The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-27
FOUND GUILTY
Bigham and Avant Convicted Of Man.
slaughter and Sent Up for
THREE YEARS and A HALF

It Will be Remembered That AVIAN,
and Bigham Shot and Killed
Bigham's Wife on the Evening OF
September 4 Last, at Murrell's
Inlet.
Three years and six months i'm.
prisonment in the State p%enitentiary
was the sentence passed by Judge
| Waits Friday afternoon at George
town upon w. d. Ayant and G.. G.
Brigham, for the killing of Mrs.
Ruth Crisp Bigham. the jury having
rendered a verdict Of guilty of man.
slaughter after two hours deliber-
alton. Thus ends the story Of a deed
that has shocked the people Of the
entire State.
The correspondent of the State
says the majority of the people are
inclined to think the sentenFe ex-
tremely light. In spite Of the YER
dict, though, the killing Of Mrs. Big
ham has not been explained, mys-
terry still enshrouds the affair. The
fight for the accused men centered
around the fact that they considered
the "object," which proved to be
Mrs. Bigham, a trespas,cr and that
there was reason for suspicion. This
was ably combatted by the State,
although the prosecution was at dis
advantage in not having reply to Mr..
Ragsdale.
Considerable surprise was created
when the defense permitted the case
to go to the jury without Offering
any testimony.
The State touched another phase
of the Ease when In the testimony Of
M. j. Pearce Of Waterloo, Laurens
county, 1t was shown that Mrs. Big
ham while on a visit to her old home
In August had received a letter and
telegram from her husband, the con-
tents of which caused her to weep.
The matter Of unhappy married re-
lations was merely hlnted at In this
manner. Mr.. Pearce had see this
letter and the tears of the deceased
oman
MIR. A. c.. Leonard. one of the
States witnesses, was on the boat
10 Georgetown, with Mr.. and Mrs.
Avant, after the killing. Avant had
told him lit was a sad occurrence,
but believe any one else would have
done it under the excitement and
fright. DR.. Brigham doesn't blame
me; he told me to shoot" That
word excitement" played a great
part in the argument by counsel.
particularly in that of Mr.. Rags
dale. Attorney J. w. Wingate open
ed for the defense, speaking but 10
minutes, dealing largely with the
duty of jurors.
He was followed by Solicitor
| Cooper of Laurens, who spoke fol-
| 80 minutes. Mr.. Cooper dealt some
what at length with the law on tres
pass.
Mr.. Cooper pointed out that &C.
brding to the testimony Mrs. Big
ham was sitting on the beach when
shot, that there was no suspicious
| action or movement, that the men
| did not hail her as she passed the
house. He argued the complete alb.
sencc of any circumstances that
would warrant suspicion: he showed
an intention on the part of the de,
PENDANTS to shoot and contended that
they were therefore guilty of muir
der.
Solicitor Wells argued that since
| the defense was based on a specific
statute, section 2. the burden of prov
ing the fitness and applicability Of
this statute rested on the defense
Then he attacked this plea Will
muih vigor, making a telling i'm
preston on the jury. He endeavoret
to show that because these men were
frightened was no sufficient excuse
for the act. The law doesn't ex
empt them because they are arranI
cowards," said he.
Mr.. Ragsdale, for the defense, clos
ed the arguments, making a pow
erful appeal to the jury in behal
Of his clients. He ~endeavored II
show an absence of any motive foI
the killing, a fact which the State
has not attempted to establish. HI
ridiculcd much Of the States ties
timony and sought to discredit SOM
of its witnesses.
While the appeal was eloquent
moving the hearts of many in thu
audience, strong and forceful, II
terms elegant and refined, still i
was scarcely more than an attemp
to play on the sympathies of tn
jury. He attempted to show tina
by the testimony. it was dark whel
the shooting occurred, that AVIAN
and Bigham seeing this suspicion
looking person on the premises wer
only acting in defense of their home
and loved ones. Several times dur
ing Mr.. Ragsdale's speech both tn
defendants. Avant and Bigham, wer
moved to tears and sat sobbine
their faces buried in their hands.
Judge Watts charge was shor
but to the point, touching only thos
phases of the law that might appl
in this case. On murder and man
slaughter tho jury were thorough