The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-03-30


about to return to the court room,
Mrs. Bigham and the children left and
heard the news Of the verdict and SEN
tence while in the office of the clerk
Of court downstairs
Mrs. Bigham tainted when she
heard the verdict, and Mrs. Worrell,
the wife Of Florence policeman,
who has been her constant companion
during the trial, went to the court
room for a doctor. DR.. T. M Hicks
attended Mrs. Bigham and when she
was made comfortable she was taken
back to Mrs. Worrell's boarding house
where she has been a guest.
Florence, March 26.-Edmund Big
ham. defendant in one OF the most
sensational cases ever tried in South
Carolina, went on the stand in the
criminal court this afternoon in his
own defense. He had been preceded
by his wife and his fourteen -ycar-old
daughter, Louise. The testimony Of
the Bighams. which had been expected
to come up today was responsible for
the attendance Of the even larga-
crowd OF spectators than had marked
previous sessions of the trial Among
this crowd was an even more liberal
sprinkling { women than had come to
court yesterday.
MRS. Bigham was the first Of the
family to be called to the stand She
told in detail the story OF happenings
at the Bigham home on the day Of the
| fr>on to-
Ars. Maggie Bigham Black. L. Smiley
Bigham and Leo and OHM McCracken,
adofed children OF Mrs. Black were
the victims. Tho date of the tragedy
was January 10th.
Mrs Bigham showed almost com
plcte impcrturbability both in the tell
Ing Of her story and in answering the
questions when cross-eSamined by
Solicitor Gasque. She gave her testi-
mony as II reading 1t from note book
and her memory as to details appeared
| to be most exact. She showed no signs
OF nervousness aud spoke in a clear,
distinct. voice without feeling. Louise
Bigham the 14-year-old daughter, who
| shows extraordinary precocity for her
years. told a story that duplicated that
OF her mothers except in minor de-
tails. She seemed to remember every
thing except in some matters virtually
affecting her fathers defense. When
called upon to recognize Detective
Eichelberger and say whether or not
! she had made certain statements to
him. concerning the condition OF af-
fairs at the Bigham home, she dis
owned ever having sccn the detective
| This observance Of the interest Of
the defendant was quite as apparent
in the testimony of Mrs. Bigham. who
when asked a question affecting her
husbands interests would answer,
know"
! Edmund Bigham appeared to re-
member everything that had taken
place in the household even to small
details like the distance that was
necessary to back an auto in order
| to come out Of the front yard and the
distance between the point in the Big
| ham homestead covered in the occur
rcnces surrounding the tragedy. He
even recalled that he had not paid
one negro for cutting wood on the day
Of the murders.
1t was when Bigham reached the
cross examination stage that the con
tinuaty OF his story was broken. When
a question came up that was not east
ly answered he would lean toward So
licitor GasQue and say hold on a
minute" or Just wait" and then ven
ture an explanation rather than a
statement Of fact. Bigham's first show
Of feeling came when he described the
findings Of his brothers body. He
broke into sobs and tears and there
was a pause Of some length before hc
could go on. This demonstration was
repeated when he told the story of the
finding Of his sister and he appeared
affected only to slightly less degree
when he described the finding OF Leo
McCrmcken and his efforts to save the
hoy'a life.
Financial Ahairs
Toward the end Of Bigham's direct
testimony he launched forth into a
statement concerning the financial af-
fairs OF the Bigham family. He told
how he had loaned money at various
times and how he had never received
any share OF his fathers estate. 1t
was because OF these sacrifices, he
said that the other members OF the
| family had made the deed to all their
| interests in the estate which his wife
sought to record the day ne was put
| in jail.
The family owed him he said. some
| lhine like $4,000, and he had given
| ;htm mortgage covering the dffcr-
cncc between that amount and $4,000,
tho amount named as consideration In
thf face OF this deed.
| Edmund Bigham in his testimony
spoke in clear and sharp voice and
| =. 49, l..