The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-27
SUMTER. s. c.. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER s7 100
B|GaAM TRAGEDY 4 MYSTERY. SPARTlBuRs MILLS CLOSE
TRIAL AT GEORGETOWN FAILED
TO EXPLAIN SHOOTING.
None Can Tell Why Ruth Bigham
Was Shot to Death at Murrelrs In
let, I'm Her Husbands Presence, by
w. b. Avant-Jury Was a Good One
and Tried TO Do Its Duty.

s - OA huSndnuS 3 PRESENCE, Dy
w. b. Avant-Jury Was a Good One
and Tried TO DO Its Duty.
Columbia, Oct. 24.--In the years to
come q lonely spot On the beach at
MurrelPs Inlet, near Georgetown, s.
c.. will be pointed cut by the older
residents. 1T was here that Ruth
Bigham was killed. they will say.
How did It happen?" it will be ask
ed. But there will be none to answer
or give the reason for the killing.
In the list Of crimes that have baf-
fed 4he world the killing of Ruth
Bigham will find a place. Not in the
memory Of the oldest men who have
known Of many dark crimes is there
one OF more mystery than that of the
shooting of the young woman on
Murrelfs Inlet on September 4, 1909.
Although DIR. g. c. Bigham and his
friend, w. B. Avant, have been found
guilty OF manslaughter. and have been
sentenced to serve three and a half
years In the State penitentiary, the
events that led up to the shooting of
the wife of DIR. Bigham are as dark
a page as before the trial was enter
ed into.
Why?
In this one word is contained the
whole situation. The defendants were
not placed on the stand in the trial.
They could not, therefore, explain, il
1t were In their power, the reason for
the firing of the fatal shot. But there
were statements made by both Big
ham and Avant at the time of the
shooting. According to all the wit
nesses the explanation offered by the
two men was practically the same:
They were seated on the porch of
Sunnyside late in the afternoon. They
saw an "object' come around the
house. Thinking, according to their
own statement. that the "object" was
up to some devilment, they followed
1T" after securing gun. Out on the
heacbS host six shundrsa4 feet from the
house, the object was halted, but,
meeting with no reply. Avant ask
ed, "Shall / shoot?' "Shall shoot ?"
Shoot" said DR.. Bigham, and the
gun was fred
A most remarkable story, whether
1t is true or not. There is no one to
say that 1t is not true, because there
We're no eye-witnesses to the tragedy.
But there were suspicious circum-
stances, and these circumstances we're
related upon the witness stand by
men of more than ordinary intelli-
genee. All the witnesses were young
men of good standing, all made very
good witnesses. The told every fact
they knew in connection with the kill
Ing These young men were near at
hand on the evening Of September 4.
They rushed to the scene of the kill
ing. They saw DR.. Bigham bending
over the body OF his young wife, who
was then dying. They saw him move
away from her and throw his arms
around the neck of his friend, Avant,
and cry out. ~Yeu have killed my lit
tie wife" 1t may have been in the
excitement of the moment, but, new
ertheaess, is circumstance of signifi-
cance. thar Avant cried, I'm a muir
derer; I've committed murder"
There was no doubt that Will
Avant fired the fatal shot. It was not
even necessary in the trial to prove
the killing. except as shown by the
statements Of Avant and Bigham. The
gun was not put in evidence. Bigham
mad said. according to one witness
when the party ran up to him, "Win
Avant has killed my Wife"
There are theories that have been
whispered around the neighborhood.
One is that Ruth Bigham knew too
much about the killing of the negro
for which l.. S. Bigham, a brother of
DIR. Bigham. was tried in Florence
recently. The picture that was drawn
by those who held this view was that
few words of remonstrance that
nothing should be said, then heated
words, Avant along, the gun-the men
shielded by the lateness of the hour
sent the young wife to her death.
bottle of whiskey. Here some Of
those who live around find an explain