The Dillon herald. (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, January 27, 1921, Image 8
YAMPLIOO TRAOK)T
TAKES DRAMATIC TURN
RiMiWi I mill Arrested Chorged
With H?vhg Planned Harder I
oI family*
The Pamplic? tragedy of lest week
! which a whole family wa? wiped
out takes a dramatic 'turn. Edmund
Big ham, the sole surviving member!
of th# family is charged with having
DUnnod *nil ?*- ?* ?
wvwfcw iuv muruvr ui
h>s mother, brother, sister and nephews.
The father of Edmund Biffham
was senator from Marion county
some 25 years ago an^ tB remembered
by onany of the older rsidents of j
this jfection. He died about 16 years
ago. The story as sent out by a Flor-I
ence correspondent which throws new (
light on the horrible tragedy, fol-.
lows:
Florence, Jan. 20?The tragedy
near Pamplico last Saturday after-'
noon which cost the lives of three
members of the Blgham family and
two adopted children, took a sensational
turn this afternoon when Ed-'
mund Bigham, one of the two surviving
members of the family and the|
first to appear on the scene of the'
tragedy, according to bis statement1
was arrested at the plantation home
and brought to the county jail here.
His wife accompanied him to the jail.
Edmund Bigham was arrested by
Deputy Sheriff M. B. Burch on a
warrant sworn out by John W. McP.ruolrpn
tVia fatVior a# V* ?.
?"V V. V11C l"? VU1?dren
killed. Coroner Smith and C.
M Rose, an officer of PauipUco, accompanied
him. Bigham is charged
with murder. He submitted to the
arrest quietly and manifested little
r no concern. He refused to make
any statement tonight when seen
at the jail.
The persons kille^ on the Bigham
plantation last Saturday were: Mrs.
M. M. Bigham. her daughter, Mrs.
Margie Black, Leo and John McCracken,
two adopted children; and
L. S. Bigham, brother of Mrs. Black.
The mother and the daughter and
one of the children were apparently
kuled instantly. The youngest child
died at 5 o'clock the following morning
and L. S. Bigham, who was
thought at the time to have committed
the crime was foun^ dead in the
woodg about a mile from the home
at 11 o'clock the following morning.
He grasped a pistol in his hand, and
a bullet hud pierced the right temple
The other four victims also died of
pistol shot wounds.
Coroner Smith said this afternoon
that several negroes would be arrnatn/I
on/1 * ' -
.vuvvu ?iiu uciu to uitiieimi witnesses.
It is his opinion that now that
Bigham is under arrest other testimony
bearing on the case may be
forthcoming.
In making the arrest of Bigham on
the warrant of McCracken, the affidavit
of Philip Arrowsmith, an attorney
of this city, was given great
consideration. In hiB affidavit Arrowsmith
declares that he had been
the attorney for Mrs. Black and for
L>. S. (Smiley) Bigham, two of the
persons killed, since the spring of
1920 and that, therefore, he had become
intimately acquainted with
their affair*
At the outset of the affidavit
which was sworn to before the coroner,
Mr. Arrow&mlth declares that
Edmund Bigham has no interest in
the estate of the late Senator L. S.
Bigham, this having been conveyed
to his mother and brother. He alsoj
declares that the payment of the
bond escheated by Dr. Cleveland
Bigham, who was convicted for the
murder of his wife and sentenced to
three years iu the Slute penitentiary
had been provided for by deposit of
amount sufficient to cover the bond
in a local bank. The money was
the proceeds of mortgage on the
laitus and that solicitor L. M.
Casque of this judicial circuit had
in his possession the certificate of
deposit. Mr. Arrowsmiih also avers
that he has in h>s possession all of
the original deeds relating to the
Bigham iaU(u Continuing, the
statement says that on January ,1
1921, L. S. Bigham and Mrs. Margie'
Black came to his home and at their
request he accompanied them to his
office where Mrs. Black- whn
greatly agitated made the following
statement:
"I signed three blank deeds in
the presence of witnesses and left
them with Smiley so that if anything
happened to me my father's estate
could be handled as my mother and
Smiley desired. All thos papers
were stolen from Smiley. I found
them in Edmund's possession.
When I attempted to secure possession
of them Edmund flew into a
passion and threatened to take my
life as well as that of my mother. 1
gave up all hope of getting the deeds
bock and his conduct is such that I
am afraid he will kill me at any moment
and I want you to prepare my
will, giving all my property to
my brother, Smiley, and charging
him, as I know he will, to take care
of my mother and my two little
adopted boys."
Mr. Arrowsmith further declared
that he drew the will as instructed
and it was witnessed by himself, O.
T. Bryce and Marshall W. Bridges
and that he Incorporated in the will
the statement of Mrs. Black to him
regarding the threats against her
life.
At the Bigham home this afternoon
officer8 made a search for papers
relative l? the estate lands and
for the will mentioned In the Ardowsmith
affidavit, but did not find
them. B'gham stated that he bad a
will but after looking over his papers
remarked that he "could not
find ft now." It was first believed
that L. 3. Bigham, while supposedly
insane, had shot and killed his raoth(,
or, Mrs. M. M. Bigham, his sister.
I Mrs. Margie Black and the letter's
vtwo adopter children, Leo and John
McCracken, and had then gone into
Jfchg woods a half mile from the
i bouse and shot himself to death.
BIInus wag some doubt In the minds
I of tfc# coroner's Jury that L. 8.
Bigham worn the perpetrator of the
w* ' ? '? - BR
na DQxox
,
'crime end it wee decided to delay
rendering a verdict until additional
evidence oould be taken, and the ?rreet
of ' his brother, Kdmund\ Bighem,
has given the ease a moot interesting
aspect.
With reference to the estate lands
it appearB thst a few days before
her death, Mrs. Bogan Cain, a bister,
is alleged to have signed deeds
transfering certain of the lands to
Mrs. Margie Black. This is said to
have been aftor the C leveland Bigham
bond had been arranged for
In view of the fact, &g presented in
the Arrowsmith affidavit, that L. 8.
Blgham ha^ not only been made the
beneficiary of Mrs. Margie Black's
will, but he also had in his possesMir>Tl
HOAHO I- ul ? &B
?_ milieu iu uiiidk wnicq ne
could have used a8 he desired, it is
urged that the question of motive
for the murders on the part of L. S.
Bigham, as far as property considation
was concerned, had been removed.
The affadavlt of Phillip Arrowsmith,
an attorney of this city, taken
by Coroner W. Marvin Smith, is
as follows:
j "I was attorney for Mrs. M. M:
Bigham, L. S. Bigham and Mrs. Margie
A. Black, and have, therefore,
been rather intimately associated
with them since opening of the
i spring of 1920. My employment
was with regard to the estate lands
! of L. S. Bigham, Sr., deceased, and
in which Edmund' Bigham had no interest,
having conveyed to his mother
and brother.
| "Pursuant to my employment I
arranged with the First National
j bank of Florence, by mortgage of
the property, for the bank to issue
Its certificate of deposit for an
amount sufficient to pay to the State
of South Carolina the judgment
which had been rendered on the
bond escheated upon the default of
I Dr. Bigham in 1910. This mortgage
is duly recorded and the certificate
of deposit is in the hands of
[ Solicitor Gasque.
| "During the last term of the criminal
court, as county attorney, in
j connection with the investigation
i then being conducted by that bojly
, into the mutilation of the county
j records of which were alleged to
have before them, which I did. As
county attorney 1 had no informa11
ion in regard to the matter which
they were investigating, but as Mr.
! Bigham's attorney, it was my pleas!
ure to advise the grand jury that 1
i had in my possession the original
{deeds, the records of which was alI
leged to have been torn from 4 the
i books, which I would be very happy
I to display to the grand jury or any
jone else upon request.
"Subsequently some members of
1 the body called at my office and m1
fpected the original deeds. 1 ven|
lured the opinion to the grand jury
that Mr. Bigham could hardly be
i guilty of destruction of the record
and ' the retention of the original
deeds, as common sense and prudence
would have dictated the destruction
of the original deed and the
preservation at all cost, of the record.
Ab a matter of fact, I have in
mv DOSHPSRinn oil **- ' *
_ a? ui i iig unginai
papers relating to the Bigham lands.
"Although I was frequently in
i conference with Mr. Bigham, who
was rather inclined to discuss frequently
and at length matters affecting
him, he never at any time inenUoner
the postoffice matter to me.
1 "On Saturday night, the 8th of
January, 1921, between 8:30 and 9
o'clock, Mrs. Margie A. Black and
her brother, L. S. Bigham, came to
my home and requested me to go
with them to the office, as they wished
me immediately to handle a matter
of great importance to them. At
that time Mrs. Black appeared to be
greatly agitated. I was already preparing
to leave home to go to the office
with W. Marshall Bridges and
G. T. Bryce. I, therefore, accompanied
Mrs. Black and Mr. Bigham
to the office and Mrs. Black then
made this statement to me. (She
said in words to this effect.)
" 'I signed three blank deeds in the
presence of witnesses and left therti
"With Smiley, so that if anything
should happen to me my father's estate
could be handled as my mother
and Smdey desired. All- these paI
peis were stolen from Smiley. I
; found theini in Edmund's possession.
'.When I attempted to secure possession
of them Edmund flew into a
| passion and threatened to take my
life as well as that of my mother. I
|gave up an nopes or getting the
; deeds back, and his conduct is such
I that I am afraid he will kill me at
i any moment, and 1 want you to prepare
my will, giving all of my property
to my brother, Smiley, and
charging him, as I know he w>U, to
take charge of niy mother and my
two little adopted boys'
"1 said to Mrs. Black that it wa3
| inconceivable to me that her life
| was in danger at the hands of her
| brother, and Smiley, at that time
said if the matter were left to him
I he had no doubt but that he could
! prevail upon Edmund to give up the
deeds and the whole matter would
be thereby settled. Mrs. Black, however,
insisted that her life was in
danger and requested me to draw
the will. It was after office hours
and there were no stenographers
present. So 1 therefore wrote out
on three sheets of our correspondence
stationery a will, by which I
gave all her property, of every kind
jand description, wherever situated
u> uer gwoea, or to wnich she might
be entitled at the time of her death
to her brother, L. S. Bigham, in fee
s;mple, charging him with the duty
so to us? the property so as to provide
a home for his mother and the
two little adopted boys, naminK
them with suitable education. I also
wrote in the will the reason, as
above stated, why ft was made, and
when the will is produced, if it is
it will afiord the evidence of the
thieats which had been made
against tbe life of Mrs. Black by her
brother. Edmund. This will was
road over to Mrs. Black In the presence
of Mr. Bridges and Mr. Bryce.
l?IIH. MLL0K,900fl QUMMJK
BANKING BOOT IM J
MOM OPTIMISTIC
f p i 1
N?w Tork, Jan. S3?For the first
time in many months th? banking
. fraternity begins th? new week in a
more optimistic frame of mind with
regard to the "frosen" credit sitnaWh
uuu, mejr t|ivg win W. P. O. Harding,
governor of the federal reserve
board, that the woret of th^ credit
strain is ever and that money rates
Bhould gradually but steadily work
easier. Therp are, however, a number
of Instances remaining where the fin-;
ancial troubles of industrial corporations
will have to be nursed back to
a healthy condition. One of these has
to do with the Goodyear Tire and
Rubber Company. The predicament of
this company is expected to be either
remedied or placed in the hands of
the courts this week when the banking
interests and the merchandise
creditors hold a meeting at which
a readjustment plan will either be
adopted or rejected. If the unsecured
creditors of the company do not agree
to accept the new securities which it
is proposed to give in settlement of
their claims the courts are expected
to be asked to step into the situation.
Prominent local bankers state that
improvement in the banking situation
in the New York Federal reserve
district is less than in other parts
of the country because the industrial
corporations are evincing a disposition
to pay off loans with institutions
outside of New York in preference to
those in the second federal district.
In other words, they claim that the
burden of "frozen" credits is gradually
being transferred to the New York
insliiuuons. Statements of financial
conditions being made to New York
bankers by industrial companies confirm
this assertion.
MarkPfi ininrnvomnwt iwy. 1|A
.M.ywvuiyui AH int: cieuii
situation insofar as it relates to the
dry goods business is reported. Jobbers
are rapidly paying off their obligations
to the manufacturers who
' in turn are cancelling their loans
with the banks.
j Further ease is reported in time
money. Kates range from six to seven
and one-half per cent, six per
cent being charged by those who consider
that a higher rate is usury.
' { Owners of railroad securities
found little encouragement in the reported
contraction in traffic on the
common carriers as indicated by the
continued increase in the number of
idle cars. Transportation managers
art bending every effort to offset the
shrinkage in traffic by cutting operating
expenses anyl the extent to
j which they are going in that direc.
tion is shown by the laying off of
] employees an^ some reductions in
wages.
Directors of railroads are pessimistic
concerning the outlook. They
claim that the increase in rates &1;
lowed by the Interstate Commerce
I Commission is sufficient to permit
I the common carriers earning equal
j to six per cent on the property in.
vestment. They declare that much
| good could be done if the railroads
j couia obtain parts of the large sum
; which is owed them by the United
States government.
o
GINNINGS FOR YEAR.
Cotton Figures Given in January..
Washington, Jan. 24. Cotton ginned
prior to January 16 amounted to
12,016,465 bales, exclusive of linters
and including 204,624 round bales,
73,841 bales of American-Egyptian
! and 1,644 bales of sea island.
. Ginnings prior to January 16 last
year amounted to 10,307,120 bales,
including 111,873 round bales, 34,023
bales of American-Egyptian and
6,712 bales of sea island.
Ginnings by states this year: Alabama
646,697; Arizona 87,575; Arkansas,
1,016,352; California 55,023;
Florida 18,546; Georgia 1,387,
559; Louisiana, 376,653; Mississippi
841,240; Missouri 61,233, North Carolina
801,746; Oklahoma 1,050,830;
South Carolina, 1,506,752; Tennessee
277,792; Texas 3.862,254; V irginia
14,549; all other states, 11,675.
o
1 pn?ui rri?..
v rti \i vi xiiniinn
I wish to thank friends and relatives
for the many lovely floral offerings
an<l other expressions of love
and sympathy sent into my home during
the illness and since the death
of my young wife, Rulah Owens
Moody, on Jan. 14, 1921. Such tokens
are a mark of the love and esteem
in which she was held in life
and with which her memory is hallowe'd.
They prove that it is not always
the longer but often the shorter
life that is the more useful and
noble, thereby helping to lessen the
sting of death and causing a fuller
realization of the fact, that "Life is
(ever lord of death, and love can
never lose its own."
Van B. Moody, Fork. S. C.
Sho s'gntd it and we three witnessed
it, indorsing the margin of each
page witL our initials. The will
was then turned over to Smiley, who
placed it in a red cardboard envelope,
and putting it in his pocket, he
and Mrs. Black withdrew and 1 have
neither seen or heard from them
since, and only of them through the
reports that have come to me of the
horrible tragedy.
j "Phillip H. Arrowsmith."
FINAL DISCHARGE NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that S. D.
Graham, Executor of the estate of
Est ha Scott, deceased, has made application
unto me for final discharge
as Executor and that Thursday, January
27th, 10 a. m. in the forenoon
has been appointed for the hearing
of the said petition.
All persons holding claims against
the said estate ar? requested to file
them with the Executor on or befor
10 a. m. in the forenoon on January
27th, or this notice will be plead in
bar of their recovery.
JOE CABELL. DAVIS.'
Judge of Probate,
1 6 4t. Dillon County.
* V I
%
[
mmmmm
V *Sr< t-*!> 7A
I. Wlim^T BftCMUKHCiQ, IAVVAK1
WANT COLUMN
BANK STOCK?I have a call for a
few ihiM of the First National
Bank stock. If you hav? any to offer,.
quota price In first latter. R.
S. Rogers.?1 27 tt.
SWEET POTATOES?I have Just received
a fresh shipment of kiln
dried Porto Rico yams. Call me at
phon^ lt5. Better place your order
now. E. O. Caldwell.?1 27 It.
DOMESTIC COAL. ?Just received a
solid car of genuine Harland Red
Alh wkkhaH onal Ontu..... 11.? I
?.?,wv wm. uuyviiui 4UA111/. *
Call us at 14 or 145. Order now <
Insures delivery. W. E. Caldwell A
Son.?1 27 It.
WE SELL FERTILIZERS?W? advise
home mixing. We specalise in
selling cotton seed, acid phosphate,
kainit and nitrat? of soda. We are
prepared to guarantee our prices.
Please see us before placing any
contracts. Carolina Milling Co.?1 6
WANTED ?COUNTRY PEOPLE TO
TRY OUR 75c. MEALS. PALMETTO
CAFE, NEXT TO HERALD
OFFICE tf.
WANTED ? Men or -women to take
orders among friends and neigh-,
bors for the genuine guaranteed
hosiery, full line for men, women!
and children. Eliminates darning.
We pay 75c an hour spare time, or
$36.00 a week for full time. Experience
unnecessary. Write International
Stocking Mills, Norristown.
Pa.?1 13 lOt.
NOTICE?I AM AGENT FOR THE
Florence Steam Laundry and will
receive and deliver all laundries as
promptly as possible. Palace Market.
WANTED ? Substantial renter for
four horse farm with two houses, I
or two renters for two-horse farniR. I
or two share croppers who have
stock, feed and good backing-j
Lands excellent, good average
houses and barns?vacant by reason
of croppers engaged to "show
up" Jan. 1st. Address Prop. Red
Bluff Farms, Box 109, Clio, S. C. I
?1 20 2t.
ON JANUARY 1, 1021, I will make
the Becond cut on fresh meats,
steaks 30 cents per lb. roast 25c
and 30c, stew 15c and 20c. Dillon
ami Palace Maikets.?12 23
WANTED?Everybody to know that
1 now have a full line of machinery
and that I am in a better position
to give quick service than I have
ever been. All work guaranteed.
Electric Shoe Shop over Dillon
Hotel, W. R. Summerall, Prop.?
1 20 tf.
6666 will break a Cold, Fever and i
Grippe quicker than anything we!,
know, preventing pneumonia 12 O 13t^
aaaaaaaaaaai
IS)
USJ
ffl T
9 JLi
BB T
1 Just
a
ffl. .
BB
| New Sty
i T_n.
m i;t ? Ul f <
i?
1 Canton
I?
i| neu; J
IS
I?
|eb
I New Spr
51 ' '
51
51
I and the
a 1
a
i %
L2J
a
a
D
? JL-*
? BETWEEN O.
1 77.eS
GHISlFSltZlfSltZlfZllZIESllZlfS
>istsisisraisisisisisizi
' ' f \ " '
r ?r, uu.
= 1MXX F
Can be found at P.
% I
next to Palmetto Hai
T-1 A 1 1
tioDs taicen Dy
Phone 77
TIPS. SCOTT,
I INVESTMENT Si
With Prices
Our big sale has p
factor to the many v
depressed conditior
light, but with our
PRICES their requir
to their delight anc
week prices will eve
will try to have suffii
Ithe throng that will
day.
JONES DRY Gi
Dilloi
[ 'OK SAKE ? One 5 passenger Overland
90, one 5 passenger Dort, one
Ford runabout, one two horse Nesson
wagon, one one horse Hackney
wagon, 500 bushels Cleveland big
boll planting seed, a lot of Cole
planters and distributors, Rex distributors,
International steel beam
Dixie plows, Dixie boy plows, Blizzard
easy set cotton plows, one
fresh cow, and one Jersey cow to
come fresh in about thirty days.
Would sell on one and two years
time. Q. D. Barlow.?1 20 2tp.
660
will break a Cold, Fever and Grippe
[pricker than anything we know, preventing
pneumonia.?12 9 13t.
a?????Haas?
\ TMT7
Rece
de Spring
zta, More
Crepes,
Parisian E
also
. n i
ing Keaay
Hats
prices art
lower
avid F 3
JACKSON and CHAP
tore That Und<
issfflfflfflEfflfflfflfflat
J I ^ ^
OK HE ==lf^
& W. Repair Shop i W
dware Co. liy;
hour or trip. m
r Dillon. S. C. I
J
ALE CONTINUES
Even Lower
>roven a gr^at benerho
on account of the
is find their purse
EXTREMELY LOW
ements are purchased
i satisfaction. This
n be lower, and we
sent help to wait on
surely be here SaturOODS
COMPANY
S. C.
' FOR SALE: HIGH GRADE AMMOXlated
Fertilizers for cotton, corn,
tobacco, etc. Also, Fish Scrap,
Blood, Tankage, Foreign Kainit,
EtC. Writo HQ fnr nrUoo ??
?W .W> yiivsn HUI1DIU6
the tonnage you want. Dawhon
Fertilizer Company, Box 608,
Charleston, S. C.?1 20 6t.
RUB - MY - TISM
Is a powerful Antiseptic and Pain
killer, cures infected cuts, old sores,
tetter, etc. Believes Sprains, Neuralgia,
Rheumatism.?IB 0 ISt.
666 is a prescription for Colds, Fever
I and LaGrippe. It's the most speedy
| remedy we knotv.?12 ISt.
1^11^1 1^1 1+1 ! !
S! I;
1 '
iv e ci ?
? ,
?
m *
Dresses i <
08 4
>cco anI <
? 1
i all the I
Effects |
SI
SI
SI
to Wear 1
* < 1
... | .
? always |
BB j
' s?
= %
a
ISS i
LLIE SALEEBY g
ersells g
B ? ? Ffc Gfi ? IB BH ? fiH F?)
1 q3 ffl 13e> < ! ?J CD ! ' l^l 1^1
3