The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-01-17
FLORENCE TRAGEDY
TAKES FIVE LIVES
L. S. BIGHAM, FOR WHOM OFF,
GERS SEARCH, FOUND DEAD
IN WOODS-THOUGHT TO BE
SUICIDE FOLLOWING KILLING
OF MOTHER, SISTER AND TWO
ADOPTED CHILDREN

Florence, Jan. 16-Temporarily in
sane from brooding over financial
difficulties and embittered by family
troubles in which an estate worth
probably $4,000 was at stake, L. S,
'Bigham yesterday afternoon, accord
ing to the best information and be-
lief, shot his mother, his sister, the
laHer's two adopted children and
then sent bullet, crashing through
his own brain. The dead are: Mrs.
NJ. M. Bigham, Mrs. Marjorie "A.
Black Leo McCracken and John Nc
Cracken and L. S. Bigham. All were
evidently killed instantly except
Mrs. Bigham, the mans mother, who
lived a few moments and the oldest
child, who died at S o'clock this
morning. The tragedy took place at
the old Bigham home, five miles from
Pamplico, Florence county, and 25
miles from this city.
After Staying all within the house
at the time, it is thought, Bigham
went deep into the woods surround
ing the place and fired bullet into
his brain. When his body was found
at noon today his right hand still
grasped the pistol. 1t was stated by
the physician. who examined the
body, that Bigham had been dead
more than IL hours. The dead per-
sons were all shot in the head in
each case, the bullets entering just
beneath their temples. None were
shot more than once, although two
balls were found near the back door
that had missed their mark. The
large pistol used by Bigham still con-
tanned an unexploded cartridge
which indicated that the man reload
ed during his orgy of slaughter.
= Home Far Removed.
The Bigham home is more than
half a mile distant from any neigh
boring house. None could be found
today who had heard any shooting
about the place. A large crowd
gathered during the day and passed
from roor' > room viewing the dead
The sight was ghastly one. On a
bed in a downstairs room lay the
aged mother and the youngest child,
their faces covered with blood. In
the adjoining room the oldest of the
children lay on bed where he died
at 5. o'clock this morning, and be-
side him the body of Bigham was
placed when the searchers returned
with it today. Upstairs in the room
she usually occupied was the body of
Mrs. Marjorie Black, oldest sister of
Bigham. 1t lay on the floor just in
front of the dresser. Until late this
afternoon, when the coroner's jury
completed taking evidence, the bodies
were undisturbed. The funeral will
probably be held tomorrow. The
corners jury will not render YER
dict until further investigation has
been made.
Although the tragedy is said to
have occurred at $3.50 o'clock yester-
day afternoon. it was late last night
before word of it reached Florence
ounty officials and they Immediately
sent out dispatches asking officers in
other towns to watch out for L. S.
Bigham. First reports of the tragedy
were conflicting and due to the fact
that telephone and telegraph COM
munication with Pamplico last night
was impossible to secure, it was not
until today that the f. IS became
known.
Brother Away at Time.
B;gham's brother, Edmund Big
ham, had left the house with his
family in an automobile at $40
o'clock. He returned from a short
isit to a neighbor's house about 20
minutes later and found his mother
staggering toward the road. He
jumped from his car, but the aged
woman died almost before he reached
her. Others happened to drive by
the house at that time and when
they bore the body of Mrs. Bigham
into the house they saw evidences Of