The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-01-27
EDMUND BINGHAM
ACCUSED OF MURDER
AN AFFIDAVIT BY P. H. ARROW
SMITH GIVES BIGHAM CASE
DIFFERENT ASPECT.

ham family and two adopted children,
took a sensational turn when Edmund
Bigham one of the two surviving
members of the family and the flrst
to apper on the scene of the tragedy
according to his statement, was ar
rested at the plantation home and
taken to the county Jail late last week.
His wife accompanied him to the jail.
Edmund Bigham was arrested by
Deputy Sheriff M. B. Burch on war
rant sworn out by John W. McCrack-
en-, the father of the two children kill
ed. Coroner Smith and c. M. Rose, an
officer of Pamplico, accompanied him.
Bigham is charged with murder. He
submitted to the arrest quietly and
manifested little or no concern. he
refused to make any statement when
seen at thejail and has since employ
ed J. Monroe Spears, prominent Oar
lington attorney, to defend him.
The persons killed on the Bigham
plantation last Saturday We're: Mrs.
M. M. Bigham, her daughter, Mrs.
Margie Black; Leo and John McCrack-
en-, two adopted children; and L. S.
Bigham, brother of Mrs. Black. The
mother and the daughter and one OF
the children were apparently killed
instantly. The youngest child died at
5 o'clock the following morning and
Il. S. Bigham, who was thought at the
time to have committed the crime, was
found dead in the woods about a mile
from the home at II o'clock the fol-
lowing morning. He grasped a pistol
in his hand, and bullet had pierced
the right temple. The other four VIC
tins also died of pistol shot wounds.
Negroes for Witnesses.
Several negroes have been arrested
and held as material witnesses. 1t is
the opinion of Coroner Smith that nov
that Bigham is under arrest, other tes-
timony bearing on the case may be
forthcoming.
In making the arrest of Bigham on
the warrant of McCracken, the affi-
davit of Philip Arrowsmith, an attor-
ney was given great consideration. In
his affidavit Arrowsmith declares that
he had been the attorney for Mrs.
Black and L. S. (Smiley) Bigham, two
of the persons killed, since the spring
of 1920 and that, therefore he had be-
come intimately acquainted with their
affairs.
At the outset of the affidavit, which
was sworn to before the coroner, MI.
Arrowsmith declares that Edmund
Bigham has no interest in the estate
of the late Senator L. S. Bigham, this
having been conveyed to his mother
and brother. He also declares that the
payment of the bond escheated by Dr..
Cleveland Bigham who was convicted
for the murder of his wife and SEN
fenced to three years IN the state pen
itentiary, had been provided for by
deposit of amount sufficient to cover
the bond in local bank. The money
was the proceeds of mortgage on the
estate lands and that Solicitor L. M.
Gasque of this judicial circuit had in
his possession the certificate Of deposit,
Mr.. ArSowsmith also AYERS that ne
has in his possession all cf the original
deeds relating to the Bigham lands.
Continuing, the statement says that
on January s, 1921, L. S. Bigham an
Mrs. Margie Black, came to his home
and at their request ne accompanied
them to his office where Mrs. Black,
who was greatly agitated, made the
following statement:
Feared for Life.
"I signed three blank deeds in the
presence of witnesses and left them
with Smiley so that if anything hap
pened to me my fathers estate could
be handled as my mother and Smiley
desired. All these papers were stolen
from Smiley. l found them in Ed
mund's possession. When l attempt
ed to secure possession of them, Ed
mund few into a passion and threat
ened to take my life as we'll as that
of my mother. l gave up all hope OF
getting the deeds back and his con-
duct is such that am afraid he will
kill me at any moment and I want you
to prepare my will, giving all of my
property to my brother Smiley, and
charging him, as l know he will, to
take care of my mother and my two
little adopted boys"
Mr.. Arrowsmith further declares
that he drew the will as instructed
and it was witnessed by himself, G.
T. Bryce and Marshall w. Bridges
and that he incorporated in the will
- L.