The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-03-30
disowned eyer having seen the de-

disowned eyer having seen the de-
tective.
This observance Of the interest of
the defendant was apparent in the
testimony Of Mrs. Bigham, who. when
asked question affecting her hus-
bands interests, would answer, "Il
don't remember" or II don't know."l
Edmund BiGham's own testimony
was considered remarkable, as he re-
membered everything that had taken
place in the household, even to small
details.
1t was when Bigham reached tn,
cross ss-examination stage that the con-
tinuity of. his story was broken. When
a question came up that was not cas-
lily answered he would lean toward
Solicitor Gasque and say, Hold on a
minute" or Just wait" and then VEN
| ture an explanation rather than a
statement of fact
Bigham's first show Of feeling came
when he described the finding of his
| brothers body. He broke into sobs
and tears and there was a pause Of
some length before he could go on
| This demonstration was repeated when
| he told the story of the finding Of his
sister, and he appeared affected only
to u slightly less degree when he de-
scribed the finding of Leo McCracken
and his efforts to save the boys life.
Toward the end of Bigham's direct
testimony he launched forth into a
statement concerning the financiaI af-
fairs of the Bigham family. He told
how he had loaned money at various
times and how he had never received
any share of his fathers estate. 1t
was because of these sacrifices. he
said, that the other members Of the
| family had made the deed to all the;i
Interests in the estate which his wife
sought to record the day he was put
in jail. The family owed him. he said,
something like $4,000, and ne na d
given them a mortgage coy vering the
difference between that amount and
900, the amount named as consid-
Grafton in the face of this deed. lie
was insistent upon his defense Of the
genuineness of this paper and en-
phatic in his denials that his sister.
Mrs. Black. was really the only party
owning any part Of the Bigham cs-
tate.
Senator ID. Gordon Bake. OF the
firm Of Whiting a. Baker. testified
tonight that his firm had advised
Smiley BiSham that the statute of
limitations had run out in the case of
the alleged postoffice shortage Of 500
referred to by Edmund Bigham in his
testimony and that he had nothing to
fear from either criminal or civil
proceeding in respect of it. This was
as far back as last October, said Sen
ator Baker.
| The defense closed its case and So
icitor Gasquc began his argument al
$3.50 o'clock tonight. G. II. Mcdonald
followed for the defense.
Court adjourned tonight. The room
was still crowded, so intense is the in
terest in the case. Judge Memmingel
Will adjourn the Georgetown court
from day to day until the Bigham case
is finished.
On cross examination Bigham was
asked why he had kept this deed in
his possession after it had been re-
) fused record until he had seen an at
torncy. Bigham replied that Monroe
Spears, Of Darlington had told him :,
kepe the deed but had never seen it
as his wife had it at the time of his
conference with Mr.. Spears
why did YOU tell Mr.. Spears about
it," asked Mr.. Gasque
He told me not to send il back
over there to be recorded" was Big
hams answer.
Didn't he tell YOU to destroy that
Iced or it would break your neck -
shouted Mr. Gasque.
NO. he didn't. If he had 1 would
have done it," replied Bigham, and
his answer caused a roar Of laughter
around the courtroom.
1t was this demonstration which
caused Judge Mcmmmger TO declare
the court adjourned. He announced
that there would be q session begin
ming az o'clock tonight.
judge Memminger was shown today
Il way in which he can continue the
kiSham trial until it is concluded. 4
precedent was found showing his au-
thority to adjourn court at George
town from day to day or, if neces-
Sary, ask the supreme court to assign
another judge to Georgetown so that
the BiSham trial may go on to a
verdict.
Edmund Bigham in his testimony
spoke in clear and sharp voice and
in the recital OF happenings and con-
ditions leading up to the finding Of
his mother showed no feeling His
first disclosure of any Importance was
Il talk with Smiley Bigham, his broth
er, on the night of January IA, when
the dead man had told OF the THEFT
of the county records and of the $500
postC1IiCc shortage in which former
Senator j. w. MCGOWAN and others
V"le tn" surctieS, he testified.
Smiley had said, according to the
witness, Il believe 100 per cent strong
that | will he sentenced to the PEN
itCntiary at the March term of the
federal court because of the shortage
and for the theft OF the county rec
Ords.''
When Mrs. Righam took the stand