The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-03-23

ham. In fact the first news that came
to the Times was request from Co.
lumbia that the editor give informa-
tion about the crime for which l..
Smiley Bigham was fugitive and for
which all police officers of the eState
had been requested to look. for him.
On Sunday Edmund Bigham de-
brothers body in the woods toward
which he had seen him going. The
search was made and Smley's body
was found. The man had fallen upon
his face and in his hand was clasped
the revolver which Edmund said was
his. Previous to the search Edmund
had gone to the woods and remained
there for few minutes.
The discovery of Smiley Bigham's
body seemed to point to quadruple
murder followed by suicide, and that
was the impression under which the
community rested until the Friday
following, when Philip II. Arrowsmith,
Florence attorney, furnished the
Coroner with most sensational affi-
davit, and it is on this atement that
the whole case has since turned
There had been some rumors to the
effect that there were family differ
ences regarding the interests in the
The general shares of this estate had
been pledged to make good the bond
of DR.. Cleveland Bigham, another son
of the former Senator who had fed
from justice after conviction of man
slaughter under an accusation of hav-
ing killed his wife in Georgetown
county while visitor was being en-
tertained in their home. This friend,
man named Avant, was a re-
spected citizen and on conviction
served sentence.
Mr.. ArrOwsmith was the attorney
who represented Bigham and Mrs.
Black in the settlement of the bond
of Dr. Bigham after it had been for
feited to the State. In fact, the affi-
davit of Mr.. Arrowsmith was the first
news to many that the bond had been
paid by the Bigham heirs, who had be-
come sureties for their brother. The
attorney had in his hands the original
deeds to the Bigham lands, the deeds,
1T was reported, that had been mutt
lated and partially destroyed in the
record books of Florence county.
Mr.. ArrOwsmith's testimony showed
motive for murder and established
conclusivcly that all was not we'll with
the family relations of the Bighams
Smiley Bigham and Mrs. Black had
come to the attorneys home on the
night OF january 8, just a week before
the killing. He had accompanied
them to his Office and there Mrs. Black
told him how she had executed three
blank deeds, and had given them to
Smiley so that if anything happened
to her the fathers estate could be
handled as desired by her mother and
Smiley. These papers were stolen
from Smiley Bigham and Mrs. Black
said they were found by her in posses
to take them Edmund had flown into
a rage and threatened the life of her
self and mother. In her excitement
Mrs. Black said she feared for her
life and felt so sure that she would
never get the deeds back that she
wanted Mr.. Arrowsmith to draw up
her will giving all property to Smiley
and charging him to take care of
her two adopted children and their
mother. The lawyer drew the will as
| requested and it was witnessed bv
himself G. r. Bryce and Marshal w
| Bridges.
Edmund Bgham Arrested
The next turn in the case, follow
ing the Arrowsmith AFFIDAVIT, was the
arrest of Edmund Bigham, accused of
| the murder of his mother, brother
sister and the two McCrackcn chill
drcn. The lawyers affidavit had
shown motive, with which the
most circumstantial testimony some
times fails to convcncc. Before this
Edmund Bigham had posed rs the
well-otf member of the family, pic
rasSed by financial diffic lilies that
threatened his undoing. Now he him
self appeared as the member of the
family who had no interest whatever
in the ",.luable estate of the father
and as the objcctOr to the ways his
sister had chosen to dispose Of he,
property.
Edmund Bigham was arrested tho
same day the affidavit was made anc
was put in Jail. The same day search
was made of the Bigham home for tho
deeds of which Mrs. Black and Smiley
Bigham had spoken, but no trace OF
them was found.
Following his arrest Edmund Big,
ham remained silent and though ru
mors associated this an dthat attor
ncy with his interests it was not un.
til quite recently that he made ;
choice Of counsel and the statement
was made that the attorney chosen
| WI. hllSJ nau ucclucu 10 ask Il cnanS(
of venue, alleging that his client coulc
not secure fair trail in Flbrcnct
county.
Meantime the coroncr's inquest
added to the accumulation of tcsti
mony connecting Edmund Bighan
with the killing, or rather establishing
a motive for it. Wesley Lyman, a ne
gro woodchoppcr said he had seen Ed
mud and his family moving house
hold goods into an unoccupicd house
on the Bigh2m estate on the Afternoon