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$ ' B".V 1 \ . . <-v- * vv**r ->>V 7: - , *" ' . ' * ?ljc o liutu ftttoib. VOL 36 ' KINGSTREE, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1921. NO. 47 EDMUND BINGHAM ACCUSED OF MURDER' AN AFFIDAVIT BY P. H. ARROWSMITH GIVES BIGHAM CASE J DIFFERENT ASPECT. c t The tragedy near Pamplico the afternoon of January 15th, which cost g the lives of three members of the Big-1 ham family and two adopted children. ^ took a sensational turn when Edmund; c Bigham one of the two surviving members of the family and the first r-? to apper on the scene of the tragedy, ^ according to his statement, was ar- ^ rested at the plantation home anc i taken to the county jail late last week. ^ His wife accompanied him to the jail, j Edmund Efigham was arrested by 11 m Deputy Sheriff M. B. Burch on a warrant sworn out by John W. McCrack- t en, the father of the two children kill- t Q ed. Cproner Smith and C. M. Rose, an officer of Pamplico, accompanied him.: c ' Bigham is charged with murder. He submitted to the arrest quietly and manifested little or no concern. He ^ refused to make any statement when seen at thejail and has since employ- " ed J. Monroe Spears, a prominent Dar- '1 ling-ton attorney, to defend him. The persons killed on the Bigham :c plantation last Saturday were: Mrs. ? M. M. Bigham, her daughter, Mrs. v Margie Black; Leo and John McCrack- j * en, two adopted children; and L. S. j * Bigham, brother of Mrs. Black. The '* mother and the daughter and one of * - 1_!11 1 ! \ the children were apparenuy juucu . instantly. The youngest child died at!v 5 o'clock the following morning and! * 'L. S. Bigham, who was thought at the time to have committed the crime, was j' found dead in the woods about a mile ^ from the home at 11 o'clock the foi- 1 lowing morning. He grasped a pistol ' > in his hand, and a bullet had pierced iv the right temple. The other four vie- c tims also died of pistol shot wounds. * \ Negroes for Witnesses. c Several negroes have been arrested 11 and held as material witnesses. It is I the opinion of Coroner Smith that nov. a , that Bigham is under arrest, other testimony bearing on the case may beji C forthcoming. c In making the arrest of Bigham on i the warrant of McCraeken, the aflfi- f davit of Philip Arrowsmith, an attor- J ney was given great consideration. In t his affidavit Arrowsmith declares that t he had been the attorney for Mrs. t Black and L. S. (Smiley) Bigham, two is of the persons killed, since the spring r of 1920 and that, therefore he had be- c come intimately acquainted with their i affairs. !\ At the outset of the affidavit, which e was sworn to before the coroner, Mr. r Arrowsmith declares that Litlmunu c Bigham has no interest in the estate c of the late Senator L. S. Bigham, this having been conveyed to his mother: 4 and brother. He also declares that the c payment of the bond escheated by Dr. Cleveland Bigham who was convicted 1 for the murder of his wife and sen- j tenced to three years in the state pen- i itentiary, had been provided for by ? deposit of amount sufficient to cover ' KP the bond in a local bank. The money t 4 was the proceeds of a mortgage on the j c estate lands and that Solicitor L. M. Y Gasque of this judicial circuit had in t < his possesion the certificate of deposit.; Mr. Arfowsmith also avers that he has in his possesion all of the original deeds relating to the Bigham lands. r Continuing, the statement says that jc on January 8, 1921, L. S. Bigham an.' c Mrs. Margit Black, came to his horn..- c and at their request he accompanied c them to his office where Mrs. Bl?"k,,c who was gi-eatly agitated, made the!1 following statement: j* 1 Feared for Life. t "I signed three blank deeds in the } presence of witnesses and left them with Smiley so that if anything hap- i pened to me my father's estate could r be handled as my mother and Smiley ! 1 desired. All these papers were stolen r from Smiley. I found them in Ed- \ raund's possesion. When I attempt- t ed to secure possesion of them, Ed?;r mund flew into a passion and threat-!t ened to take my life as well as that' g /vf mi? mnthpr. I cave ud all hope ofii - ? * getting the deeds back and his con-1 j duct is such that I am afraid he will j c kill me at any moment and I want you; \ to prepare my will, giving all of my t property to my brother Smiley, and i j charging him, as I know he will, to c r take care of my mother and my two little adopted boys." jt w 4 Mr. Arrowsmith further declares t mt that he drew the will as instructed o I and it was witnessed by himself, G. I T. Bryce and Marshall W. Bridges s and that he incorporated in the will 11 the statement of Mrs. Black to him v i ... '?i; .... . v* NEWS FROM TRIO. ' 'armers Busy With Tobacco Plant < Beds.?Thieves Enter Store. Trio. January 24.?We are having ome very pleasant weather now. The armers are busy planting their tobaco beds, and are holding their cotton ill better prices are quoted Mr. and Mrs. Edward Matthews pent Sunday with parents here. Mr. Andrew Browder of Taft and irother-in-law were noted in town' Sunday. The store of Rowell & Rowel 1 was ntered on Thursday night, last, by inknown burglars. There were about en thousand cigarettes and a few . - - * ? ? i?i ither items stolen tfte value 01 wnicn s estimated at $150. Mr. Zonnie Moore was a caller in own Sunday afternoon. Mr. Roy Jeffords and D. D. Mathews spent a very joyous day in town Sunday. Miss Hazel Loryea of Spring Gully, ipent the week-end here with friends. The people around here have gone o work on the roads which have long een neglected. egarding the threats against her life. At the Bigham home this afternoon, dficers made a search for papers relitive to the estate lands and for the rill mentioned in the Arrowsmith afidavit, but did not find them. Big1am stated that he had a will but afer looking over his papers remarked hat he "could not find it now." It vas first believed that L. S. Bigham, riiile supposedly insane, had shot and rilled his mother, Mrs. M. M. Bigham, lis sister, Mrs. Margie Black and the atter's two adopted children, Leo and lohn McCracken, and had then gone nto the woods, a half mile from the louse and shot himself to death. Fhere vas some doubt in the minds of the ( oroner's jury that L. S. I. Sigh am was he perpetrator of the crime and it j ias decided to delay rendering a ver- j hot until a'1 !.:rional evi.itnc-; could bej aken, and the arrest cf his brother Edmund Bigham ha; given the case i t most interesting aspect. With reference to the estate lands! t appears that a few- days before her! leath, Mrs. J. Bogan Cain, a sister, s alleged to have signed deeds transerring certain of the lands to Mrs. dargie Black. This is said to have >een after the Cleveland Bigham bond lad been arranged for. In view of1 he fact, as presented in the Arrow- i imith affidavit, that L. S. Bigham had i tot only been made the beneficiary! ?f Mrs. Black's will, but he also had n his possesion deeds signed in blank; vhich he could have used as he desired, it is urged that the question of: notive for the murders on the part | >f property consideration was conViorl Koon romnvPfl VIUCU) uuu WWII The affivadit of Philip Arrowsmith. in attorney of Florence, taken by Cor-, >ner W. Marvin Smith, is asfollows: "I was attorney for Mrs. M. M. Big-1 1am, L. S. Bigham and Mrs. Margie J V. Black, and have, therefore, been ather intimately associated with them ;ince opening of the spring of 192" Iy employment was with regard *.o: he estate lands of L. S. Bigham. i leceased, and in which Edmund Big-, 1am had no interest, having conveyed' j o his moiher and brother. I Deposit to Cover Bond. "Pursuant to my employment I aranged with the First National bank if Florence, by mortgage of the property, for the bank to issue its certifi : ate of deposit for an amount suffiient to pay to the state of South Carilina the judgment which had been I endered on the bond escheated upon he default of Dr. Bigham in 1910. rhis mortgage is duly recorded and he certificate of deposit is in the lands of Solicitor Gasque. "During the last term of the crimnal court, as county attorney, in conLection with the investigation thenJ * 1 1 Al i. t . J_ ?A- 4.1.^ I ^emg condyctea Dy xnat ooay mio m?r nutilation of the county records of vhich were alleged to have before hem, which I did. As county attorley I had no information in regard o the matter which they were investigating, but as Mr. Bigham'i attorney t was my pleasure to advise the gran I ury that I had in my possesion the iriginal deeds, the records of which ras alleged to have been torn from he books, which I would be very hap- i >y to display to the grand jury or an\ >ne else upon request. "Subsequently some members of the i ody called at my office and inspected he original deeds. I ventured the i pinion to the grand jury that Mr. < Jigham could hardly be guilty of de- < tructicj^^the record and the reten- ] ion of tti^riginal deeds, as common i onse and prudence would have dictat\ CLARENDON DEFEATS WOMAN. PREPA J. H. Scarborough is Sent to Legisla- Membei ture from That County. Manning, Jan. 25.?Incomplete re-1 With turns from the special election in i istratio: Clarendon county to elect a successor, member to the late Representative W. T. P. arrange Sprott indicate that J. H. Scarborough | va*e lif' has been elected to the lower house of stood t( the general assembly over five othe^ For { candidates one of whom was a worn- ?f the 1 an. Probably not more than$150 votes '-ts men are yet to be reported, which num- jone lhi< ber will not break down. Mr. Srar- called t borough's lead. who w; Those offering for the place were: dilettan J. H. DuBose, New Zion; W. H. Wood, ficientlj Gable; A. Miller Melette, Turbeville; to be i W. N. Rush, Sardinia; Miss Co -inne favors Barfield, Manning, Miss Barfield and 'private Mr. Melette are runing close for see-1 c'al to ond place. Six o Miss Barfield was the first woman J of the : in the state to make the race for (?f theii public office with the exception of! si?n an Mrs. Walter Scott of Greenville, who j and dis last week was elected judge of pro- welconv bate in Greenville county without op- that sti position to fill the vacancy caused by ty alon * of Stat tne recent ueaui vi ncx uu^k/uuu. Baker,; ed the destruction of the original deed and the presevation at all cost, of the record. As a matter of fact, I have Mr. I in my possesion all of the original figure i papers relating to the Bigharrj lands, for ye* "Although I was frequently in cor.- that he ference with Mr. Bigham, who was Mr. Ba rather inclined to discuss frequently Clevela; and at length matters affecting him, son anc he never at any time mcnti?ttod the nected postoffice matter to mc. career, "On Saturday night, the 8th, of Jan- of the < uary, 1921, between 8:30 and 9 o'clock,! tion, al Mrs. Margie A. Black and her broth-1 ship wi er, L. S. Bigham, came to my home the cit; and requested me to go with them to Johnsor the office, as they wished me imme- Judg< v,ondlo ?j rn.itt.pr of ??reat in the uiawci^ vv nuuuiu ? w importance to them. At that time cago is Mrs. Black appeared to be greatly agi- and to ( ted. I was already preparing to leave ever ex home to go to the office with W. Mar- i Palmer, shalll Bridges and G. T. Bryce. 1 practice therefore, accompanied Mrs. Black and (it is st Mr. Bigharh to the effiee an'! Mrs. t an exce Black then made this statement to m. New Y< (She said in words to this effect): 'r Threatened To Kill. j Of tl " 'I signed three blank deeds in the actively presence of witnesses and left tl em Secreta with Smiley, so that if anything Postma should happen to me, my father's es- whom 1 tate could be handled as my mother years b and Smiley desired. All these papers *ne*> it were stolen from Smiley. I found ander v them in Edmund's possession. Wher 'ngton, 1 attempted to secure possesion of indepen them Edmund flew into a passion and. what he threatened to take my life as well asthat be that of my mother. I gave up an *aw hopes of getting the deeds back, an l the Shi he will kill me at any moment, and ^ I want to prepare my will, giving all having of my property to my brother, Smiley,! Marine anH rhavtrinp- him. as I know he will, ] several to take care of my mother and my two Jwanted little adopted boys.' Inasmu "'1 said to Mrs. Black that it was j^ inconceivable to me that her life wasi^oai (' in danger at the hands of her broth- j Senate, er, and Smiley, at that time, said if i Pl?ces> the matter was left to him he had no rePrese doubt but that he could prevail upon I Edmund to give up the deeds and the j "K?'y * whole matter would then be settled. | Se Mrs. Black, however, insisted that her Ther< life was in danger and requested m( inet wh to draw the will. It was after office lawyer, hours and there were no stenograph-* ed an ( ers present. So I therefore wrote out terestin on three sheets of our corresponuentv last fe> stationery a will, hv which I gave aii secretai of her property, of every- kind and try has description, whereever situated, by her. people owned, or to which she might be en- j thought titled at the time of her death, to hei 1 Houstoi brother, L. S. Bigham, in fee simple, a will < charging him with the duty so to use of whal the property so as to px-ovide a home, as "gut for his mother and the two littlej Since adopted boys, naming them, and pro-; bombar viding them with suitable education.; ably th I also wrote in the will the reason, as i from tl above stated, why it was made, and: has be! when the will is produced, if it is, it he has will afford the evidence of the threats steadfas which had been made against the life ment tl - ?? * ' i i ii -nj 1 i A I 01 airs. JBiacK Dy ner oromer, Lamunu. i out, nen This will was read over to Mrs. Black J and wil in the presence of Mr. Bridges and Mr. j political Bryce. She signed it and we three: stood b; witnessed it, indorsing the margin of thought each page with our initials. The will erally 1 was then turned over to Smiley, who best qu; placed it in a red cardboard envelope, ment. and putting it in his pocket, he and S Mrs. Black withdrew and I have neith- Mr. B er seen or heard from them since, and like thj er seen or heard from them since, and than wh only of them through the reports that has spe have come to'me of the horrible trag- in univ edy. (Signed) along li "Philip H. Arrowsmith " by Mr. * J RING FOR PRIVATE LIFE. s of Wilson's Cabinet Known Is Vigorous Workers. the end of the Wilson adminn barely two months away, tl s of the cabinet are making jn ments for their return to prie, and most of them are under w > have found the task easy. ti iespite the frequent criticisr . Vilson cabinet, it is a fact that a] ibers were vigorous workers in & i or another before they were g o portfolios. There is not one q, as a rich idler and political te. And all of them are suf- g r valuable in their own' lines p] ander no necessity of asking a, of anyone on their return to V; life, says a Washington spe- vj the Baltimore Sun. ti f the ten are lawyers and fou?- tl six have given the better part t( mature years to their profes- , id have attained such success tinction in it tkat they are ed to many opportunties in ictly legal field in which abilie counts. They are Secretary e 'Colby, Secretary of War Secretary of the Interior Payne torney General Palmer. o: Successful Lawyers. Colby has been a conspicuous ? n his profession in New York p irs, and the understanding is ^ ! plans to resume work there, h ker, who was city solicitor of n nd under the late Tom John- g 1 handled the legal fights con- f, with Johnson's turbulent n especially those growing out e< Cleveland street railway situaready has formed a partner- w th the two lawyers who served ^ y. after Mr. Baiter succeeded ^ i as mayor. p i Payne, long a powerful figure legal and civic affairs of Chi- ^ expected to return to that city Y. engage in active work to what- c] :tent he is pleased to. Mr , it is generally thought wil' a] . lot.. PVtilorlolnhin althmicrh ... ; ? ated that he has been offered cj llent connection for practice in jj ark and Washington. w lurleson and Alexander, le two lawyers who were not ti 1 engaged in their profession, ci ry of Commerce Alexander and h; ster General Burleson, both o* w iave been in the House many efore being called to the Cabis understood that Mr. Alexrill open law offices in Washwhile Mr. Burleson, ? man of t means has not disclosed a; ! will do. There is a possibility g ifore My. Alexander gets hli E ce started he will be named on J< pping Board. S nows much about its affairs, T been chairman of the Merchant w committee of the House for ni years, and President Wilson S to name him on the board. Ji ch as the nominations made B >y Mr. Wilson to the Shipping will not'be confirmed by t1 Mr. Harding will fill the ej and as there must be minority _ ntation, he must name four ^ ats. Mr. Alexander is quite ^ 0 be one of them. . cretary David F. Houston _ jr 1 is one other man in the cab- r< io is a lawyer without being a bi so to say, and has been count - iL-i ?i iducafor. tie IS mat muai 1U- | >v g of cabinet figures in the t di v months, David F. Houston, ei *y of the treasury. The coun- it : learned lately what many la around Washington have tc ; for several years?that Mr. y< i, is very much of a man, with st )f his own and a large supply w t is vulgarly known in politics b< s." y< last summer, he has been ec rled by various interests, not- e< e farming interests, for help le government, and when he lieved these appeals unsound ru refused them with a simple n< stness and a clarity of state- aj lat have been notable. With tc oices of any sort, or fireworks, ec thout regard to campaign or ec [ exigencies of any kind, he has cc f the positions taken after due , and it may be said, he gen- th las had the approval of those er alified to pass impartial judg- D N 1 -A T^?? a 4 c Tnorhpr hf >peill 1 line *1.0 A VWV..V. fouston's career has been much ax it of that other hard heaaed th 10 put him in the cabinet. He be nt most of his days teaching fo ersities and has specialized se nes similiar to those followed tu Wilson. Like Mr. Wilson, too va COLOMBIAN BERRY Predicted to Revolutionize the Berry Industry. Washington, Jan. 25.?Predictions tat the Columbian berry, discovered i a hitherto unexplored forest region the South American Republic for hich it was named, would revoluonize the American berry industry i the same way that the naval orange, so of South American origin, mark1 an epoch in the history ot* citrus rowing, are made by officials of the jp-ivtment of agriculture. F> tensive experiments with the aint blackberry, described by exlorers of the agriculture department 3 four times the size of the American ariety, nave betn begun by the diision of foreign seed aid. plant in oduct'on, which plan* to distrbutue le new dscovery to far ner. after deirmining in what climates it will row best. PASTOR SCORES BIG HIT. hurch Packed Following His Trial in Police Court. Atlanta, Jaa. 22.?As an aftermath f a police court trial that exonerated im <vf a charge rtf insultinc j\lrs. C. !. Hamilton. Rev. Caleb A. Ridley: as tor of a local church, Sunday moralg from his pulpit virtually charged is accusers with having plotted tc lake him a victim of a "badgei ame" for the purpose of obtaining mds which he now claims to hold tc leet expenses of a new church erecti by his congregation. When the pastor announced he ould attempt to place the principals i the prosecution against him "beind the bars of a prison" he was aplauded by the congregation and the Leeting was later described as peraps the most sensational hour'? sirice ever witnessed in an Atlanta rurch. > Dr. Ridley brought his remarks bout the Hamilton case to a close ith an appeal for funds to finish the lurch under construction and withV t a few moments more than $1,000 as subscribed. The Hamilton-Ridley case has at acted much attention throughout the ty and long before the pastor began ie oormnn this momintr the church as crowded with many people being >mpelled to stand. o ? Never Fail School Notes Those on the honor roll This month re: Beulah Crooks 90, Minnie Drigers 94, Estelle Driggers 95, Helen pps 96, Millie Epps 93, William jhnson ?5, Ingram Johnson 95, Britt trong 92, Thetis Tisdale 90, David isdale 90. Maude McClary 90, Those ho have made head marks are: Minie Driggers, Estelle Driggers, Bi-itt trong, William Johnson, Ingram ohnson, Willie Epps, Dowie Epps, eulah Crooks. o A wise man won't fool around with ther Dynamite or Married Women. e was admitted to the bar in his ounger days. And while he never as practiced, gossip around Washtgton has it that the President once emarked that Mr. Houston was the est lawyer in the cabinet. There is a rumor abroad now that ell on in years and after attaining istinction as an educator and govmment fiscal chief, Mr. Houston has stronelv in his head to practice lw. It is said that he has wanted ) be a lawyer since he was eight ears old. If he once got that idea ;rongly in his head, even when he as little more than a baby, it would ; like him to keep it there year afte'ear, no matter how many years pass1, u itnlhenfi ._teuxespassaydommm 1, until he finally put it into effect. Mr. Houston Now Nearly 55 However, if any plans Mr. Houston ay have to begin the practice of law jw, when he |is nearly 55 years of ?e, do not woik out, lie will not need worry. He has received, it is stat1, flattering offers to return to the lucational field or to head a trust mpany. Of the remaining three members of ie cabinet, two are editors and own s of successful papers?Josephus aniels, who has a daily in R-deigh, . C., and Edwin T. Meredith, who is a farmers' weekly in Iowa. Both e going back cheerfully to work ey know and love. The other memir of the cabinel is the sturdy old rmer miner, William B. Wilson, cretary of labor, who plans to rern to the farm he owns in Pennsylinia for the time being at least. REV. K. fi. FINLAY BISHOP COADJUTOR IMPRESSIVE CEROMONIES MARK ! CONSECRATION AT COLUMBIA THURSDAY. The most stately and solemn serv- v ice of the Episcopal church, that which elevates a priest to the episcopate. was solemnized last Thursday at Trinity church, Columbia, when the Rev. Kirlrman C Flndlav. for 14 vear.; rector of the parish, was consecrated bishop coadjutor of the diocese of South Carolina. The act of the lay* ing on of hands was performed by seven bishops and the service was attended by 40 clergymen of this and other dioceses, by the officers of the diocese and by a congregation which filled every available space in the church, even to galleries, baptistry and some of the aisles in which extra seats had been provided. A vested choir of 40 voices, composed of the regular choir of Trinity, assisted by 1 leading voices from nearly all the * 4 other churches in the city, rendered beautiful and inspiring music. ' The services began with an impressve processional which, forming at ' Satterlee hall, wound around the south ' side of the church and entered the " front door, led by the choir at the head, of which were the two young sons of 1 the bishop coadjutor-elect, Kirkman G. Findlay, Jr., and Edward FinUiy, the former serving in his accustomed * ' capacity of crucifer and the latter car-' rying the United States flag' whichv since the beginning of the wor& war, 1 has been borne immediately behind the cross in all of the. services at Trinity church. To the majestic hymn, "0 'Twas a ! Joyful Sound to Hear" (493), the procession entered the church in the following order: First, the choir, then 1 the vestry of Trinity church; after them the lay members cf the execu1 tive council of the diocese and the ' | lay members of the standing commit, tee of the diocese; next the two score clergy in their white vestments and white stoles, followed by the master of ceromonies, the Rev.. T. Tracy Walsh, and the registrar, the Rev. Albert Thomas; then the bishop coadjutor-elect, escorted by two at; tending priests, the Rev. Walter Mitchell, D. D., and the Rev. Octavus j T. Porcher, and finally the seven bishops with the Rt. Rev. William A Guerry, bishop of South Carolina, coming | last. I The choir filed into the choir stalls and the clergy advancing to pews rei frtr- +Viom in the fmnt nf the , ?JVi t vu XVI VUVtU M* ?..v v. ? | main aile separated to form a douible line, through which the bishops 11 passed on their way to the sanctuary, the candidate for the holiest orders j stopping at the foot of the chancel I steps, where, with the two attending priests, he remained until the conse1 oration services proper began. Morning prayer having been said . at a previous service, the communion 'service was entered upon immediately, the epistle being read by the . bishop coadjutor of Ohio the Rt. Rev. Frank DuMoulin; the gospel by the bishop of North Carolina, the Rt. Rev. 'Joseph B. Chesire, D. D., and the 1 nicene creed by the bishop of Georgia, ! the Rt. Rev. Frederick F. Reese, D. D. This was followed by the fervent old missionary hymn, "Jesus Shall Reign," in which voices of choir, bishops, clergy and congregation joined in an inspiring volume of praise. The Rev. Mr. Walsh as master of ceremonies escorted to the pulpit the j preacher of the occasion, the Rt. Rev. Henry J. Mikell, D. D., a former South j Carolinian, who is the bishop of Atllanta: From the text, "Therefore watch and remember" (Acts, 20:31), Rishop Mikell preached a stirring sermon, sterring the importance of "re ?4-Vto rHiWofion I xueinuej lllg uiai u? wu*.. as the agency on earth of Jesus Christ, is worthy of the finest loyalty, the wisest thought, the best service and importuning its members to "watch" * lest the present?critical with forces of unrest, confusion and change? should weaken the powers of the church, declaring that the Christian church is losing grourd in this age, he plead for unity among the various sects as the only means of putting new strength and vitality into the gospel. I o A twenty per cent cut affecting the entire Atlantic Coast Line shop force jat Florence has been ordered by the I management of the railroad company, (effective Saturday, January 29th. o The County Record Is $1.60 year in advance