Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-31
B|GHAM' LAWYERS
HOPE To SAVE HIS
LIFE BY APPEAL

FLORENCE, S. c., March cat
torneys for Edmund Brigham will ap-
peal to a higher court in an effort
to save their client from execution
at Columbia April s. After Judge
Memminger had sentenced Bigham
late yesterday for the murder of
five members of the Bigham family.
motion for a new trial was over
ruled. and notice Of the appeal was
given by Attorney A. L. King, of de-
Tense counsel, who asserted that one
of the jurors who voted to convict
Bigham had expressed himself be-
fore the trial as in favor of seeing
the prisoner burned. Mr.. Kings re-
quest for delay in arguing motion
for new trial was denied
March "a. State witnesses testi-
fled that the prisoner had threaten
ed to kill members of his family and
that he indicated where the body Of
his brother, Smiley Bigham, might
be found; The defense endeayored d
a period of instantly had committed
the murders and then killed himself.
Smiley Bigham's body was found
some distance from the Bigham
home with a pistol clutched in the
right hand. The other bodies were
They included Bigham's mother, his
sister and his sisters two adopted
children. Family financial affairs
figured largely in the motives ad-
Bigham turned pale when the
verdict was read and his face lost
the smile that it had worn during
the trial, but when asked what he
had to say before being sentenced
he leaned forward from the dock
IN, oil and mistaken voice.
Nothing. except that I am limo
cent. I know nothing Of how that Ia
crime was committed. That is the
truth so help me Cod"
That's all I have to say con,
tinued Bigham who was charged
with shooting his mother. brother.
sister and the latter's two adopted
children. IT wish my mother could
come down and tell hoy t+ fn1 bo1 fh bad
lived when I asked DR.. w. H. Pos
ton to save his life. He would have
told the same things my wife and
told. -,
time so some of the people who tes-
tilted here against me may have
chance to come forward and tell
the truth and not come too late, ike
Judas Iscariot making his offering
of the thirty pieces of silver.
Il Go nope TO say SOIlLeNllIH9 iliOA q
and I hope you will take no excep-
ton to it. AS far as you are concern
ed T have had a fair trial, but II
people had had time to think things
over, consider and take it up with
their God, they would have testi-
fed differently"
When asked to explain the finding
Of his pistol in his dead brothers
hand. Brigham said: II left that pis-
tol 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 it"
IF l am guilty, l hope L may be
petrified in front of this courthouse.
1 am as innocent as newborn
babe
After Bigham had concluded his
statement, Judge Meminger before
passing sentence, reviewed the case,
and referring to Bigham's statement
of innocence, said: II have never
known a prisoner convicted of a sim
liar crime to make acknowledgment
of his guilt. In all that you have
said in your favor, there is no ex-
cuse in law
Mrs. May Bigham, wife of the de-
PENDANT, and the children, had been
led from the courtroom by friends
before the jury, of which H. P. Has
eden was foreman, returned its YER
dict. When she was told the result
a few minutes later, she collapsed
and had to be given medical treat
ment. The courtroom had been crowd
ed during the trial, but there were
comparatively few present when the
Jury returned, as it did not stay out
as long as spectators appeared u
have expected