The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-05-31
HAVE FCGITIYES LEFT COUNTRY?
Alleged Confession by ATant That He
Was Hired by Bigham to Kill
Latter's Wife.

Alleged CONCESSION 0E ATant Inat de
Was Hired by Bigham to Kill
Latter's Wife.
Columbia, S. c., May 27.-The re-
port Of an alleged statement of
Avant's having been hired by DR..
Bigham to kill the latter's wife, as
set out in the Georgetown CORE
spondence of the News and Courier
today, caused much comment here
among those who have followed the
case. There is general interest
throughout the State in the Bigham-
Avant matter, and it is generally
hoped that the two fugitives from
justice may soon be caught.
Many people have wondered why
Governor Ansel has not yet offered
a reward. Conversation with Gov
ernor Ansel reveals the situation that
he has not been asked by the sheriff
of the county to offer the reward, and
Governor Ansel also believes that
the bondsmen should exhaust every
effort to turn the men over to the au-
thorities.
The History of the Case.
The two men were convicted in
Georgetown county last year on the
charge of killing Ruth Crisp Big
ham, the wife of DR.. Bigham, and
were sentenced to serve three years
and six months in the State peniten-
tiary.
Both men are said to have left the
State, and it is doubtful if either will
be apprehended.
Sheriff Scurry, of Georgetown, has
offered a reward for the arrest of the
two men. /
Nothing has been heard at the
State penitentiary as to the where
abouts of either Avant Or Bigham,
and it is believed by the officers that
both have left the State.
Governor Ansel On Situation.
Il have not been asked to offer a
reward for the two men," said Gov
ernor Ansel when asked if he would
offer a reward,
1.-TWO of the sureties for Avant,"
said Governor Ansel, "have asked
that I offer a reward, but I wrote
saying that it was their business to
produce the prisoners at the appoint
ed time"
DR.. Bigham was under a bond of
$1,000, and Avant $4,000.
Immediately after the trial at
Georgetown, counsel for the two
men asked that they be admitted to
bail. Judge Watts, who heard the
case, admitted Avant and Bigham to
bail in the sum of $500 each.
Later Avant came to the peniten-
tiary and gave himself up. Just be-
fore he was mustered in as a convict
a message was received from the
Georgetown authorities asking that
the prisoner be held until further
notice. No further word was receiv-
ed from Georgetown, and as a result
Ayant was held at the penitentiary
for several months as a detention
prisoner.
His attorneys during the early part
of the year appeared before. the su-
preme court and Instituted habeas
corpus proceedings. An order was
signed admitting Avant to bail in the
sum of $4,000, pending an appeal to
the supreme court. He left the pen
itentiary and went back to George
town.
Where Are They?
Immediately after the trial, and
when DR.. Bigham was admitted to
bail in the sum Of $1,000, he left
Georgetown and went to Greenville.
Since that time he has not been seen.
A letter received by relatives of
Bigham states that he left the Unit
ed States Immediately after the trial.
A letter was received by relatives
of Avant, soon after the supreme
court had given the decision which
affirmed the sentence Of the George
town court, saying Il In running
away" The letter was postmarked
Atlanta.
It is generally believed that Avant
left his home in Georgetown for the
purpose of coming to the penitentiary
after the final decision by the su-
preme court, but that he, after ar
irving in Columbia; decided to run
away. 1t is known that he telephoned
to the authorities at the p~enitentiary
from the village of Cayce, lear Co.
lumhia The cOnversation was hrOk-