The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-01-27
EDMUND BIGHAM PLACED IN JAIL
ON CHARGE OF MURDER.
To Arrest Negroes
Affidavit of Lawyer Includes State
ment by One Of Dead Women
When Making Will.

Florence, Jan. 2O.-The tragedy
near Pamplico last Saturday after
noon which cost the lives of three
members of the Bigham family and
two adopted children, took sensa-
tional turn this afternoon when Ed
mund Bigham, one of the two sur
viving members of the family and
the first to appear on the scene Of
the tragedy, according to his state
ment, was arrested at the plantation
home and brought to the county Jail
here. His wife accompanied him to
the Jail. Edmund Bigham was ar
rested by Deputy Sheriff M. B. Burch
on a warrant sworn out by John w.
McCracken, the father of the two
/ children killed. Coroner Smith and
C. NJ. 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 tonight when seen at
the Jail.
The persons killed on the Bigham
plantation last Saturday were: Mrs.
NJ. NJ. Bigham, her daughter, Mrs.
Margie Black; Leo and John Nc
Cracken, 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 younger child
died at o'clock the following morn
| ing, and L. S. Bigham, who was
thought at the time to have COM
mitted the crime, was found dead
in the woods about mile from the
home at II o'clock the following
morning. He grasped pistol in his
hand, and a bullet had pierced the
right temple. The other four victims
also died of pistol shot wounds.
Negroes for Witnesses.
Coroner Smith said this afternoon
that several negroes would be ar
rested and held as material wit
nesses. 1t is his opinion that now
that Bigham is under arrest other
testimony bearing on the case may
be Forthcoming. .>..
In making the arrest of Bigham on
the warrant of McCracken, the afl-
fdavit of Philip Arrowsmith, an at
torney of this city, was given great
consideration. In his affidavit Arrow
smith declares that he had been the
attorney for Mrs. Black and for L. S.
(Smiley) Bigham, two Of the persons
killed, since the spring of 1920 and
that, therefore, he had become init
mately acquainted with their affairs
At the outset of the affidavit, which
was sworn to before the coroner,
Mr.. Arrowsmith declares that Ed
mund Bigham has no interest in the
estate of the late Senator L. S. Big
| ham, this having been conveyed to
his mother and brother. He also
declares that the payment of the
bond escheated by Dr.. Cleveland Big
ham, who was convicted for the mur-
der of his wife and sentenced to
three years in the state penitentiary,
had been provided for by deposit Of
amount sufficient to cover the bond
in a local bank. The money was
the proceeds of mortgage on the =
estate lands and that Solicitor L.
NJ. Gasque of this judicial circuit
had in his possession the certificate
of deposit. Mr.. ArroWsmith also
ayers that he has in his possession
all of the original deeds relating to
the Bigham lands. Continuing, the
statement says that on January 8,
1921, L. S. Bigham and Mrs. Margie
Black came to his home and at their
request he accompanied them to his
office where Mrs. Black, who was
greatly agitated, made the following
statement:
Feared for Life.
II 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 Smi-
ley desired. All these papers were
stolen from Smiley. I found them in
Edmund's possession. When I at
tempted to secure possession of them,
Edmund flew into a passion and
threatened to take my life as well
as that of my mother. I gave up
all hope of getting the deeds back
and his conduct is such that l am
afraid that he will kill me at any mo-
ment and I want you to prepare my