The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-04-01
SENTENCEOF DEATH
IMPOSED ON BIGHAM
CASE TO BE TAKEN TO HIGHER
COURT
Judge Memminger Fixes April 8 as
Date to Pay Penalty in Electric
Chair-Wife Frustrated
The State.

county jury came near equallng the
record for speedy justice in bringing
it's verdict in the case of Edmund d.
Bigham, charged with the murder Of
his brother, L. Smiley Bigham, his
mother, Mrs. M. M. Bigham, his sis
ter, Mrs. Margie Bigham Black, and
Leo and John McCracken, the little
adopted children of Mrs. Black.
The case was given to the jury at
LIS o'clock this afternoon. At 1925
o'clock following a recess to 3
o'clock and after a wait of some min
ute sto bring the prisoner into court,
the jury's verdict of guilty of murder
was read to a court room crowded
with spectators. Then after a pain
full wait of minutes while the clerk
of the court searched for. the cere-
monial of the arraignment for SEN
tence, and harangue by the prison
er in response to Judge Memminger's
question if he had anything to say in
his own behalf, the death sentence
was pronounced and Bigham knew
that he was to die on Friday, April
8, unless the supreme court grants
reversal of the verdict on the appeal
which Attorney A. L. King announced
his intention to make.
Calm Air Disturbed
Bigham's stolid indifference to ev-
erything around him, his apparent in
ability to grasp the solemnity Of the
proceedings or of the seriousness OF
his own position, his readiness to re-
spond with smile on less than no
provocation, all passed when the pris-
oner came into court to hear the ver-
dict.
He resumed in part his role OF in
jured innocence when he sat in the
dock for final arraignnent. For
time he leaned forward his head rest
ing on his hand as if he prayed for
strength to go through the ordeal he
had been called upon to pass. He
listened with no special interest while
his attorney moved for a new trial
and while Judge Memminger in re-
fusing it, referred with much feeling
to the fact that Bigham's father had,
while a state senator from Florence
county, cast his vote in favor OF put
ting Judge Memminger on the bench.
The shocking import of the whole
thing seemed to reach him slowly,
but as it's realization progressed by
degrees, the ashen pallor that had
shown in his face all day became
more marked, the air Of bravado pass
ed into a pitiable weakness that
caused the man to look here and there
about the audience with the express
sion of a hunted animal surrounded
by men who sought it's life. The OLD
Bigham had passed and did not show
again until Judge Memminger asked
him what he had to say that sentence
should not be pronounced against
him. Then, leaning forward on the
railing of the prisoners dock and in
a voice that was calm and unshaken,
the prisoner spoke as follows:
Pleads Innocence
s'I have nothing to say except that
I am innocent. I know nothing OF
how that crime was committed. That
is the truth, so help me God. That's
all / have to say. l wish my mother
could come down and tell how the
thing happened. I wish that little boy
had lived when 1 asked DR.. Poston
to save his life. He would have told
the same things l and my wife told.
Judge, hope you will give me time
so some of the people who testified
here against me may have a chance
to come forward and tell the truth
and not come too late like Judas Is
CARROT making his offering of the 80
pieces of silver. I do want to say
something more. hope you will take
no exception to it. AS far as you are
concerned 1 have had fair trial.
But if people had had time to think
things over, consider and take it up
with their God, they would have tes-
tilted differently"
When asked to explain the finding
Of his pistol in his brothers hands,
Bigham said.
81 left that pistol in my bureau
drawer and it has been testified that
The door was found broken open. That
is the only way Smiley could have got