Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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! \ - r THE CHBONICLB Strives To Be s Cleon Neva- paper, Complete, Newey 'Yi and Reliable. It Too Don’t Read THE CHRONICLE Ton Don’t Get Tha New*. ±: VOLUME XXIV CLINTON, S. C., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2,1924 NUMBER 41 INTRODUCE WILL IN BIGHAM CASE State Officers Find Link in Circum stantial Evidence. Skull of De fendant's Mother in Evidence. Conway, Sept. 20.—Offering the will of Mrs. Margie Black as the final link in the chain of circumstantial evidence it has been . forging, the state rested late today in the second trial of Edmund D. Bigham, charged with murder in connection with the death of L. Smiley Bigham, his broth er; Mrs. Black, his sister; Mrs. M. M. Bigham, his mother, and Leo and John McCracken, small adopted chil dren of Mrs. Black. * Judge HayncT F. Rice reserved de cision until tomorrow on whether or not Mrs. Black’s will would be ad- iflitted as evidence. The state had examined thirty witnesses from the opening qi court last Thursday morn ing until Attorney Philip H. Arrow- smith, assisting Solicitor L. M. Gas que in the prosecution, announced that with the introduction of the will the state would rest. The defense is scheduled to begin presentation of its witnesses immediately after Judge Rice’s decision on the will is announc- ed. Two state’s witnesses today swore that Edmund D. Bigham had in his possession the pearl handled pistol which was found in Smiley Bigham’s right hand on the day following the tragedy, during the night after Mrs. Bigham, Mrs. Black, and the two chil dren had been found shot to death and several hours before Smiley’s body was located in a clump of trees about a half mile from the Bigham home. They were Maceo Cox, of Rock Hill, and John W. McCracken, who said he was Supposed to be the father” of the two slain children. Both testified they spent the night of the tragedy at the Bigham home near Pamplico in Florence county, with the defendant, members of his family and several neighbors who came to sit up with the dead. The bullet-pierced skull of Mrs. Bigham was introduced as evidence early today during the testimony of Dr. N. B. Finklea, of Hyman, who TRIUMPH BRINGS JOY TO CAPITOL Washington Receives Baseball News With Cheers At Score Boards. Washington, Sept. 29.—Debonair Washington tonight celebrated in Main Street fashion its first Ameri can league pennant. A driving rain could not down out enthusiasm. Water-soaked street ur chins were no more excited than dig nified governmental officials. A pouring rain throughout the af ternoon found the usual crowds in front of the half dozen score boards. Muffled in raincoats or from under umbrellas, the Washington fans, thousands of them, forgot the £t and rooted like college boys. ’■ A wild outburst of cheering and shouting greeted the flash that told of Washington’s victory over Boston —and the'pennant. Umbrellas were tossed in the air, traffic cops forgot traffic and the White House stopped the wheels of government to send telegram of congratulations to the Washington team. All over tlTe city tonight baseball talk was humming. ^Cigar stores, ho tel lobbies, fashionable cabarets, everywhere it was baseball. The sand-lot spirit of Main Street held the city. Washington, excited and happy, gurgled like a two year old over his first toy. Since the day when Ban Johnson organized the American league score of years ago, the capitol city has waited and hoped for today. And now that the long coveted pennant has been won, Washington, after its first outburst of cheering, also has heaved a sigh of relief—the 1924 sea son with its close finish was a nerve frazzling session for the Washington fans. After midsummer found the Sena tors battling for the league leader ship, the strain on the fans increas ed. With the team at home they packed the ball park. Out of town games found the higher-ups in gov ernmental circles nibbing elbows with ragmuffins in front of score boards-^ Washington rooted and rooted. To night yrt* its night of nights. Words of today’s victory flew over the city. Mrs. Coolidge was one of P. C. STUDENTS BACK FROM CHINA "FLAPPER” TO BE STAGED TONIGHT L. N. Edmunds and James McCord Spend Interesting Period in China, Engaged in Teaching. L. N. Edmunds and James McCord, members of the 1921 graduating class of the Presbyterian College, have^rc- tumed to the states from Shanghai, China, where they have been teaching in the American school. During the past week they were visitors on the campus of their Alma Mater and re ceived a most cordial welcome from the members of the faculty and stu dent body. While in China Mr. Edmunds and Mr. McCord made for themselves many friends as well as for the Pres byterian College. In addition to teaching, Mr. Edmunds also coached athletics in the Shanghai schools and he has the enviable record of putting out an undefeatable football team for two successive years. * These two men never forgot the institution from which they graduated three years ago. The college today has on its enrollment T. N. Grafton, super runner, who finished at the Shanghai schools and was coached by Mr. Edmunds, as a member of its sophomore class. Arthur Grafton, a freshman and brother of T. N. Graf ton, is also a product of the Shang hai schools and, has matriculated this year. Both of the young men possess unusual ability on the cinder path. En route to the states, Messrs. Ed munds and McCord made a tour of Europe, talcing in many of the bat- tlefields of the World war and other points of interest. Mr. Edmunds is entering Union Theological Seminary at Richmond to prepare himself for the ministry. Mr. McCord had not announced his future plans when in the city a few days ago. FATALLY INJURED BY SPEEDING CAR BIG CROWD HERE FOR THE CIRCUS gave it as his opinion that the wound Am wom«r suffered was sufficient th* first te.hea^U at tfe* Whit* Houne to have produced instantaneous death, and gave the tidings to the prefer During the exhibition of part of his mother’s skeleton, the defendant leaned forward showing interest in the examination and the words of the witness, but there was no signs of agitation visible upon the pallid coun tenance, although he swallowed hard once or twice. D. H. Williams, a farmer living near the Bigham home, told of ob serving footprints leading from the scene of the tragic occurrence in the direction of the spot where Smiley Bigham’s body was located early on the morning following the killing, several hours before the finding of the body in the grove of trees. Cox and McCracken had sworn that the defendant left his house early that day and was gone for approximately* thirty minutes without saying where he had been. A tangled story of the Bigham family financial transactions was re lated on the stand by R. A. Black, widower of Mrs. Margie Black, and J. Bogan Cain, of Florence, brother- in-law of the defendant. Cain, whose wife, now dead, was Leatha Bigham, testified that when she died in Feb ruary, 1920, about eleven months be fore the tragedy, that five-sixths of the Bigham land, estimated to be 1,000 acres valued at $75,000, was in her name and the remaining one- sixth in the name of Mrs. Black. Deeds to the two women were made out, Black testified, because Mrs. M. M. Bigham and Smiley were on the bond of Dr. Grover Bigham, another brother of the defendant. Dr. Big ham, according to the records, was convicted of’the murder of his wife in Georgetown county about five years ago, but appealed and was re leased on bond pending a hearing. It was this bond that his mother and Smiley were on. The records show that the physician jumped his bond and, so far as is known, he has not been heard from since his disappear ance. It was ' indicated , in Black’s testimony that the transfer of the Bigham proper'y was made in order to avoid payment of the bond. After Mrs. Cain’s death, her hus band testified, Edmund came to him and sought to buy his interest in the estate, saying he was acting for hi$ mother. The deal was not closed, however, and later jjdrs. Bigham, Smiley and Mrs. Black engaged coun sel to get the estate settled. It was developed that Attorney Arrowsmith was reUined by the Bighams for this purpose. Cain testified that it was understood that Edmund D. Bigham had already receivad his share of the estate some fifteen or sixteen yean •to. . Both Black and Cain testified that they had bean paid for their part of fho estate since the Famplico tragedy ®n January IS, 1921. Cain said be (Contbraed en Page Few) dent. A telegram from the executive mansion, which was signed by C. Bas- com Slemp, secretary to the presi dent, and addressed to Manager Har ris, read: —~ “Heartiest congratulations to you and your team for your great work in bringing Washington its first pen nant. We of Washington are proud of you and behind you. Onto the world’s championship.” Plans are being pushed to add the finishing touches to the welcome the city will give the team when it re turns Wednesday. An elaborate pro gram has been arranged, including a welcoming address by the president. The weather bureau also added more cheerfulness to the city tonight by forecasting fair feather f6r the week-end, when Washington Satur day will clash here with the New York Giants in the first game of the world series. Commercial Club Meets on Tuesday October Meeting Pushed Up One Week To Avoid Conflict With Synod Date. The Commercial Club will meet next Tuesday evening in the club rooms at 7:3(Lp. m. The change from the second Tuesday to the first was made by the board of directors to avoid a conflict with the opening date of the South Carolina Synod, which tcotvenes here on the 14th. Beginning this month, the club meetings will be held at 7:30 instead of 8:00, as heretofore, and all mem bers are aslced to bear this change in mind. President Witherspoon stated yesterday that several members at each subsequent meeting will be call ed upon for short, snappy talks, af fecting Clinton’s future development P. C. Professor Heads Association Prof. A. V. Martin Re-elected Presi dent South Carolina Intercolle giate Athletic Association. At a meeting of the South Carolina Intercollegiate Athletic Association, held Monday in Greenwood, Prof. A. V. Martin of the Presbyterian Col lege faculty, was again elected presi dent and Prof. D. H. Henry of Clem- son College, secretary and treasurer. The meeting was attended by Prot Martin and Prof. Sturgeon as Pres byterian College representatives. All players on football teams now in the field among Sooth Carolina colleges were declared eligible and all cases where doubts of eligibility have aria- amieably settled, it was au- aftar the Walter L. Main Circus Brings Fair Weather and Hundreds of Spectators To Town. They were all here Tuesday—from little Willie to Grandma, for the Wal ter L. Main circus which gave after noon and night performances on the Guy L. Copeland property just on the outskirts of the city. . The. circus arrived early . jn morning from Monroe and at once be gan unpacking and setting up its Given Under Auspices of Clinton and Laurens Rotary Clubs. Promises To Be Great Success. “The Flapper Grandmother,” a musical comedy in three acts, will be presented tonight at 8:00 O’clock in the Central graded school auditorium, under the auspices of the Clinton and Laurens Rotary clubs. Miss Thelma Richardson, of Roa noke, Va., is here directing the play, and it promises to be a howling suc cess in every way. The people of Clinton have enjoyed two of the Wayne P. Sewell productions, “The Microbe of Love,” and “Mr. and Mrs. Polly Tickk,” but “The Flapper Grandmother” is said to far surpass them both. It is said to be without a doubt, one of the cleverest and most delightful home talent productions ever presented in this part of the country. The plot deals with an old grand ma who invests her savings in oil stock and becomes a millionaire. She goes to Europe in search of beauty, and in the office of “Dr. I. Skinnum” has her old face made new, and re turns to America a flapper grand mother with all the charm and beauty of her grand-daughters. The song hits are right up to the minute and the whole comedy is a classy production. The costumes are beautiful. In fact, its a “whale of ai hit” from beginning to end. The au-' dience recovers from one convul sion of laughter only to go into another. The good-looking “Jelly Beans,” the little rag dolls, the cho rus girls, to say nothing of all the leading characters, will surely ap peal to all. There isn’t a dull moment in the entire performance, from the open ing ensemble of the automobile cho rus to the closing old square dance. An admission of fifty cents for children and seventy-five cents for adults, will be charged. ORPHANAGE GETS OFFICE BUILDING Friend of Institution! To Erect Ad' ministration Building For Local Institution. ■* A modern office building is soon the j to he -exactedJtL-tha J^ornweU Or plumage. It comes as a gift from a devoted friend of the institution, “city of tents”. The lot on Musgrovgr whose name on their request, is not street was abandoned on account of the continual rains of the past two weeks snd the show, followed by a big crowd, moved up to the Copeland location. The day was fair and beau tiful, and the passing of the Septem ber rains brought delight and satis faction to all. The muddy grounds caused a considerable delay in getting the show set up and necessitated the calling off of the street parade, which was quite a disappointment to the big fathering of little folks that had thronged the streets to take in the sights. Big crowds greeted both perform ances. As is always the case with the Main circus, a well balanced pro gram, consisting of various features, was presented and everybody "seemed happy and imbued with the circus spirit. TEACHING BIBLE IN HIGH SCHOOL made public. The new building will accomodate the president and treas urer’s office and the stenographic and commercial department of the young ladies employed in the office The clerical headquarters heretofore have been in the Technical building and in view of the need of enlarged and improved office facilities, the gift was made by one of the institu tion’s friends. The building will be of granite con struction, costing $8,000. It will stand just below the Dining Hall, and face the Technical school building. Plans are now being perfected by the architect and it is planned to begin work at an early date in the hope of having the building completed by the first of the year. Miss Hortense Landrum Knocked Thirty Feet and Killed By Fast > Moving Machine. Columbia, Sept. 29.—Miss Hortense Landrum, 1600 Blanding street, sister of Mrs. Hugh Murchison, was mor tally wounded at the corner of Taylor and Pickens street last night when she was struck by a fast moving Ford , touring car being driven by an un known white man. Miss Landrum j was rushed to the Baptist hospital in I an unconscious condition and she died at 9:45 o’clock. She suffered a frac ture at the base of the skull and a fracture of the left limb above, the knee. Officers Dreher and Geiger made a fast run to the scene of the accident oh call and questioned witnesses. A negro chauffeur said he was driving a truck northward of Pickens street and when he neared Taylor* street heard the roar of a fast moving ma chine. The negro told officers that he brought his truck to a standstill and saw the touring car hit Miss Lan drum and knock her from the east crossing to a point near the silent policeman that marked the center of the intersections of Taylor and Pick ens streets. The negro said the car was driven by a white man and that the machine continued to roll at a lapid rate of speed after the accident. One white witness corroborated the The au- story of the negro chauffeur. AH agreed that the runaway car moved so fast* that it was Impossible to catch the number of the license plate. Miss Landrum had just left her home to walk to church when she was knocked down and fatally injured. The blow rendered her unconscious and she never spoke after she was ■truck. She was carried to the hospi tal where an operation was perform ed in the effort to save her life. Witnesses said it is probable that the death dealing car will show blood stains on the front of the machine and that a bent fender or some broken part will bear silent testimony of the roadway tragedy. Columbia police are following every clue in the effort to locate the driver. Coroner Scott was notified of the accident and he will decide today at what time the in quest will be held. Miss Landrum had made her home in Columbia for about six years with her sister, Mrs. Hugh R. Murchison, at the Columbia Theological Semi nary. She was originally from Bates- burg. Surviving are Mrs. Murchison and two brothers, Dr. Frank Landrum of Florence and Geol-ge Landrum of Bisbee, Ariz. Miss Landrum was a devoted mem her of the Baptist church and was a faithful attendant at its services. She was a woman of many Tine qualities and during her residence in Columbia made a host of friends. MR. DAVIS TOU) £ 0. PJ0RR1ED Coolidge Forces Distressed Over IM Follette Strength. Democrats Encouraged. GOVERNOR NAMES ELECTION MANAGERS Governor McLeod has named the following federal, state and county commissioners of election to serve in the approaching general election: Federal: R. M. Wassen, H. J. G. Curry and D. W. Copeland. State and county: B. M. Wolff, J. H. Nance, and Eugene E. Simpson. Regular Bible Training Begins This Month Under Direction of ' Members of Faculty. Beginning this month, the Bible will be taught regularly in the Clin ton high school. The course will be given in the respective sections by jtltye members of the high school facul ty with classes twice a week. The work will be approved by the minis- ^ r ’ Crosby, of Greenwood, ters of the city and promises to be a ?P« nt yesterday in the city, perform- very helpful and interesting patf> of i ,n K sev ®5 a * operations upon children the school curriculum. I of the Thomwell Orphanage. GREENWOOD SURGEON HERE WHERE IT DOESN’T RAIN In certain parts of America, it never rains. Yet there are fertile farms there because of the system of irriga tion. A great network of ditches brings the water to the hungry soil. These irrigation ditches have gates or locks. The water does not reach a man’s farm unless he pays his water tax and opens the gate to admit the life-giving stream. Think of the water as newspaper advertising—think of the soil as your own market for your retail store. You can irrigate your market through the columns of The Chroni cle. Advertising will stimulate your market and make your profits grow. First, you must open the gates and let the advertising work for you. You cannot expect crops unless you plant seed and furnish water. You can’t expect profits unless you buy merchandise and advertise it. Herbert Kaufman once said: “The circulation of every newspaper is nothing less than a reservoir of buyers from which shoppers stream in the direction that promises the most value for the least money. “The magic development of the desert land has its parallel in mer chandising of men who consider the newspaper an irrigation power which can make two customers where one grew before.” Your business is full of great possibilities. What it needs is ad vertising. To quote Mr. Kaufman again: “Advertising has made thousands of men ricti, just because they recognize the possibilities of utilizing the newspapers to bring streams of buyers into neighborhoods that could be made busy locations by irrigation.” Why not send for an advertising representative T > THE CHRONICLE “The Paper Everybody Reads” Japan Missionaries To Visit Here Dr. and Mrs. S. P. Fulton of Kobe, Japanv To Arrive Today To Visit Thornwell Orphanage. Dr. and Mrs. Sam P. Fulton, of Kobe, Japan, are expected to arrive today for a visit of several weeks to -the Thornwell Orphanage and their, coming is being looked forward to with unusual interest by the orphan age family as well as their numerous friends in the city. Dr. Fulton was one of the first boys admitted to the Thornwell Or phanage when it opened for the re ception of children. Following his training there and graduation at the Presbyterian College, he went to Japan as a missionary where he has successfully labored for the past 30 years, being at present the directing head of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Kobe. Dr. and Mrs. Ful ton are now in this country on fur lough, and Dr. Lynn extended them a cordial invitation to make a visit to the orphanage while in the state. New York, Sept. 28.—With half o£ his fight for the presidency behind him, John W. Davis today was rest ing at his home in Locust Valley t Long Island, getting in shape for another month of stumping. The candidate’s aides refused to let callers see him and he enjoyed. his first full day of complete rest and relaxation since he was chosen as the Democratic standard-bearer over six weeks ago. He was forced to forego a round of golf because of a sore right arm—incapacitated by his several thousand ° enthusiastic hand-shakers during his campaign.^ Mr. Davis was considerably heart ened over his chances of capturing the presidency by his visit to Dem ocratic headquarters at Washington yesterday. He was told there by campaign officials, who have been keeping an eye on the White House, that the Coolidge forces were wor ried over the progiess of the cam paign. Republican scouts who have confer red with the president recently have issued a warning that if the Republi can party wishes to remain in power a vigorous campaign must be put un der way immediately. Mr. Davis learned that the Cool idge managers are particularly wor ried over the La Follette strength, which has surprised the leaders of both old parties since the campaigns have been under way. Mr. Davis, however, believes that the Progress ive candidate is recruiting his strength from Republican ranks rath er than from the forces of Demo cracy. Mr. Davis probably will remaia here until Wednesday, when he will start his stumping tour of the At lantic seaboard. He will open his. second Western tour with a speech at Baltimore October 5, according ta present plans. While the itinerary of the West ern tour has net been definitely fix ed, it is understood that it will in clude Toledo, Cleveland, Kansas City, Louisville, St. Loan, and possibly a short trip into ORfhhoma. R. O. T. C. UNIT IS RE-ORGANIZED Senior Class Elects Officers for 1924-25 Senior class officers at the Presby terian College have been elected for the ensuing year. The class is head ed by J. J. Cornwall as president; E. L. Mcllwaine, vice-president; S* Mc Lendon, secretary; R. F. Banks, treasurer; V. G. Hartwig, historian; S. B. Hayes, poet; H. J. McLaurin, prophet. Under the leadership of this staff of popular officers, a prosper ous and successful year is assured. Children Must Be Vaccinated In compliance with the state school law, all children in the city schools must be vaccinated as a preventative against small-pox. It was stated yesterday by the trustees that all pu pils enrolled in the schools must bear ■cars and be vaccinated either by their family physician or an attend ing physician at the schools. Col. Glasgow Appointe Cadet Offi cers. Wilson Named as Major, 4 Clark and Bomar, Captains. The Reserve Officers Training Corps of the Presbyterian College, headed by Colonel E. L, Glasgow as the commanding officer, has been re organized for the coming session with an, increased membership over last year. The unit has added a third pla- toon_ to each company, thereby form ing a batallion composed of $wo com panies with three platoons each. The officers and non-commissioned officers for the coming year as ap pointed by Col. Glasgow, are as fol lows: . , Major, Eugene T. Wilson; First Lt and Adj., J. M. Stokes; First Lt. and Supply Officer, E. L. Mcllwaine, Company A: Captain, Frank K. Clarke; First Lt., H. L. Fuller; Sec ond Lt., E. G. Beckman; Second Lt., H. B. Warner; First Sgt., L. L. Holla- day; Platoon Sgt., S. McLendon; Pla toon Sgt., P. D. Hannah; Platoon Sgt., J. G. Hayes; Platoon Sgt., S. B. Hayes. Company B: Captain, P. H. Bomar; First Xt., E. L. Wilds; Second Lt., D. D. Edmunds; Second Lt., V. P. Wel don; First Sgt., A. O. Ramsay; Pla toon Sgt., H. B. Smith; Platoon Sgt, E. " E. Sheldon; Platoon Sgt., W. H. Dendy; Platoon Sgt., H. J. McLaurin. All members of the junior class who take the advanced course are ap pointed Corporals. Nineteen members of the present senior class and one from last year’s class, represented the college at Camp McClellan this summer where they made an enviable record by winning third place among the colleges of the Fourth Corps Area. The showing made by Col. Glasgow and his men is a source of gratification bo the insti tution, and it is expected that anoth er excellent record will be made dur ing the coming year’s work which has'just been entered upon. Laurens Man Guilty Of Manslaughter Laurens, Sept. 30.—With a recom mendation to the mercy of the court, a verdict of manslaughter was re turned late today in session? court here in the case of John O. Powers, young white man, who was charged with causing the death a few months ago of Mack Brown, fourteen year old boy of Watte Mills. Brown, it was alleged, was thrown to the ground by Powers while in a tussle and the fall caused concussion of tha brain, death suaulng two days later.