The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, October 28, 1909, Page 5, Image 5
-m
^1
* Us
J BU(
IG.
PERSONAL MENTION.
People Visiting in This City and
at Other Points.
?Dr. J. L. Copeland, of Ehrhardt,
was in the city Tuesday.
?Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Bassett, of
the Kearse section, were in the city
Monday.
?Mr. J. P. Kearse, Sr., of the
Kearse section, was in the city last
Thursday.
?Mrs. C. R. Brabham and Miss
Bessie Daniels spent several days in
Augusta last week.
?Mrs. M. C. Sandifer has returned
V T?1 n
mj uci iiuuic iu juuuaiuu, anci a >ioit
to relatives in the city.
?Congressman J. 0. Patterson
pent a while in the city on Monday
shaking hands with his many friends.
?Miss Ella Gates, after a stay
with relatives in Orangeburg and
Calhoun counties, has returned to the
wity.
?Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Rice, of
Aiken, are visiting their brother, Mr.
M. N. Rice, in the Buford's Bridge
section.
?Mrs. Hooton Felder, of Mullins,
who has been visiting relatives in
the city, returned to her home last
Thursday.
?Mrs. J. H. Cope left for Spartanburg
yesterday, where she will live
1n future, her son, Glenn, being there
at college.
?Mrs. M. A. Adams left last
Thursday for Marion, where she will
spend some time with her daughter,
Mrs. W. L. Stokes.
?Mrs. J. L. Copeland and Mrs.
llaude Farrell, of Ehrhardt, were in
the city Tuesday on their way to
Charleston to attend the amusements
f festival week.
?Misses Mildred Beaty and Carrie
Gordon, two of our popular graded
school teachers, spent Sunday in
Orangeburg with a former teacher,
Miss Ruth Holman.
?The many friends of Mr. A. M.
Brabham, who has been sick for more
than a week, will be glad to know
that he is getting along nicely, and
will no doubt be out in a short while.
?Mr. J. G. Rhoad, of the Hunter's
Chapel section, was in the city last
Saturday. He asked why The Herald
was late last week, and said that
the paper had_not reached them up
to that time, we cannot understand
this delay. Our paper was printed
last Thursday night and put in the
post office here early Friday morning,
and it should have left here on the
down train Friday morning, and gone
out on the route from Branchville and
been delivered the same day. Somebody
delayed the papers, and we
would like to know who did it.
Fresh oysters at L. C. Price's every
day in the week except Sunday and
Monday. 35c. and 40c. the quart.
See Byrd's swell line of fall and
winter clothing for men and boys.
If you want a suit for yourself or
on, see his line before you buy. He
will save you money. All prices and
styles.
)TT
IThe South is "in
the highest prices:
and in order to m<
wants, as we have
Thev were bousrht
II ^ 9
I people of this secti
I nice driving horses
IGIES,
as we have the larj
and if you want st;
These goods wer
you money. Com
Mr. J. W. Stokes
serve his friends.
FIU
\
JURYMEN OP CHARACTER.
I The Twelve Who Convicted Avant
and Bigham.
flpnrp'PtnwTi Opt 23 At this
time, when the jury question is occupying
so'much attention in this State
: and calling forth so many and such
varied expressions regarding the system,
usually with such vigorous criti'
cism on the incompetency of the
average juror, it might not be amiss
to remark that from all outward appearances
the jury who are sitting in
the case of the State against Avant
and Bigham, now on trial in the county
of Georgetown, are far above the
average in intelligence and general
equipment for jury service. The majority
of those called were sworn on
their voir dire and the answers to
Judge Watts' questions indicated
their ability and general fitness.
Some had talked of the case to
friends and a few having formed and
expressed definite and decided opinions
were excused. The State exhausted
its five objections, while the
defense exercised the right in 14
cases out of its 20. It is generally
conceded that the prosecution erred
in allowing a cousin of one of the defendants
to be sworn; there are predictions,
of course, of a mistrial because
of this fact, although no one
has knowledge of this juror's attitude.
It was current comment that
the jury, as a whole, was an excellent
one. They are: F. D. Rover, foreman;
L. C. Lachicotte, Jr., J. J.
Gowd, F. M. Gowd, A. J. Young, C.
L. Ford, F. L. Sion, J. G. Carroway,
Wm. P. Blake, I. McG. Carroway,
Chas. E. Holliday, E. D. Croft.
In the Court Room.
Among those present throughout
the first day of the trial were: Mr.
M. B. Crisp, of Mountville, Laurens
county, father of Mrs. Bigham, the
slain woman; Mr. A. B. Crisp, of
Heardmont, Ga., and Eugene Crisp,
of Clinton, Mr. Sidney Crisp, of Grover,
N. C., Mr. M. L. Crisp, of Whitmire,
all brothers of the deceased;
Messrs. J. J. Dendy, B. A. Wharton,
S. M. Pearce and S. D. Childress, of
Laurens; Messrs. L. S. and E. D. Bigham,
of Florence county; Mrs. Bigham,
mother of Dr. Bigham; and the
six witnesses from Marion county,
who were at Murrel's Inlet on the
day of the tragedy.
Both the defendants are rather
young and boyish in their appearance.
Dr. Bigham is small of stature,
rather heavy set, auburn hair, full,
round face, apparently about 28
years of age. Mr. Avant is still
younger, possibly 26, taller, light
haired, and of medium build. Both
deported themselves with apparent
realization of the seriousness of their
situation. During most of the day
they leaned to one side, head and face
in hand, somewhat dejected. Neither
showed any particular emotion at any
time, not even during Mr. Buck's
graphic and realistic picture of the
dead woman on the beach and in the
room of the Avant home.
Mrs. Ruth Crisp Bigham.
Mrs. Bigham, the deceased, was the I
daughter of Mr. M. B. Crisp, of |
Mountville, Laurens county. In 1907
-r. ,"-VCo ": < '
ON
the saddle" this year
for years. You will
ike cotton you must
just received anothe
by an experienced 1
on. 1 have mules fc
i. We simply can't
WAG(
jest stock in this seel
pie and quality comt
e contracted for bef<
e in and see us. C
s is with me again tl
o o o i
i\iv
\111\
BAMBERG, SOI
she graduated from Chicora college,
a bright, attractive, pretty little woman,
about 5 feet, three or four inches
tall, weighing possibly 110 pounds,
aged 23 years. She was full of life,
fine company, though somewhat shy.
Returning to her home at Mountville,
after leaving college, she met and
soon after wedded Dr. S. C. Bigham,
who was at the time practicing his
profession in her home community.
The marriage took place at Mountville;
the couple soon returned to Dr.
Bigham's former home in Florence
county.
In the summer just past, Mrs. Bigharii
visited her old home, the scenes
nf hpr cfrlhnnd TTnnn reauests from
her husband she returned to Florence
county; soon they together went on
the ill-fated visit to Murrel's Inlet,
a summer home for many families.
They occupied a front room at "Sunnyside,"
the home of the Avants.
Murrel's Inlet.
Murrel's Inlet is a resort about 25
miles up the coast from Georgetown.
Here a great many people, particularly
residents of Marion, own cottages
and there reside during the
summer months. Many of them "run
down" for a few days, and as it happened,
most of the witnesses to the
shocking tragedy had just arrived on
Saturday afternoon, September 4.
Murrel's Inlet is about a mile and a
half from the ocean, on a creek or
bay; the tides come and go there.
The residents often bathe in this
creek or bay, and it developed that
Mrs. Bigham had on her bathing suit,
over which she wore a long rain coat
belonging to Mr. Avant.
The beach at Murrel's Inlet is
somewhat in the shape of a crescent,
the houses built facing the beach.
Down where the tide water comes
and goes is a yellow stretch of sand,
back of which toward the houses is
a growth of grass, a foot possibly in
height. From the sides of "Sunnyside"
run two fences, reaching the
water's edge; there is now no public
road along the beach, although many
walk up and down, climbing over the
fences, which are not high. When
Mrs. Bigham, or the "thing" passed
r-not- r?f "QnnnvoMo" onH
1VUUU tU^ WiUVi V4 MUUUJ W4\AV MMM
went towards the beach, she was on
what was termed a "private path."
She proceeded to the water front
and the men?Bigham and Avant?
on the porch as she passed suspected
"foul intentions," got a gun and followed
the figure. According to the
statement, the figure, when reached
by them, was sitting on the beach,
possibly 30 feet from the water's
edge, on the sand beach, having passed
beyond the grass line. And there
in the twilight of a peaceful September
evening was snuffed out the life
of a young woman, only about 23
years old, and a bride of not two
years.
"Must I shoot?" said Avant.
"Shoot," said Bigham, and therewith
the gun's barrel within a few
steps of the victim was fired the shot
which cost a life and which placed
the lives of two young men in the
hands of 12 of their peers.
Murrel's Inlet, a beautiful spot, ;
the haven for the weary, thus became :
the scene of such woe. Only the
kindly waters have washed away the ;
. .- .
IS
sure, our chief pro<
want to increase yc
have good stock.
)r car load of first-cl
juyer, and specially
>r farm work and ai
be touched by comp
)NS &
tion, all bought f roi
>ined, you can get it
we prices advanced;
osts nothing to lool
lis season, and will
o o o o
BA
JTH CAROUNA
blood stains, and the shores are fre<
from guilt. What can wipe out al
stain and free from guilt the accuset
men, remains to be seen.
Those who heard the story of th<
deed, told by Mr. Henry Buck, as re
lated to him by Dr. Bigham, coulc
not but be impressed by the pathos
contained in those words, "My littl<
wife," and the witness told of th(
husband's tears when he heard th<
awful words: "She is dead." Witt
| his finger on the pulse that indicated
the ebbing tide of life, Mr. Buck
kind, thoughtful and considerate
said to the little company standing
about: "She is dead; let us take the
body away." Hearing these words
the husband approached his comrade,
Avant, placed his hands upor
his shoulders, and there they both
sobbed in their grief. "I am a murderer,"
said Avant. "You have killed
my little wife," said the stricken husband,
and the pathos of those words
is sounding in every ear.
"Why Did You Shoot?"
And the question is still unaswered.
Seated beneath an old cedai
the yard surrounding "Sunnyside,"
on that fateful Saturday night, Dr.
Bigham, sobbing as if his heart
would break, and Avant in the same
humor, were asked: "Why did you
shoot?" To Mr. Henry Buck, who
had acted the wise general of affain
after the deed, they told their story
"Why did you shoot a woman, sitting
on the beach?" he asked.
"We hailed it two or three times
and received no response." Was that
all? Did the men know it was a woman?
Did they know it was the
wife of one? Did they suspect a plot?
Did they have cause to shoot? Why
did they shoot? Why?
The defense endeavored to show
that the men considered the person
trespassing, bent on mischief, maybe.
Bigham thought his wife was in her
room; he thought he heard her answer
his call just after the "thing"
passed the porch. Why did she not
answer their call on the beach?yea,
their repeateded call? Mystery enshrouds
the whole affair. No reas?a
Vi ft tta Knnn
UI1B, UttUBCB, U1 liiVUVCB ua to UV-LU
shown, and may never be shown.
Mrs. Ruth Crisp Bigham is dead; W.
B. Avant fired the shot. Why? Was
the empty bottle of Shaw's malted
whiskey the cause?
Mystery of the Coat.
The testimony shows that Mrs. Bigham
had on a long rain-coat when she
received the load of shot in her back.
Men who saw the coat then say it had
but one hole in it, small, indicating
close range. Now the coat has four
holes, large; even larger than the one
original hole. What has transpired?
Who has had the coat? If the other
holes have been made since, why was
it done? To show that the shooting
was at long range? There is no
answer.
Full line of the famous W. L.
Douglas shoes for men at J. A.
Byrd's. Can suit anybody.
Simmons Hardware Co. is always
onvtnni! erivo I/mi in f nrm n tinn nnd
HUA1V/UU WV JjH V J vw iwiviu?>?v.vM
Qgure with you about that house that
needs painting. Best fresh paints
and oils in stock the year round.
''* *' - * " ,
KING?!]
duct--cotton~bringing 6 i |
>ur acreage no doubt, I MS j
We can supply your llj
lass horses and mules. I H* A
y selected to suit the B I |jp p
1 other purposes; also I 7>|p
>etition on | ||||
' HARNESS, j|
m the best markets, ?|||*^
flAfp ?fv
ilvl
, and I can sure save
be glad to see and ||?l|jfl
o o o o I
MBERGI
i I The Largest line of Furniture | i
I I IN BAMBERG COUNTY I jl|
1 ? and we are selling it, too, for our low prices and fnll as- Ng
> A sortments in all lines attract buyers from a long dis- A
' ? tance. Our Fall Display is complete, and we will take /fv ?
v|j pleasure in showing yon around whether you buy or not. V '
[ a Hardware, Furniture, Stoves and Ranges, a
! i Coffins and Caskets, Lime, Cement, Etc. 1 f||
a We buy in car lots for spot cash, get all the discounts, vS7
A and when we say we can sell you cheaper others. A ' ^
I we mean it. Come in and let us prove it. Our handsome
assortment of Furniture for the home or office S? will
please the eye and tickle the pocket book. We also ^ ;Mf|g
carry all kinds of housefnrnishings, such as A .
Rugs, Mattings, Carpets, Pictures, Shades, jg t fll
We also frame pictures at reasonable prices. See us A
for satisfaction in all the lines we handle. - v2r ..
Bamberg Furniture & Hardware Co. 1 mm
BAMBERG, SOUTH CAROLINA. X
|Good Things! J
?? I HAVE JUST RECEIVED AN IMMENSE STOCK orf 3
??. FRESH GROCERIES, AND I WANT TO SERVE YOU.
T LOOK OVER THE LIST AND PRICES, AND GIVE US T
J YOUR ORDER. WE GUARANTEE TO PLEASE YOU. & j
J* Reboiled Georgia Cane Syrup, per gallon, only 50c y ]
flE. Blue Label Sweet Sugar Corn, per can, only 15c M* ]
Stalk Sweet Sugar Corn, per can 10c t J
J Curtis Brand Garden Peas, per can 15c ^
? Curtis Brand String Beans, per can 15c Ap I
m The finest that are put in cans. t J
Gold Band Hams, per pound 18He ^
?E< Toxawav Coffee. 1 lb. cans 35c.. or 3 lb. cans for 95c ill 1
^ All we ask is that you give it a trial. t I
TRY SNOWFLAKE FLOUR, and if it does not prove satisfactory, 'r J
we refund your money. 90c only for 24 pounds. 1
^ Karo Corn Syrup, per half gallon, only 30c t |
Jumbo Brand Tomatoes, 3 lb. cans only 10c f
flf* Riverside Tomatoes, 3 lb. cans, only 9c I
2 Lid you ever stop to think that I am head- . I
quarters for Heinz's Goods? Full line Pickles, W* I
Ptpsppvps. ptp.. of thesft finp croods. <ll 1
^ Diplomat Lemon Cling Peaches, 3 lb. cans, only 20c SI 1
5 Evaporated Peaches, new and fresh, 2 lb. for ;....25c ^ I
^ Big line FINE CANDIES, also FRUITS of every descrip- |
^ tion. Everything that is seasonable can be found here, ,S^ I
all fresh. Let us fill your next order. Prompt delivery. I
1 E. BART PRICE t 1
2 BAMBERG, SOUTH CAROLINA J
'I