of a county association 'for teachers. Prof. J. McTyelre Daniel, principal of the Abbeville High School, was the last man called upon and flattered himself that he constituted the same part of the' program that^ the sweet loes upon the menu and his remarks were well received by the association. Miss Frances Wfdeman, principal of the Due West school was the next teacher to speak and in her usual able manner gave a hasty appreciation of the duties lying before teachers and of her appreciation of the efforts ex erted to interest the county teachers in their association. Mrs. Charles Gilliam, principal of ?e Warrenton school also spoke for a few minutes telling how her dis- j .l ict built the splendid new building J hey recently erected for the Warren ton children. FollowingJVIrs. Gilliam's talk Dr. Bailey again stated ' how much he had enjoyed meeting with the teacJi-! ers and how deeply he was impressed . with the earnestness which he dis-1 cerned by the remarks made by the I different teachers of their sincerity! in trying to give the children of Ab-| jeville County the best advantages! possible. Election of Officers. Following Dr. Bailey's remarks the president stated that it was now time to elect officers of the association for 1921. Supt. Fulp stated before open ing nominations for president that he tViniicht Vip sVimilH nnt hp nnminntprl provided anyone present feeling a bit embarrassed by his name not be ing offered would think it proper to j nominate him. He stated that he had j taken the lead last January in resur recting the paralyzed or dormant as sociation, that a complete roster of the Abbeville County teachersj had been secured, that there was some money in the treasury, and splendid material in the association for a new leader, and that he advised a ne president for the year. In spite of his suggestion Mr. Daniel took the chair and Supt. Fulp was unanimously re elected as president. Mr. Fulp ac cepted only upon condition that every teacher who had voted for him would pledge their assistance and loyalty in helping him make a real association of the body. ? Miss May Robertson, principal of the Abbeville graded school, was like wise unanimously elected vice-presi dent, IJJiss Rebecca Jones, treasurer, and Mrs. Charles F. Gilliam, secre tary.. / ' Next Meeting Here. Following the election of officers Mr. Daniel reported that the execu tive committee recommended that the next meeting be held in Abbe ville, February 19 and that the sub ject for round table discussion be consolidation of rural schools. A leader for this discussion will be an out-of-the county speaker secured for the occasion and will be one who is an expert on this vital <;ubject. It is being urgently requested by the teachers that the boards of trustees .hroughout the county send at least s.ne of their number to hear this dis cussion. To Due West in March. The Due West teaphers through Miss Wideman, issued an invitation o the teachers to hold the March meeting in Due West on the 19th. This cordial invitation was heartily DR. TRUMAN J. CRIMES DIED YESTERDAY News was received in Abbeville early yesterday rftorning by Mr. J. I D. Kerr announcing the death of Dr. Truman J. Crymes, at his home in Greenwood. - , Dr. Crymes, who is well known in Abbeville, and who is a brother-in i law of Mr. Kerr, has not been well ' for sometime. Several years ago he underwent a serious operation and since that time he has never been strong. For the past year his health has not been good, but he was not thought to be in a serious condition. Saturday he was at his office as us ual. Going home that evening he be came unwell, and later in the night a physician was called. He seemed to grow better until yesterday morning, when he wa.s stricken again, death following before his physician coifld arrive. ' 1 Mr.-and Mrs. Kerr left at once for Greenwood on receiving the news. Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Horton, who are also related to Dr. Crymes, went over to Greenwood yesterday ' also. They will remain in Greenwood to attend the funeral services which are to be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock. / Dr. Crymes was one of the most distinguished d^jtists in this sec tion. By application to his professon and industry he had made a success in life. He was; married a good many years ago to Miss Elizabeth Kerr, who along with an only son, J. Westmoreland Oymes, a young at turney ui ureeiiwuuu, survives liic j deceased. WILL KAY CAPTURED. / Will Kay, who filled a negro nam- j ed Madden near Level Land, in this county, more than a year ago, and who ran away from the farm of Joe M. H. Ashley, his bondsman some rime ago, has been captured in New \ York and Mr. Ashley has gone for him and will bring him back to Ab beville in the.next few days and lapd him in the county jail. Mi\ Ashley has been looking for Kay for sometime. At the last term of the court an orde/was made re quiring Mr. Ashley to show cause why he, should not pay the bond in to court, the return to be made at the approaching term of the court. The finding of the negro relieves Mr. Ash ley of responsibility for this bond, which was for one thousand dollars. SOUTHERN IMPROVEMENTS Material for the work to be done on the Southern is arriving in good time, three carloads coming in Mon day. The work will soon be under way and the Southern will be a thing <yf beauty and a joy forever. This im provement is being brought about I by Secretary Barnes of the Chamber of Commerce. ' THE NEWS IN FORT PICKETS The street paving in > ort Pickens . is the big news over there these days. The guttering is down from Chest nut street up f.o the top of Clark's Hill and grading is going on energet ically. The work will soon be com pleted and folks from the suburb can get into the city without getting , their feet wet. .. , A GIFT TO THE HOSPITAL < Mr. Edwin Parker, who aways has ] the love of Abbeville in his heart, i has just presented the County Me- < morial Hospital with a fine rolling ] chair. This gift is greatly apprecia- , * ' * x. 1 -.^11 tea Dy xne management aim win j make the convalescence of every > patient easier and more rapid. accepted by the association and thev>< are looking forward to a rousing1 jd time in the famous old town in < March. < The recommendation of the execu tive committee was unanimously adopted so the next meeting of the 1 association will be held at 12:30 p. i m. in the Abbeville graded school. 1 Saturday, February 19. ! 1st Grade?Highly distinguished: Albert Gilliam, Adelaide Philson, Sa- , rah Neuffer. Distinguished: Claude% Harrison, Francis McLane, Elizabeth McCord, Edna Schell, Rebecca Smith, Elizabeth Stephens, Lavinia Wilson, Jessie Wilson, William Henry Hill, Roy Gilleland, Roy Mundy. 2nd Grade?Highly distinguished: T? _ fl JL 1 "? * T* ? augema oweienourg, xviary cenion, Distinguished: William .Cheatham, Bennie Evans, Woodrow Perkins, -3 Mary Maxwell, Marnie Reese, Man- j ning Bauknight, Edwin McCuen, "'J Walter Hagan, Edward Roche. 3rd Grade?Highly distinguished: Jane Harrison, Florence Sprouse, Frances Kennedy, Helen Gambrell. Distinguished: James Culbertson, Cassel Ferguson, Mabry Miller, Lad-' son Perrin, James Reynolds, Gerald ine Carter, Ovelle Gilliam, Ollie Frith Frances Johnson, Frances McComtr, Annie Rogers, Willie Ramey, Marga ret Culbreth, Norma Flynn, Suzanne Link, Claude Neuffer, William Mar Lin, i.Tijrcri xuiiaxwii, irimi y jl/i ciiiiaiiy Sara DuPre, Viola Thomas. . j . Fourth Grade?Highly distinguish ed: Sam Shiver. Distinguished: Henry Power, Lillian Coleman, Mary Chal mers, Sarah Evans, Margaret Max well, Lillie-Pruitt, Charlotte^ Reese, Lennie Reynolds, Sarah Smith, Sarah Thomson, Edna White, Anne Smith, Emily Morse, Bill Dawson, Eleanor DuPre, Leon McCord. 5th Grade?Highly distinguished: Susan Minshall' Adair Aiken' Jose phine Barnwell, Minnie Ella Sweten burg, Estelle Lyon. Distinguished: Elizabeth Fant, Mary N. Perrin, Ma bel Richardson, James Fulp, John Mc Murray, Fraser Perrin, Charles Fin ley, Mabel Bradley, Martha Calvert. 6th Grade?Hierhlv distineuished: * John Harrison. Distinguished: -Thel ma Bauknight, ElizaBeth Corley, Mar garet Flynn, Margaret Stallings, Edith Grubb, Pat Howie, Frances Jones, Otis McMurray, George Tel ford, Louise Uldrick, Alma Wilson, ;J Elizabeth Beeks, Anna Jones, Alma Gaston. 7th Grade?Highly distinguished: Ada Perrin, Rachel Minshall. Dis tinguished'c William Greene, James McComb, Ellen Nabers, Stella Seitz. Mary Stallings. MILL SCHOOL Distinguished: Jennie R. Whitten, . J. C. Able, Grady Clark, Ida Powell, Dale Fleming, Eula Denard, Ruby * n _ l_ * ? T7? O T 1- A LI. n.ooinson, anuria opence, uacn. nuie, Joe Gurley, Charles Smith, Mary Lucy Harelson. HIGH SCHOOL \ Highly distinguished: Jennie White Lillie Milford, Grace Milford. Distin guished: Foster Barnwell, Robert Link, Emory Penney, Ellis Poliakoff, Judith Hill, Lucy Highsmith, Virginia Wilson, Carolina Chalmers, Helen Cromer, Mary S. Gilliam, Mary Jones Elizabeth' Lyon, Deborah Owen, Ruth Coleman, Carrie Hawthorne, Mary White, Annie Wilson. GREENWOOD BANK CLOSES The Peoples Bank of Greenwood :losed its doors this morning on ord ers from the State Bank Examiner, rhe Bank was unable to meet its ob ligations owing to heavy loans to a few of its customers on real estat-i security. Assistant Bank Examiner W. W. Bradley was in Abbeville today and when questioned about the bank, hfi stated that the bank was solvent in lis judgment, and that depositors tvould be paid in full and all the de mands on the bank would be mel. rhe assets of the bank Mr. Bradley stated were in round numbers $1, 250,000, while the liabilities were, only a little more than $1,000,000. Benj. F. McKellar is president of ihe bank. C. E. Klugh is assistant :ashier. / Bob Greene spent Sunday in Van Wyck, which is a wide place in the *oad somewhere on the Seaboard, jut Mr. Greene thinks it a fine placs* .0 spend the Sabbath.