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SectionS Onee PagesPages to 8 VOL. XLI MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1921 T\ -n BIGHAtI GUILIOF MURDER I AND SENTENCED TO DIE Ii Jury. Returns Verdict in Short Order- c Prisoner Is Heard-Sticks to a Plea of Innocence. Face S Turns Ashen When b Judge Speaks II fl SLATED TO DIE APRIL EIGHT ti ai Attorney Announies Plan to Take a Case Before The Supreme t Court. b Flirence, March 28.-Edmund Big- i ham, charged with killing his brother and four others, was found guilty of murder of his brother here today and sentenced to die April 8. i A Florence County jury came near " equaling the record for speedy justice i in bringing in its verdict in the case of Bigham charged with the murder 0 of his brother, L. Smiley Bigham, his mother, Mrs. M. M. Bigham, his sis- a ter, Mrs. Margie Bighani Black, and Leo and John McCracken, the little adopted children of Mrs. Black. The case was given to the jury at 11 1.15 o'clock this afternoon at 3.25 fol lowing a recess to 3 o'clock, and after a wait of sonie minutes to bring the prisoner into court ,the jury's verdict tl of guilty of murder was read to a court room crowded with spectators. C Then, after a painful wait of min- n utes while the clerk of the court (l searched for the ceremonial of the ar- h raignment for sentence, and an h haranque by the prisoner in response n to Judge Memminger's question if he el had anything to say in his own behalf. the death sentence was pronounced SI and highain knew that lie as to (lie I M on Friday, April 8, unless the Supreme In court grant. a reversal of the verdict it on the appcal which Attorney A. L. ti King announced his intention to make. I Smile Is Wiped Off. p Bigham's stolid indifference to ev- 01 erything around him, his apparent in. c< ability to grasp the solemnity of the St proceedings or of the seriousness of b his own position, his readiness to re- b( spond with a smile on less than no B provocation, all passed when the pris- ti oner came into court to hear the ver- a: dict. He resuimled inl part his role of in- li jured innocence when he sat in the 1-1 (lock for final arraignment. For a wv time he leaned forward his head rest- fl ing on his hand as if he prayed for 8t strength to go through the ordeal lie L had been called upon to pass. lie si listened with ,to special interest while in his attorney i hved for a new trial and B while Judge Meniminger, in refusing Ni it allowed with much feeling to the ti fact that Bigham's father had while a cC State Senator from Florence County c cast, his vote in favor of putting .Judge Memminger on the bench. The shocking import of the whole h thing seemed to rea<'h him slowly, but s( as its realization progressed by de- b grees, the ashen pallor that had shown Il in his face all day became more rc marked, the aid of bravado passed into fv a pitiable weakness that caused the il man to look here and there about the fl audience with the expression of a il hunted aninial surrounded by ien who h( sought its life.. The old Bigham had passed and didl not show again un- L til Judge Memminger asked him what a he had to say that sentence should Ii not be pronounced arainst him. Then, w' leaning forward on the railing of the B prisoner's dock and in a voice that vas A calm and unshaken, the prisoner spoke w as follows: "I have nothing to say b except that I am innocent. I know ef nothing of how that crine was com- I mitted. That is the truth, so help me God." "That's all I hafe to say. I ft! wish my mother could Come down and n tell hov the thing happened. I wish p that little boy had lifed when I asked p Dr. Poston to safe his life. 1e would si have told the same things I and my Li wife .told. .Judge, T hope you wvill give TI me time so some of the people wvho' el testified here against me may have a chance to come forward and tell the F truth and( not come too late like .Judas Il making his offering of the thir- n ty pieces of silver." "I do0 want to hi sa ysomething .more. I hope you will g take no exception to it. As far as n you arc concernedi I have hadl a fair si trial. But if people hadl had~ time to think things over, considler and take n it up with their God, they would have o testified dlifferently." a Asked to Explain Pistoln When asked to explain the finding w, of his pistol in his brothe'r's handi. si Bigham saidl: "I left that pistol in my it bureau drawer and it has been testi- w. led that the (door was found broken t I open. That is the only way Smiley' h could have got it." If I amn guilty I sl hope I may be petrified in front of LI this courthouse, just as I wvas that if day or as i am now. I am as inno- LI cent as a new born baby."w Bigham's show of weakness at tho end~ may have been in sonic measure dueI to the fact that he wvas not sus- n tained by the presence of his wife and' S children wniose dlevotioni has been 5') e marked a feature of the trial. When b it was announacedl that the jury was LI about to return to the court room Mrs. q Bigham and the children left and n heard the news of the verdlict and sen- o tence while in the office of the clerk tl of court dlownstairs. Mrs. Bigham i1 fainted when she heard tihe verdict, hi andl Mrs. Worrell the wife of a w Flobence policeman, who has been her h constant companion (luring the trial, n: went to the court rooni for a dloctor. o Dri. E. M. Hicks attendlel Mrs. Big- s ham andl when she was .mnade coni- ti fortable she was taken back to Mrs. Worrell's boarding house where she it has been a guest, h A recordl attendance markedl tihe h final (lay of the. trial, ,the percentage S of women growing gr'eate r than ever h and their mnmiest ineres ..:.ib.. in . reasing. It was an orderly crowId, owever, and only once during the day id the Judge have occasion to rebuke ny outbreak on the part of specta )rs. Attorney A. L. King began his argu ient for the defense shortly-ifter the )urt opened. Mr. King read impres ively from the gospel according to t. Matthew 26 and drew the ananlogy ntwcen this case and the false wit- i ess's against the Savior, and then *om St. Matthew 27 the demand of ie mob for the release of Barabbas nd the crucifixing of Christ. The I .torney handled this delicate proposi on- very effectively and without ringing upon himself any show of heling upon the part of listeners. It as a daring thing to do and he did I well. Attorney Is Warned As Mr. King warned up to his at ck on the prosecution for introdue !g the Arrowsmith testimony and be in to vent his opinion on the Arrow mith fee of $5,000 for straightening it the affairs of the Bigham estate. r. Gasque rose and asked that such tacks be stopped. Judge Memminger promptly assert I the court's prerogative and gave r. King notice that any further at '_ks of such nature would result in s being denied the privilege of fur ier argument and anpther attorney appointed to presefit the case to e jury. Mr. King at this period, and more tensively at the close of his argu ent, apologized to the court, the Bar ie jury and the spectators for what had done, took al Ithe blame upon iself and said he hoped the jury ould not allow his outburst to influ ice their attitude toward his client. Aside from this incident Mr. King's )eech was impressive and was pro uiced by those who heard it to be a asterly piece of advocacy. At times was not colicive and this fault was e principal one a literay critic might we urged against it. Mr. King relied Incipally upon the defense's theory the insanity of Smiley Bigham, his mmitting of tlie murders and his ibsequent suicide. He did, however, ing into his speech the testimony aring upon the alleged insanity of igham's father and laid stress upon e ,prejudice shown by neighbors rainst the defendant. The presentation of the case by So- I 'itor Gasque is said by lawyers and t ymen to have been an exemplary ork of its kind. He connected his Lets in logical sequence. From the I .i of -January, when it is set forth I at Edmund D. Bighani whipepd his I ;ter because she accused him of steal I 9 certain papers connected with the igham estate, until the day when I rs. Bigham tried to smuggle a bot- I e of chloroform into her husband's 41, Mr. Gasque did not leave an un mnected link in the 'story. .In No Way Entitled The story ran that Edmund ). Big im, the son of a rich father who had i ld his interest in the estate to his 'other and sister and gone away for any years, had heard of differences gardl g the recent disposition of his ther's estate and hastened home to ject himself as a factor into these mily <disputes, in the hope of recover g an interest in property to which was in no way eiftitled. ' From the time of his appearance in I e Iigham household there had been succession of hickerings and dis- i Ites, culminating in the incident hich drove Mrs. Marjorie Higham i lack to Florence, where, at Attorney i.iowsmith's oflice, sh1e had made a ill, giving everything she had to her 'other, Smiley Bigham, to whom she mfided the care of her old mother id her two little adopted childrei. In this will she had! set forth her t ar to some person, whom she did not i ime in the will, who had obtained >ssession of three deeds covering i operty- of her estate, which she had I gned in blank. Following this came e dleclaration (of Sm iley Bigham 0n0 uiesdlay followving the visit to F'lor ice, when he saidl to Mr's. Kirton, as r's. K irton sa id on the stand, that I dlmundl Iigham was cutting upl and< reatening to kill all of them. "I iam - t afraid (of him, but Margie is. IfI will behave himself I am goling to yve hi ma p)ece (of land, though hie is >t entitled to it, for lhe has had his inre." Another in cidlent prioving a dIistinct otive for' the criime wvhichi the solicit -emphasized was the testimony of' a agro( that Smiley had remionstr'atedl ithi Edmund foir paying so much for I Ood-cutters; that Edmund had re-t nated this; that Smiley had said that< was his imioney, and that before hie I 00uld have it wastedl he wvould go in e woods andl settle with the hands mnsel f; that Edmiundl replied with a low (If temper that the business in I me wiioods was his end of it and that I Smiley cafuie there he wvould stay lore, ''and,"' said Mr., Gaiuque, ''le< ent there andl never canie back."'' M(Ithler Feared Meeting Mr. Gasque also dwelt on the testi o~nyeoif the negro witness, Andrewj indgetai'y, who( wvent to the wVods in a >ipainy wvith Smiiley Bigham after< 3mig asked to (10 so by Smiley's mio-t mer', who said she feared the conse- I eaces of Smiley's meeting with Ed und in the wvoods. He set forth that ~her testimiony to the effect that in I me wvoods Edmund Bigham carried l ie same revolver, that was found in t is brother's hands when his body as found. He toldl howv Singletary 1(d left the wVoodls after seeing Ed uimd call to Smiley and the dlepar'ture I the two men in the dlirction of the< ot where Smiley's body was found me next day. Fm~m thei'e on Mr. Giasque pictured his suniming up that, after killing is brother in the woods, Edlmund Big im had gone home; that on noticing miley's failure to return, Mr's. ig 'ti andl Mr's. Black had accused Ed. - undl of (doingr away with him; tha .OCAL HAPPENINGS Of TWENTY YEARS AGI April 3rd, 1901 Mrs. Dr. A. Becker an( child ail -ived in Mamning on Sunday ar luartered at Mrs. H1. D. Plowden's. Mrs. Sallie D'Ancona accompaniie >y her mother, Mrs. M. Levi, returii d to her home in Chicago last Swl lay. Mrs. J. Levy, who has been visitini drs. Abe Levi in Manning, returne o her home in Philadelphia last Sui lay. Mr. Lawson MeLeod has take harge of the express business of thi own, and the office will be located i is street railway office in the J. W dcLeod building. The office bein; ocated in the business portion of th own will be a great convenience t he public. Mrs. P. B. Thames went to Char eston Monday night to attend th radluating exercises of the South Cai lina Medical College that took plac n the Academy of Music last night daniing is represented among th ,raduates by Mr. J. T. Stukes, Jr., i lie medical class and Mr. Plume :lark in the pharmacy class. Mi "lark has also the distinction o tanding second in a class of fifteen. One day last week a bank known a lie "Bank of Columbia" shipped b lie Southern Express Company mekage containing $5000 in mo-i vhen the package reached New Aof he consignee opened it, and it wa ound that instead of greenbaclk lips of paper cut the size of bill vas received. The supposition is th he package was tampered with arte t left Columbia. iErGETO WN 3ILl WILL RESUMlE WVOtI Georgetowi, March 29.-lt has bee lefinitely announced that the bi 4o. 2 mill of the Atlantic Coast Lum er corporation will resume opera ion Wednesday. This fact is receive .s very cheerful and cheering new: .s this, means the reemployment o nany hands now idle in this con: nunity, and a much increased pay oIl. Further than this, it seems larbinger of better times near ahiea< vith the probability of the entir ,lant being placed on a full tim asis before 0ong. Because of the high rail rates o uimber, the coastwise schooner trad s fast becoming a big factor i :eorgetown), five lage sceooner: our of them four- masters, are load ng cargoes at the docks today. Other re coning. A number-of smaller mills through ut th County have never shut dow 11 during the ilull period, but kep L it and are niaking small but stead: hipments by water. Because of the prosperous fishin nidustry, the lumber mills running o n tistry, the lumber mills running o mnrt time basis ,the extensive resump ion of the naval store business, th nreasing amout or builiing op rations goilig on, Georgetown ha.1 een a favored spot economicall, A abor is reasonable and plentiful, actor which is iakiig itself felt wit hose looking for desirable farm Ih fter gettilig his dinler and preparinii o go to Pamiiplio 1e had put his fain ly iml the automobile inl the garagu et the motor going and, while thi 0oise drowned the reports of his pist( I wiped (lult oif (x i-tence all thos ho stood to accuse him i of the crim f his brother's mu arder. By this mieanis Mr. Gasquie exol' ratedl Mirs. Ed mund Blighami of guilt nowledge of what. her hiusbanid hai lone, and ex phained the extraordlii ry dlevotion of hiis family to the de nditant's initer'est s from thie tinme ii is airrest tiL today. Listeni, F'mniad Bighami The' miost impriessive p)oint of Mi,1 aisque's sumimiiis upl was r'eache vheni he stoodt facing the dlefendani '"Listen, Edmiund Highaim. Liste 7herie is a tjiec calling you. Loot Gdmund. There is a manu standin here iln front (If youi. It/'s youir briothl r, Smiley, aind he is callinig to you t ell you that, wvh ile he forgives, h tandls as your acculser' foir the crim f hiis murder." D~uring this dra matie episode Big am sat wvith his eyes fastened upo lie solicitolr ,and~ not one twvitc'h of niuscle nor one( ne(rvoius movenment ex ept the taplping of his feet displaye he fact that lie even hieaird what th irosecutoir was saying. .Judge Memiminger's charge to th uvy, while, couched in legal veirbiag< vas as lamn and11( undlerstandlable as hild's primer. It left no doubt as t he0 prioper interplretation of those Lw undamarentails of criminal law, malic forethought and reasonable doubt 'he charge was very brief. The jur iatenedl to it most attentively, andl~ it onclusion broke a nervous tensio aat had held every pe'rson in the cour 0oom from~ the very open'iing of Mi Folowing the char'r- Judlge Mew iinger announicedl ai '(eCss until 'clock. The jurors remained in their aeat or a Lime and until the c'ourt hous van empty. They then wvent to (linne nd thgeir considleri tion o fthe cas van given withmn the space of abou n houi., thu sending the niost impor ant criminal t'rial in the history o "Joreiice counlty, and pirobably th niost ilmnortannf- in the Stae NEWSY ITMS F [ROM PAXYILI The Paxville High School Baske Ball Team played "the Jordan schoo ehere on last Tuesdny afternooni. The -core stood 38 to 38. The Paxvillj team expects to-go to Jordan on iix Tuesday afternoon to prove out whosi best. , Miss Pauline Williams of Sumter is visiting her friend, Mrs. Jesse R Sprott. Miss Lucile Geddings returned t Columbia College on . Monday afte spending the Easter holidays with he parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Geddings Mr. Jeff Martin and family ar< visiting their relatives at Summer ton. Miss Dorma Minis of Sumter, spen Easter with her friend, Miss Lucil Geddings. The r farmies of the community at preparing their lInd and getting ready to make a crop this year with out the use of ro much "high price< fertilizers." SI.rs. Elma Tisdale, and son, Willian _ returned to their home at Sumte 0 Monday, fter a week-end vi::it witi. Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Geddings. Mr. C. Andy McLeod, of Arcadia Fia., came Saturday to spend a tei day furlough with his parents, Mr .nd Mrs. W. R. McLeod. Mr's. Alex Rodgers and baby, o Kingstree, are visiting her mother Mrs. Annie E. IHeilong. Mr. L,. S. Barwick has r'ecenitl' opened a grocery business in the stori building made vacant by Mr. Pou I1er long. ' Mr. .J. N. Brown, a life long resi dent of this community died sudden ly at his home near here on las Phursday morning in his 76th year t He had been in failing health fol r some months, he having suffered fron heart trouble. consequently his deatl was not entirely unexpected. Th funeral services were held FridaN morning at the old family burying ground, conducted by his pastor. th< Rev. Hill. The large colncour-se o t friends attending the funeral and th< beautiful floral tributes testified t< - the high esteem in which he was held - lIe was a charter member of the Pax 1 .1lle Baptist church, and for a long ;,'time a trustee of the Iaxville grade( f school, and in his private alfairs wa: - a congemia l and affable man. le en - listed in the Confederate army serv ,I ing gallantly throughout the war., af l , ter which ho vn -:red l it, f-,rrlivit -i ns' t accumulate.1 'oLi~ie'.- 'li e le was k-,l.vi as one of the' sustan tial citize:, of the community il ii which he lived. H is wife was Mis e IHlarriet. T i', and to them were borr I several chi1 ren, six of whom ate liv ing, two a-I'b pted children, and a lar'g< - nuibetr of ,randch ildren. His faimlily S connections were piobably the Iarg est in the country. WO.FFOlmi MUSICIANS IIEARD AT COLU;.Xl:'1i .The Woff orld college glee club am *jazz orchestra delighted the gir'ls o the college and all who hearid then last night with their entertainmen at Columbia college. This was the 14th amual visit of the Wof ford college glee club to the college The club consists of 20 men. 'lhe progra nwas divided into tw< parts, the Iirst part including. "Th Wiay of the World," by the glee club a flute solo, "Salut ('Armour," by S A. Lanham; 'An Old Fashioned Town, by Walter lerbert; a quartet, "Benl demeer's Stream," Walter IHTerbert, S A. Laim.1. 0. Smith, .1. E. Spirott s reading, ''GI-npa's Cortship'' .1 I 0. Sith; ring trio, G. C. Brown, It 1 A. iHiggira and C. II. Ward; "'htoney 'e Town,'' the glee club. Part two began wvith the singing ot - "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," by th< v glee club and included "Y'our' Eyer I IIlave Told Me So,'' the orchestira; -readling, '"C ourting Unrder Diflicul - ties," J1. 0. Smiith;, quartet, "I Love IYou Truly," and ''A F~amily Affair,' Sprott, Smith, Herbert, and1( Lanihanm solo, "I'll Sing Thee Songs of Araby,' - W. A. LeathI; saxap~hone solo, '"Lone. 'I somie, Tlha t's All,'' W. Britton. TIh< t enlter'tainmenc~t closed with the singing oif the "Winter Song,'" andl "A la 'Mater," by the glee club. The pers~onneil of the club conisist5 of Mr's. A. G. Blloteky, dlireetress; W - C. lierbert and WV. A. Leath, soloist. i J1. 0. Smith I, reader; WV. A. Britton saxaphonist and G. C. Browna, accom Spanuit; first tenor, ,J. F. Spr'ot, . I B - E. H. Tatum ; second~ t''nor', J. W I Stokes, WV. 1L. Gray, Jr'., J1. 0. Smith P . D. Black, C. HI. Ward; first bass - WV. A. Leath, W. C. Hlerbert, HI. Stoke. I W. A. Black; second bass, S. A. Lan ham, L. C. Sandlers, JT. L,. Rogers. Tlhe jazz orchiestria consists of th( L' followving memibers: G. C. Br'own '' piano; R. A. HIiggins, mandolin; D). D) Black, cornet; J1. W. Stokes, ukelele 3 G. HI. Ward, guitar; S. A. Lanham~i a saxaphone; WV. A. Brit ton, saxaphone H I. Stokes, snai'e di'ums; E. H1. Ttatum manager; J. 0. Smith, assistant man 'age'r; R. A. Higgins, musical jnanager The boys were entertainedl by the 1cabinet members of the colleg, Y. W (. . A. last night at supper in the din. -tmg r'oom.-'The State. PLAY C'HESS AGAIN s Hrabana, March 30.-Play in the e fifth game of the world's champion r ship chess; match between Dr. Eman. e uel Lasker andl Jose R. Capablati t, was adjourned early this morning nft - er 30 moves had been mnade. Th< f game will be re(sumed tonighit. Th< e four previous games played resulte. in drawvs CAROLINA DECISION HALTS HOOZE DRIVE Liquor To Be Returned-In Some Cases, Says Commissioner Kram er-Large Quantities Tied Up. Washington, iar. 27.--Little liquor will have to be returned to owners as a result of a recent ruling of the United States Circuit Court in South Carolina that the Volstead act super seded the internal revenue laws inso far as they apply to intoxicating li quors, Prohibition Commissioner Kra mer said tonight. The assertion was made in commenting upon the action ilNew York yesterday of federal of eials ml halting a raid on the ground that the ruling made seizures under the revenue laws illegal. The ogreat bulk of the liquor seized )y 0h government, Commissioner Kramer declared, was taken under the Volstead act while being transported illegally and this liquor would of course be unaffected by the new in terpretation of the law. lie added that he did not know how much liquor may have been seized in various parts of the country under the revenue laws but expressed the belief it was not a considerable quantity in comparison with the total amount seized since prohibition became a law. Return of some liquor probably would be necessary where it had been seized under the revenue laws, Mr. Kramer asserted, adding that while some of it may have been destroyed, large quantities are still awaiting de termination of' their status by courts. Mi. Kramer said lie believed the South Carolina ruling would not great I.y interfere wvith prohibition enforce niett. At present, he said, very lit tle real iquor is being taken by fed eral agents in raids. M1Iost of the il legal iquids seized, lie explained, were imitation concoctions transported by bootleggers for sale as old established brands of liquors. GOVERNOR CALLS FOR .IiUY ACTION )orsey Wants Georgia Authorities to Go Thoroughly Into .Jasper County Case. Atlanta larch 29.-Investigation by the Jasper county grand jury of the death of eight negro laborers on the farml of Johnl S. Williams, wealthy plantation owner with a view to indictment of Willi:.iims aol Clyde Maiing, a negro, who told oticials Williais had the ilegroes slai because of' the ir resistimee to peonage, and also to inquire into any possible connection with the afl'air o'f Williams' tlree sons was asked to day by Governor omrsey. The governor' ,after' a coniference with state and fcderal ollicials, tel eglllaphefd Judge A. 13. Parks of the Oci ulgee judicialI cireciit askiniit him to call a special term of Newton mity superior vtci-i April 11 ifor' - j1 k2u jIV to ; v.k 'he . Il (I lits 1n-l asked ani earl-- rid - Williams and Manning in Newton co- !ty. At the sanw tinoa h I 'rml movigf~ton :'-!mnm' . I md: S; licitor G eneral A. M1. Brand of' the Stone Moniitaiil circuit had (I eclared Williams and Mann'ng would go to trial at Covi ne.t on within three weeks. They are already under in dictmeint there in connection with the finding of tle bodies of thre'ee legroes allegr to l'i've bee' t. m io fh county and drowned. Mr. lirand and -.1udge 1 ohn 11 R. Hi t'-s', eft Co. - mgton tod!,y for Aflat a to :sco:; e mat ieir with the gov( rino'. GI irbaam Wrritrht ,aeSistant Ftat.' a. torney genmeral, will aid ill the Jasper count % , 1m% -st i"'at icln, it wa.4 :m,, Inounced at thle aovernior's oflice. Goy ernoi' lorseyv todlay S Pent several houris in conf'erence with MiNr. Wrighlt, A ttorney General D~enny, Solicitor Genei'al Doyle Campb~ell of the Oc imulgee ci rcuif; anad fedei'al agents whol have bieen iinqu iing inito the al leged pe(Inagec coanditins. Cur renoti reporifs thalt, negroes were prleparmlig to rise agaIinlst whui te resi denits in sections of Jasper' andI New ton .ouniltes wei'e the sublject of a gr'anid jury investigationm at Coving toii and it was said oflic'ials pie senteud eviden'lce dfesignedl to show certam iwuhi ites had spread the re ploits. IfYODY OF" lEE IEL. REST'lS IN A':LINGT'lON of Sir' Moses Ezekiel, sculptor aind Confederate sold ie r, who sl ied at. Ronie in 1917, wvill he laid to rest ini Aril ington Nat inalI cemetery tomor..1' row wvith services, at whic'h Seer" ai'y Weeks andt Rolcondli Riceci, the Italjin amlbaIssador', will par'tic'ipate. Ezekiel, ai native of Virginia, whose works of art includ" the Confederate monumilent att Aril inrgtonI, sculptures Lee and "Virginia Mourning 1Her D~ead," for' years studied and ma in tmied a studio at Rome. The serv idces will be conducted by the Arling toni Con federate Monument associa tion and the Uniited D)aughters oIf the Confederacy. BOND)S IN K(INGSTREE Kinstree, ~March 29.--The election hleld here todlay on the question of a b)0nd( issue for sti'eet inmprovements, sewerage exteinsionl and enlar'ging the waterwoi'ks resulted in a decided vic tory for each of the three pro'djects. F'or sti'eet bonds the result was 214 to 21; foi' waterwvorks, 219 to 19; for se'werag~e 222 to I 5 against. A iinm b)er of d hadies votedl for the first time in todayvs electon. LNU. .to VXED' PROBlM BEFORE CABIN[T ilarding and)l Advisers Talk of Rail wvays. )TlIElHS CALLED IN Chairmen of Two Government Atzen cies Will Be Summoned to White House. Washington, March 29.-A compre hensive study of American railway conditions was begun by the adminis trationi today With a view of formu1ii. lation of a definite program for rail way rehabilitation. For llore than an hour President Harding discussed the problem with his cabinet and later it was announced that he would call into consultation within the next few days the chairmei of the two govern ment agelncies having closest contact with the t ransportation problems, the interstate colilerce commission and the railway labor board. Con fereJilces with railway managers and employees are expected to follow ill time to permit action at the coming special session of congress. Discussion at the cabinet mneeting was only of a preliminary, indecisive character but there were indications that the chief execitive aild official advisers were much concerned over information vlich , so far, has come ito their possession. The ilost serious features of the sit iuat0Ion ,as it has beenL pictoured to ad ninistration officials is the apparent inability of the carriers themselves to make both ends meet and at the same- time keep ,jervice Up to a stand ar)d. A number of high railway of' ficils have called onl M. Hardilig simee his election and have told him111 that tle-Ss Some way to inicreased (arniig was found the whole trans portation System of' the nation faced paralysis. Such a possibility the rail way men have insisted, could only be viewed as a public calamity. It is understood that altlough few defimite re1edial programs have been suggested i these conferences most of those who have presented the car riers' side of' the problem hrive ad vised against ally geleral ilclrease ill freight rates. A further moaterial rate illcrease ill the presellt condition (if thll natioll motMrm. Hm,1-dilg h' l en tm i--h .-.m; i such curtaililent If tr'alic as to reduce (earmnll iligs rat her than) i ic reasethlcll. On the ir side tlie railway employees haove vigorously protested against a xvagI reduction as anll econloly expe. dint ,devialaig that living costs re ftire tit vages should remain i un challged. All along the possibility of a genIeral railway strike has ma'de both railway executives and governmenlilts agelicies think twice whe e'e" ' wage cut has been suyI A 'nI this ,nld contributing ma.. terially to the presen1 tllsettled con d.::n of the industry ,has been the C i dusiol and inllonvenitice oif re -toring the roads from a war3' time to .1 pence time basis and of' unseramb Inlg the various properties after a long period of' operation as one sys tem 111under government colltrol. It remains aI question whether tie r'oads will ask ongress fIr direct fi :ii( l relief' in :ddition to that tpro 'il Ied Iuinder' the tralisportatio nact to "ons13('35at e t henm' for deterior:4ion of their property while it wvas i gov erilm3en1t hands. Such a proposal it is !elieved wvould be certaill to develop bitter opposition ill some (1111ters, aIdding another complication to a s ituationl tha:3t is ex peeld to dlevelop some ver'y knotty pr oblemus biefore~ th1e :iolmiistriationl and1( co-igress have founid a. solution. TI OSUMTEI( MEN Smtiert I, MarchI 27..--Sumliteri and Florence today had a record'( attenl dance't 01n mlen's 1 ible (lhiss mieetings when1 8Sum1teri defeatedl F.lorence ill to day's aittendlance by a majority of 223. The num lbel' of mienl a1tt ending t he men('s1 Hible Class of Central Met hod ist Chiurebi of Florence was 1, ff45, while the McLeod-Wesley Bible eb1i1s of. Trinlity' Methodist C'hurlch, of Sumtier'3, hlad thel( h1Ionor oIf having 1,268 An overftlowV meletllng resulted in Sumliter' and a fter thle larige aud(1itoriuml (If Tlrinlity Methodlist Churc'1h was crlowded to ca pac i ty andI the "'stand in~g r'(om" ruile had to he enforccd hlundiedls were outside unab1lle to even see inlsidei tihe doorsI~. It was3 dlecidled t o ad(jourl n into an open1 3 aimeetinig att thle Gils;' IHigh School1 grounllds, wvhich was don3e. It had3( h17(n anltic ipa3tedl fromn the interest maniftested that, the aittendanciile would be so great thiat thle churchi~'i would no hold the melCn at thiis the c'losinlg meet ing of' ai six weieks' ('onltest betwee Sumter and~ Florence. So yesterdai the commlittee roped off thei gi'ounds leaving four' entrances so that who the mleetinlg adjourned ever'y man ha to pa~ss the ofieial counter's going ou Men (If e'veriv religiousx faith an r'epresenting ('verly chiurc(h inl Sutt were' pre'sen1t. A greait many mien fro thle rur1al dIistr'icts (If Sumter an Clarlendonl (coun1tie's wVere tihere( to keo upl tile "G(amecock Counlty's" reco iand to heear .Judge Menldel L. Smith Camden, whlo was3 initr'oduced by Jo> HI. Clifton. Tile total attendnce lit Trini Methlodist Cho''-ch Bible class and1( Sn daly schoo53l mei(et ings inicluding wo en's and1( children's classes, amI~ounf todaiy to 1,740.