The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 30, 1921, Image 4
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