The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-03-30

creasing. 1t was an orderly crowd. H..
however, and only once during the day
dld the Judge have occasion to rebul<e
any outbreak on the part of specta-
tors. :.
Attorney A. l.. King began his argu
ment for the defense shortly after the
court opened. Nh. King read impress
siveiy from the gospel according to
st. Matthew 26 and drew the ananlogy
between this case and the false wit
ness IS against the Savior, and then
from st. Matthew 27 the demand of
the mob for the release of Barabbas
and the crucifixing of Christ. The
attorney handled this delicate PROPOSE
ton very effectively and without
bringing upon himself any show of
feeling upon the part of listeners. 1t
was a daring thing to do and he did
it well.
Attorney Is Warned
AS Mr.. King warned up to his at
tack on the prosecution for introduc-
ing the Arrowsmith testimony and be-
gan to vent his opinion on the Arrow
smith fee of $4,000 for Strengthening
out the affairs of the Bigham estate.
Mr. GaSQue rose and asked that such
attacks be stopped.
Judge Mcmminger promptly assert
ed the courts prerogativc and gave
Mr.. King notice that any further at
taeks of such nature would result in
his being denied the privilege of fur
ther argument and ANOTHER attorney
be appointed to present the case to
the jury.
Mr.. King at this period, and more
extensively at the close of his argu-
ment, apologized to the court, the Bar
the jury and the spectators for what
he had done, took al 1.-The blame upon
hlmselt and said he hoped the jury
would not allow his Outburst to influ
ence their attitude toward his client.
Aside from this incident Mr.. Kings
speech was impressive and was pro
nounced by those who heard it to be a
mastery piece of advocacy. At times
1t was not cohesive and this fault was
the principal one a Literary critic might
have urged against it. Mr.. King relied
principally upon the defense's theory
OF the insanity of Smiley Bigham, his
committing of the murders and his
subsequent suicide. He did, however.
BRING into his speech the testimony
bearing upon the alleged insanity of
Blgham's father and laid stress upon
the prejudice shown by ncighbors
against the defendant.
The presentation of the case by So
ilcitor Gasque is said by lawyers and
Iaymen to have been an exemplary
work OF its kind. He connected his
facts in logical sequence. From the
9th OF January, when it is set forth
that Edmund ID. Bigham whipped his
sister because she accused him Of steal
ing certain papers connected with the
Blgham estate, until the day when
Mrs. Bigham tried to smuggle a bot
tie OF chloroform into her husbands
cell, Mr.. Gasque did not leave an un-
connected link in the Story.
In No Way Entitled
The story ran that Edmund ID. Big
ham, the son Of a rich father who had
sold his interest in the estate to his
brother and sister and gone away for
many years, had heard of differences
regarding the recent disposition of his
i'ther'S estate and FASTENED home to
lnJect himself as factor into these
iamily disputes, in the hope of recover
ing an interest in property to which
he was in no way entitled.
From the time of his appearance in
the Bigham household there had been
a succession of chickering's and dis
putes, eliminating i'm the incident
which drove Mrs. Marjorie Bigham
Black to Florence, where, at Attorney
Arrowsmith's Office, she had made a
VIII, giving everything she had to her
brother, Smiley Bigham, to whom she
contIdcd the care Of her old mother
and her two little adopted children.
In this will she hal set forth her
Iear to some person, whom she did not
name in the will, who had obtained
possession of three deeds covering
property, OF her estate, which she had
signed in blank. Following this came
the declaration of Smiley Bigham on
tuesday following the visit to Flor
eence, when he said to Mrs. Kirton, as
MIS-. kirton said on the stand, that
Edmund Bigham was cutting up and
to kill all of them. az am
not afraid Of him, but Mareic is. If
he will behave himself | am going to
give hi ma piece Of land, though he is
not entitled to it, for he has had his
share"
Another incident proving distinct
motive for the crime which the solicit
or emphasized was the testimony of q
negro that Smiley had demonstrated
with Edmund for paying so much for
Wood-cutters; that Edmund had re-
sented this; that Smiley had said that
IL was ms money, and that before he
would have it wasted he would 90 in
the woods and settle with the hands
himself: that Edmund replied with n
show of temper that the business in
the woods was his end of it and that
II Smiley came there he would stav
there, "and," said Mr.. Gasoue. che
went there and never came back !"
Mnfhpr EnoroI