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AT FLORENCE lege Crowd Overflows Court Home?Attor? neys Kor Defense Rely on Suicide Theory Ifonoc?. March 24 - Attendance' fas* ft-st day at the trial of fcd P. Blgham. charged with the' 0|! Ola mother, brother, sister I slater's two adopted children, name n??ar Pamplio last Jan isroUe all records for the Fior County courts. From daylight noon automobiles ami borse vehlelc* brought in hundreds of from the country. Almost the Satire fMipulation of the Pamplico dis where the n.orders were com Tsiltled. was present at the opening of court. In the mas* of spectators that Crowded the court room alter the Opening of the morning session, the 'famine element was noticeable. Did Women and young girls, alike craned their neck* to get a sight of the de? fendant ami bis attorneys and more than one here and there viewed the proceeding* form a standing position an the backs of the benches.' Blgham. the defendant, stood the Oemttny of the crowd remarkably wait He tired noticeably of the lou? che proceedings which preceded the SieMnsj of his ease. He diverted him It by close examinations of tho OTOWd behind him and before him in thO eOurt room, and when that failed. Iss lea fir. I forward In the dock and eaad a newspaper over the shoulders an attorney who held It. The main twpments of the day was the un lli* of line of defense through Attorney A. L. King and his te. c. T. McDonald, will seek it Blaham of the charge of le murder. Mr. King fought eVery point agulnnt any testimony whteh went to show that the killing Of lt. Smiley Harham might not have baOn suicide. It was the ens.- eowr Vhff the murder of Ids brother Smiley ijfatl Bolleftor Casque seiet ted to sub Snlt to the Jury in order to oenvict the defendant , t*r. w. if. Post on. who saw the body of Bmtley Blaham at the time M ItS discovery, testified that muscu kit, action as a result of the wound fr#m Which the man died, might eith OaJlare caused a relaxation of his grip 0% butt of, the pistol or might huvi? SSUSSed the grip to tighten. Aside from this Dr. Boston's tCMtimony was Sjulte dSsttnloto and . In favor of the prosecution. Mr. King, in his cross examination sought to offset those ehtflntte portions of the testimony und |#,emphasise the doctors statements as to the possible effect of the wound Upon the muscles of his hand. ? in the testimony of every witness sJMU followed Dr. Poston Mr. King made the same efforts to emphasise those portions which might show the possibility that Smiley Blgham was a murderer and a suicide. Hr. J. M. Barnwell was called as the only ex? pert witness of the day. Other experts, Solicitor Oasquo anWounced, will be called later In the case. Dr. Barn well tesHrted that In the case of a self-inflicted wound such as caused the death of Smiley Blgham, a charge of black powder would have caused distinct burnt) around the wound which could not have been washed out. His testimony as to the muscular reac? tion following such a wound corrobo? rated that of Dr. Boston. % The testimony of T. H. Pinkies was made the occasion of a strong attack aa the witness by Attorney King. Mr. JTiakles had testified thai Edmund .Blgham indicated to him the direction which should be taken in the search far hie brother's body. The direction laaicated had been followed by Fln Sjeef party if searchers and although I the body St as located by a membci of another party It was found at a point that was almost exactly tho ?im as indicated In Edmund fjlsghsms direction to him. jftf. King on taking the witness In hen* asked if he had not expressed , a aesstft In the defendant's gulU. This , Mr. fTlnktea acknowledged and was Sossjily scored by Mr. Kfbg for form? ing his opinions on hearsay and news? paper repoits. Mr. Pinkies, however, bold his ground and Mr. King's sole i ram was ait impression on the jury's mlrd that Sir, Flukles may have been prejudiced M. C. Brown, who bad one on the Jttghata estate as a tenant late in De cembrt. told of tbe discovery by Sd asund Blgham and himself of the body of Mrs. Margie Black. This was two hours after tho finding of the bodies of Mrs. M. M. Blgham and little John MeOraeken. the adopted son of Mrs. Black. aWlmund, the witness saht, bad led Che search with a lighted lautem aad went through all of the house he fore entering tbe upstairs room which Mia Black iad occupied. There they had found the body of" Mrs. Black, ly? ing screes a smsll trunk on tbe floor. On finding Ids sister. Edmund had shouted "Oh. my Ood. what will I do?" and hid apparently been so shocked that he bad to put down the lantern, fhe witness save much testl tuooy regarding the rinding of Smiley Bighorn's twMty. he basing been the first peruuu to reach It. It developed that ho bad also nocompauled Attor? ney King In going over the scene of tho crime fast week. Mr. King had considerable trouble In bringing out tbe points In the wltnessea's testimony which verified certain conditions, the attorney had found two months afte r tho crime bod bevn committed. One of tyese points covered the difference between the finding Of blood on the bashes when the body was discovered and the finding of signs of blood when the witness accompanied Mr. King on his survey of the suroundlngs. On this point depends the prolatbtlity of the suicide theory. One other scrap of testimony that1 f\u to the favor the defendant was the statement Of Dr. Ponton that F.l mund Bigham had asked him to use every means In his power to save the life of I/eo MeCracken, the little boy who was found alive about the time of the finding of Mrs. Black's body. Dr. Boston described Edmund's soli? citude as being apparently genuine andw ben this admission was made the prisoner was effected*for tho first time during the proceedings. Mrs. Edmund Bighatn did not ap? pear In court today and her failure to do so was- made the basis of another affidavit by Attorney King on which he again asked for a continu? ance of the case. He stated that he believed that Mrs. Bighatn was being forcibly detained at Greenville by her family whose attitude toward Bigham he said, was hostile. Judge Memmin ger offered to issue a bench warrant for Mrs. Bigham but Iff, King later received a telegram from her slating that shAhad received his messags too late to jLk?? Wednesday's train for Florence.* She is expected to appeal I in court tomorrow morning. Senator I). Gordon Baker sat with Solicitor Qaetyuc and aided hhn at points in the trial. P. H. Arrow-smith was in charge of the State's wit? nesses. Florence, March 2"..?The prosecu? tion strengthened its case against Kdmund Dv Bigham for the murder of U Smiley Bigham In the proceed? ings in the criminal court here to? day. Bigham is really on trial for the killing of Iiis mother, sister, and two little adopted sons of his sister, be? sides the murder of his brother, but the seats undertook to prove its easeX in the single instance of the killing of I* Smiley Bigham, The Bigham case must Mb finished by 12 o'clock Saturday night or tho court will be compelled by law to order a mistrial. Judge Memmlnger suggested this afternoon that in or? der to expedite the hearing he was willing to hold a two hour session to? night. Mr. Gasque for the state as? sented to the proposition. Mr. King for the defense urged that he had te go into the ease unprepared and tha he would be really in need of time to lay proper plans for his defense, Ha asked that the right sessions idea be abondoned and that the conn meet earlier tomorrow. Judge Memmlng< ? admitted that Mr. King's point v as WOtl tnhefl Shd named 1? o'eloc'. to? morrOW morning as the hour for opening. During the we.k eourt lias opened at S::tO o'cloek. In the time before 12 o'cloek to? morrow sight. Mr. King must com? plete his cii.se for the defense, which Opened lata thla afternoon, the attorn? eys muot make their arguments, the Judge mast (barge tha jury, and the jury h dollberatlona must end. Othor wd?ev the Jodga will be compelled *o oelcr n mistrial and the case will gO over to the summer term. Ah it is, all of Florence county Is holding a stop watch, as it were, on the com t's proceedings. What appeared t<> be a Blender Structure was today given an appar? ently solid foundation. The testi? mony upon which this was built was given by J. W. Mefraeken, the fath? er of Mrs. Margie Black's two adopt? ed sons, by Maeeo Cox who wa nt with Mc<'rucken to the bigham liomc on the night of the tragedy, by Waller Buroh, a negro boy. and by Mrs. Ola Kirton, a neighbor of the Blghams at whose home Mrs. Black "Had spent the night after her trip to Florence when she sought advice from Attor? ney Arrow smith and expressed In a will, which Mr. Art ow smith prepared, her fear of some person who she said had stolen from her three blank deeds to her property which lha had Signed. The rpost positive and direct of this testimony was given by McCrackcn. He said that on the night alter the killing, which he spent at the Big? ham home, he had seen Kdmund Big nam wdth a pearl handled revolver, like that found in Smiley Bigham's dead hand, in his pocket. He had seen another revolver of smaller cali? bre on the mantel piece of the Big ham parlor where McCrackcn and neighbors of the Bigham family sat up d rflng the entire night. He called Kdmund Bighum's attention to this smaller weapon and naked what might happen if it were there and smiley ibgham should suddenly ap? pear and stated he believed it ? -ould l>e a serious matter. Edmund Bigham had taken this smaller pistol in tin morning at daylight, had left th? 1 roo;.? and gone outside and opened 1 the shutters. Through the window MeCracken hail seen ium go to the woods oppoalte the house taking tin direction which afterwards bad a searching party to lind Smiley Big ham's body. When Edmund Blgha n returned, MeCracken said he did not have the pearl handled pistol which be had carried in his pocket during the night. On coming back bo had told the neighbors and interest I patties gathered in the Bigham home. "Now you can go and hunt Smiley You will find him In the woods." The negrc boy's story b?t e upon the happenings at the Bigham home on Saturday. January 8, one week Defoii the killing. He said he had DOSO called by the elder Mrs. Bigham and asked by her to go for Mr. Rose, th OJUnty policeman, at Pnmplloo, and tell him to conn- to the Bigham homo When he started to 090? Mrs. Big ham's order the boy said that Bd mund Bigham asked him, "Do you know you are living?" And on ?b afTbi. itlve answer, asked "Do you want to keep on livingT" and on further atrlrination by the boy, had said, "Well tr you want to keep or living you had better not go." This testimony fitted in that of other wit? nesses telling of the terrible aselte< niont at the Bigham home on that day. after which Mrs. Black and Smiley Bigham went to Florence and consulted Mr. Arrowsmlth. Mrs Kirton is a near neighbor ot the Bighams. Mrs. Black had come to her house after visit to the lawyer In Florence and spent the night there She hud left two or three grips when sne went away, on the following Tuesday Smiley Bigham had come and got these gripsacks and opened them While he was in the house ho said t< Mrs. Kirton. "Kdmund Is cutting up a lot. ami threatening to kin all ol us. He has had all that is coming to him. hut we are willing to give him a Oleee of land if he will behave himself." Fitting In with this ami showing a RiOtlve for murder in the various troubles of the 13igham family over the estate left by former Senator Bigham, Was the testimony of E. Iff, Singletary, clerk of the Florence county court, In which he told of the presentation for record on the day of Edmund Bigham's investigation of a deed conveying several pieces of farm property and some town lots to Edmund Bigham. Tho deed was sign? ed by Smiley Bigham and his sister, Mrs. I Mack. It purported probate signed by Sam Rittenberg, a notary public, and was supposed to have] been executed at Charleston. It was Witnessed by Sidney Bittenberg and others. Mr. Singletary noted that the amount of the consideration had been erased that the date hud been chang? ed, and that the name of Edmund D. Bighorn appeared in a blank space from which some other name had been erased. The deed had been brought to Mr. Singletary by Mrs. Edmund Bigham. lie had first taken it to be a mort? gage and told her to return within an hour and get the paper. ? >n closer examination he had found it was a deed and as it did not bear any rev? enue stamps he did not record it. When Mrs, Bfgham returned he hand? ed it back to her and she took it a way. The testimony of Phillip H. Arrow smith, who was the legal adviser of Smihy Bigham and his sister, cover? ed bis connection with the business affairs of ths Bighorns during a period Of nine months. He told how Edmund Bigham had come to see him on two occasions. The first time he had, at Edmund's request, given 'o the defendant an outline of tho ex? act status of the Bigham estate. Jle had tailed freely with him and sug? gested Ills course with reference t<; the interest* of Bogan Cain, whose wife, recently deceased, was one or the heirs of the Bigham estate. As a result of consultations with Smih y . i'dg ha 01 and Mrs. Black be had re* i'used on the occasion of the second visit from Edmund Bigham to discuss with him the business affairs of his .amily. The rules of evidence did not permit of the introduction by the State of Mr. Arrow-smith's affidavit covering the making of Mrs.'* Black's Will, and ? OUnsel for the^ defense studiously avoided any roforcnec to it that might pi rmlt its introduction. 'i"h?- oroWd in the court room at the morning session was far greater than that yesterday, in the after? noon it packed every available Inch of standing room. both Inside an-J outside of the bar, and even en? croached In the space between the bench and the jury box. In the mam the crowd was orderly, perhaps be? cause a considerable percentage of its makeup was feminin?-. As a mat t< r of fact a fashion writer might nave made q very plausible foreca i of the season's fashions through a visit to the court room. There were young girls and old igrls and girls Of all ages and between. They as? serted their new prerogative as citi? zens by elbowing the men and stand? ing on tiie backs of benches to get a prop! r view point for the in? teresting prbceedlnga, Mrs. Edmund Bigham and her two daughters, Louise and Evelyn, were the target for the women's eye.-. They arrived some time alter court had opened, their train having been laic. The prisoner gave them a most affectionate welcome and they sot tlcd down in chairs around him auch its they would have sat at a family fireside. At first Louise held little Evelyn on her lap, but alter the newness of court surroundings lad worn oft*, the younger Battled herself on her lath >r'? knee ana there She remained during the test of he ?iay. The Btghams were Joint d Aithi nthe bar by Mrs, Mack Wor? rell, the wife of a Florence police? man, and tiie only otiier woman in the group which had a prominent position within tin- bgr railing wa Mrs. <>ia Kirton, an Important state witness, and to r daughter. Laughter which followed breaks in the testimony of witnesses was >n I two occasions suppressed by officer* of the court. Judge Memmlnger took occasion to caution spectators that my repetition of the outbreak WOUld result In clearing of the court room it all persons, except those directly Interested In the trial. Florence, March 26.?Edmund i>. Higham. defendant in one of tin most sensational cases ever tried in south Carolina, went on the stand in the Criminal Court this afternoon In his own defense. He had been pre? ceded by his wife and his fourteen year-old dkUghter, Louise. Tie tei tlmony of the Blgha ma wbieh had been expected lo come up today, wai responsible for the attendance of ; n even larger number of spectators than had marked previous sessions of the rial. Among this crowd was an even more liberal sprinkling of women than iiad 00HIS to court yesterday. Mrs. Bigham was the first of lb family to be ealled to the stand. Sh told in much detail the story of hap? penings at the P.igham home on Ho day of the tragedy in which Mrs. M. m. Bigham, Mrs. Margie Bighnm Blacki L. Smiley Bigham and Leo und lohn MeCrackenj adopted child.en of Mrs, I back, were the victims. Tb ? lay of tho tragedy was January IS, Mrs. Bigham showed almost com? plete imperturbability, both in tin telling Of her story and in answering ihe questions when crosa-examined by solicitor QasouOi She gave her testi? mony as if reading it from a note? book ami her memory as to detail.? appeared to be most exact, sin ihowed no signs of nervousness an moke m a clear, distinct voice, wHll ?ut feeling. Louise Bigham, the [ourteen-yca - hi daughter, who shows extraordi? nary precocity for her years, toi I tory that duplicated that of her .nother except in minor details. She leemed to remember almost every? thing. When called upon to recognize ?elective Eichelberger and say wheth? er or not she had made certain st ?b nents to him conce rning he condition of affairs at the Bigrham home, she disowned e^er having seen the de? tective. This observance of the interest of the dcfc ndant was apparent m l,u> tCatiipony of Mi's. Bigham, who, when asked a question affecting her hus? band's interests, would answer, "I don't rc-member^" or "1 don't know." Edmund Bigham's OWQ testimony was considered remarkable, as lie re? membered everything that had taken place in the household, even to smah details. It was when Bigham reached tin cross-examination stage that the con? tinuity of his story was broken. When a question came up that was not eas? ily answered he would lean toward Solicitor Casque and say, "Hold on a minute," or "Just wait," and then ven? ture an explanation rather than a statement,, of fact. ; Higham's tirst show of feeling came when he described the finding of his brother's body. He broke into sobs and tear.- and there was a pause of some length before he could go on. This demonstration was repeated when he told the story of the finding of his sister, and he appeared affected only to a slightly less degree when ho de? scribed the finding of Leo McCraekcn ami his efforts to save the boy's life. 1 Toward the end of Bigham's direct testimony he launched forth into a Statement concerning the financial af? fairs of the Blgham family. He told how he had loaned money at various limes and how he had never received any share of his father's estate. it was because of those sacrifices, he said, that the other members of the family had made the deed to all then interests in the estate which his Wife sought to record the day he was put in jail. The family owed him, ho said, something like $26,000, and In- hr.d given them a mortgage covering t in? difference between that amount and $47,000, the amount named as consid? eration In the face of this deed. He was insistent upon his defense of tin genuineness of this paper and em? phatic in ids denials that his sister, Mrs. Black, was really the only party owning any part of the Bigham es? tate. Senator I). Cordon BakO", of the firm Of Whit ting A Baker, testified tonight that his firm had advised Smiley Bigham that the statute bl limitations had run out in the; case e>i the alleged pOStOffiCe shortage of $70(i referred to by Edmund Blgham In hi. testimony and that he had nothing t< fear from cither a criminal <n- a < i\ii proceeding In respect of it. This was as Car back as last October, :saiel Sen n>tor Baker. The defense e-loscl its ease and S<> licitor Gasque began bis argument at 9:30 o'clock tonight. C. T. McDonald followed for the defense. Court adjourned tonight. The? roon was still crowded. BO intense is the in? ter* st- In the- case. Judge Memm'ngei will adjourn the Georgetown court from day to day until the Bigham eaa? is finished. On cross-examination Bigham wot asked why he had kept this deed it his possession after it had been re (used record until he- had seen an at? torney. Bigham ? replied that Monroe Spears, of Darlington, had told him t? kepc the deed but had ne ve r seen it as his wife had it at the time of hb conference with Mr. Spears. '?Why did you t? H Mr. Spears about it v" asked M r. t lasque. "lie told me not to semi it baclt over there to he recorded," was Hig? ham's answer. 'Didn't he tell you to destroy that h-e l or it would break your neck?" shouted Mr. Gasque. "No, he- didn't, if he had l would have- done it," repli< d Bigham, and his answer caused a roar of laughtei around the courtroom. it was this demonstration which caused Judge' Memminger to declare ,th: court adjourned. He announced that there would be a session begin? ning at S o'clock tonight. .i edge- Memminger was shown today a way In which he can continue the h* ig ham trial until ii Is concluded. A precedent was found showing his nti thority to adjourn court at George? town from day to day or, it" neces? sary, ask the supreme court to assign mother judge io Georgetown so that the Bigham trial may go on to a rc rdict. Edmund Bigham in his testimony spoke- in a clear ami sharp voice and in the recital Of happenings and con? ditions hailing up tO the Unding of his mother showed no feeling. His ;irst disclosure of any importance was a talk with Smiley Blgham, bis broth? er, on tiie- night e>f January 14, when l In- eh ad man had told Of l he theft of the County records and of the $700 postcdflce shortage In which former 1 Senator J. VV. McCowan and others wore I he sureties, he testified. Smiley had said, according to the I witness, "I believe 100 per c ent strong j that I will b< sentenced to the pen? itentiary a! tb- March term of the federal court became of tin- shortage ' and for the theft of the county rec? ords.'' When Mrs. Blgham took the stand this morning there was a stir in the court room. Mi s. Dig ham was per? haps the* most composed person In the room, sin- related In detail the hap p? nlngs leading to the tragedy, denying that there had ever been any trouble at the- Bigham home and eie claring that she and her husbaml h id a.ways got along all right and that they had had u happy married life. On the night of the tragedy she declared that her husband had not left the hOUSe, nor did he h ave- any time early in the morning. She swore the pearl hnridfed pistol which she identified as her husl ami s bad been hi a bureau ' drawer, sin- had sent her daughter, Louise*Vto her father In the- woods January B te> get an address Of one <?f her brothers. The trip to Fox worth's had taken perhaps twenty minutes. "And in thai time," pursued Mr. GtaSoUe, 'Smihy had killed all the** people and had got by out of the road into the woods 7" "It was about that time," answer eel Mrs. Bigham? sin- and her children, Mrs.^Blgharn -aid. had Stayed in the parlor all night. She had whispered to her husband and told him to go to bed. She didn't exactly whisper but told him, stoc -aid. She. hit tin; room a l mit da\light , and ehe and her diuahter^ went to WSrnw^ iii i ?raiftftrrifigri the kitchen, she said. Edmund came to th?? kitchen several times but lie did not leave the house, she con? tinued, hut didn't see that white handled pistol in Edmund's pockit. 'die did not have it." The witnesses said Bigham said that, after paying off the hands in the woods on the daj of the tragedy, he and Smiley came back to the house together. He had no pistol, she said. "Smiley and my Self went in the house to the dining room. My wife, I Mar? ie'and mot ehr were in the rooia. [The MeCracken children were in the yard. My children were Up stairs. I heard the mail driver's horn and went out and got the mail. There was a letter for Smiley. "I went on upstairs to my bedroom. When 1 came down, 1 wont in the din? ing room to get a cork 1 used in my radiator. Margie and mother were there. I pumped up a tire and my wife and children got in the ear. After I backed out I saw Smiley standing at ! the lot near where the bees Were, "The last time 1 saw Smiley he was standing right there." d drove on to Foxw orth's and one of Fox inorth's little ho\ s w. nl and palled Iiis lather. I told Foxworth I war. not going to haul any more wood to PampliC.O and arranged to have him haul : nd pile it in tho woods. "Then l wen? back towards home. At the top of the red hill I saw Smih y, Iiis hand in front of him, going across the road. About fifty yards from the house l noticed mother." Here the prisoner showed his grief and Wept. Almost with SObfl he went on. "1 raw blood on her face and on her clothes. 1 took hold of her. Sin said, 'Smiley hau shot us, or Smiley has killed us." She said, I want to lay down, and l took her in the baek yard. Bhe said she wanted some wa? ter. At the benches in the back yard she relaxed and fell hack. If she ever breathed again I don't know it. I think Mr. Garrison was the Brat person to drive up. l went out to him. Then Mr. Hoy! Bostick drove Up, We went to tin- back yard where mama was and something was said about taking mania into the house. We took her in and laid her on the bt d. We w nt ?ait again and got the little boy, who was lying on the back purth and put him on the bed with mama. After that 1 don't remember exactly what happened except that Amy Foxworth drove up and l asked him to go up tin- rood and tell Un? people and tell them to come there. I told a m-gro With Foxworth to go and tell Bobert Foxworth. Then a negro man and 'woman drove up. Finally the man came baek and took the wo? man away. Later I saw a mule and baggy belonging to the estate behind the WOOd pile. I saw a nefcio come and g'-t it. if that negro had looked he would have been ?bat little boy. When Mr. Hayes and the others cann somebody said they heard groans and they found the little boy. They took him In the house after I had asked somebody to go for l->r. Boston." "Well, now about your sister," said Mr. King. d asked them to look for her," he ?aid. "1 called Margie about sun? down. Bhe did not answer. I wa nt all around the outbuildings looking for her. About sundown 1 asked Mr. Melvln Brown to go with me upstairs and we found Margie leaning over the little trunk In Which she kept the lit tle boy's clothes. There was blood beside the trunk." lb re tho prisoner broke down again and wept, his voice trembling with emotion. "1 asked Dr. Poston when he came not to spare any thing to save the lit? tle child," he continued. "When he started away I went to the car and asked him to come back to that little chinl and he d.d. The little boy was (b ad. I stayed in the sitting room til night, my wife, the two girls, myself and the neighbors and Jim Burch. About 11 o'clock Mr. MeCracken ana another young man came in. It was the tiist time l remember seeing Mr. MeCracken. He asked to see the lit? tle boys and some one went with him. After daylight Mr. Flowers and i went out. I opened the blinds and we w < nt to tin- lot. Me says i gave him a pistol. I take his word for it. I don't know. 1 w? nt to tin- kitchen and was there fifteen minutes and 1 went and told them breakfast was ready. As I remember, ail of them ate break? fast. 1 stayed right there within tin sard. Between me and my God, I never went out of that yard from thai time till Sunday night. I don't re? member telling searchers the direc? tion to take to lind Smihy's body. 1 did t< II tue direction I had seen him going." Bigham never answered a question as to why he had kept the deed until ad the members of the family had died before offering it for record. He denied that any erasures bad been made in the paper or any dates ehang d. Me denied writing any notes to Iiis wife and declared he was inno ci nt of any crime. Other O'ltnesaes for the defense to? day offered testimony attempting to show that Smihy Bigham was insane and that his father before him was also crazy. This is one of the points i be defense is seeking to establish. ?me witness declared, and he was substantiated by another witness, that he heard a shot in tin- direction Smih-y Bigham had taken when be went into the woods. The shot was heard at 7 o'cloek that night. EDMUND BIGHAM FOUND GUILTY Florence, Marvb 28.?The jury at* Sltgft this afternoon la ought in a ver? dict of guilty of murder against F?| nmnd D. Blgtutm, charged with the 'murder of I.is brother. Smiley Big? ham. A Snmter County farmer stated s.u - Itrday pe had just received returns Of four hales of COttOn tb i? he ship? ped t< a friend in a town in the up? per pal I oT the' St.lie ,vlth l?jMl UC ?ion- to sell to the best' advantage. He received, after paying freight dra>:i;,e. nearly fifteen dollars more than he wajh Suinter market, I WOMAN FIRE BURG ARRESTED She Demanded an Investigation By State Officers and Landed in Jail Columbia. March '!'>?An interest? ing story was given out at the gov? ernor's office today, following news of the arrest at Calhoun Falls, in Ab? beville County, e>* Mrs. Sarah Wein? raub, charged with arson, involving the sotting on lire of her own stoic at Calhoun Palis. The story is of how Mrs. Weinraub was caught in a trap .she set to catch some one guilty I of setting her store on tire. Mrs. Weinraub, according to the story told at the governor's* office, has i'or some weeks been urging the gov? ernor and the state insurance depart? ment to make an investigation of the facts surrounding the burning of her stage. She wrote a number of litters to The governor and also a number to the insurance commissioner, urging that some one be sent to make the in? vestigation. After she had plead with these officials for a good while, the in? vestigation was agreed to, and a de? tective was set from Columbia, to look ' into the charge made by Mrs. Wein I raub, to the effect that the fire which destroyed her store was of Incendiary origin. The result of the investigation was the arrest of Mis. Weinraub her? self and the lady is now in the Abbe? ville jail under charge of arson. The store vas burned during the night of February II and Mrs. Wein? raub was the Brat to discover the blaze. She came down the stairs' from her apartment over the store in hvr night clothes, and gave the alarm. The warrant undo- winch Mrs. Weinraul) was arrested was sworn to by M. B. Sanders, a merchant, Whose place of business adjoined Mrs. Weinraub's. Advices from Abbeville are to the ef? fect that Mrs. Weinraub will be given a prelimihary hearing within a few days as soon as the solicitor names a date. ANDERSON GIRL'S MEMORY FAILS The New York Tribune: A w? 11 dressed young woman who gave her name io the pol lee of the West Forty-seventh street station as Ina AolS i'artce, was taken to Belle vne hospital last night suffering front partial asphasia after she had been driven to the station In a taxicab by Samuel Kirch, a chauffeur, who told the police he had been engaged by his tare outside th< Vanderbilt ho? tel, but that be had been unable to find out where she wanted to be driven. On being questioned at the hospital Miss Cat tee said slm w as a school t o her a.id had arrived in New York yesterday from Anderson, S. C, to visit relatives. She was nnshts to give the address of her relatives. Detectives attached to the Missing Persons bureau are endeavor!nrg to ommunlcate with Miss Cartee's rela? tives in South Carolina. Anderson, March 27.-/Miss Aola Car tee, who is said to be suffering from an attack of asphasia in New York, left here recently to study do? mestic science In a school in New York city. Her family lives in An? derson county several miles from the city. It could not be ascertained here tonight if her parents have re eeived any communication from the New Vork autheritic Will Meet in July Greenville, March 2 4.?At a con? ference iere today between Chief Louil Behrens of the Charleston lire department, city officials and repre senttaives of local commercial or ganlsations, July 14 and 15 were set as the dates fo rthis year's conven? tion of the State Firemen's associa? tion to be held here. Because few departments now have horses and because motor, speed rates would be impracticable, it was decided to dispose with the usual tournament. A record breaking at? tendant e is expected* HOMICIDE AT KDC.KITKLD. Edgcfh Id, March 23.?Will Murray was a rest? il yesterday morning and lodged In jail charged with the mur? der of Whit Robertson.. The homi i ido occurred In the Ch-m a section of the- county Monday, it is stateel. The testimony taken at the inquest was te? the effect that the deceased bad boast paying attention to Murray's wife and upon meeting him.. Murray g' nttssjfl him eif trying to win his wife's afTec lions. The re' was a denial on the part of the de ad man. it is alle ged, and ihe two became involved In a hst Hgtit, during which Robinson struck Mur? ray with brass knucks. After ceiving the blow Murray left but returned, pistol in hand and emptii live barn s, it is alleged, Into the ba< >f the deceased, causing instant deal Pcnsacola, March 26.-?A dirigible', .vit li two days" food suj left today to search the- west V\ forests for the missing halb who wen last reported adg the gulf. The theory is SJ that thoy may have cut basket to lighten the craft ed into tUc forest clingt rig-gin; Washington, March Lodge, of Haasachuaffj ing Republican lloor chairman of the Ue e ommittee, which 1 directing party present plans, ator McCu nl ? i \ ntlontsl H Detroit, h a sine icuirs