The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-03-30
CHAM TRIAL
All FLORENCE
Huge Crowd OverflOws
Court H0use--AttOr-
Y neyS KOr Defense
Rely on Suicide
/; Theory

e. NJ Il A4I&NC0, Marcn 24.-Attendance
~ ~ fArst day at the trial of Ed
~ ". Btgham. charged with the
~ ~ his mother. brother. sister
~ Heter's two adopted children.
4r h0me near Pamplico last jan
<<}1s Brol<e all records for the Flor
COunty courts. From daylight
~ noon automobiles and horse
(oWn vehicles brought in hundreds of
DeDle from the country. Almost the
'<0e1re population of the Pamplico dis
U>ce. where the murders were COM
United. was present at the opening Of
toQrt.
' In the mass Of spectators that
&r0wded the court room after the
QDening Of the morning session, the
Iemine element was noticeable. Old
women and young girls. alike craned
'tntir necks to get a sight of the de-
{tndant and his attorneys and more
than one here and there viewed the
Hroceedings form standing position
ou eho backs of the benches.
Hloham. the defendant. stood the
oEf4stny or the crowd remarkably
Wou He tired noticeably OF the rou-
-Au9 proceedings which preceded the
Gp4hinS OF his case. He diverted him.
eli by close examinations of the
crowd behind him and before him i'm
ne court room, and when that failed.
- leaned forward In the dock and
tooo . newspaper over the shoulders
ne IN attorney who held IL. The main
elopments OF the day was the un-
flhs OF line OF defense through
~ Attorney n. l.. King and his
oeiate. G.. T. Mcdonald, will seek
ofQuit Bigham OF the charge of
no5eealc murder. MIR. King fought
5ot svety point against any testimony
witch went to show that the killing
o. u Smiley BIgham might not have
u4on suicide. IL was the case cover
~ the murder OF his brother Smiley
tD(0o D0lfcltor Gasque selected to- sub
~ 70 the jury In order To ocnvict the
oot<h1ant-
~. W. III. Poston. who saw the
t94t Of Smiley Bigham at the time
~ ~ dlscovery. testified that muscu-
~ Action an n result of the wound
HON which the man died. might eth
K:Ekve caused a relaxation Of his grip
~ butt OF, the pistol or might have
o0nned the grip to tighten. Aside
quite d0Rininte and :. I'm favor OF the
pro6ecution. Mr.. King. In his cross
o1amination sought to offset those
A4f1hltc portions of the testimony and
70 emphasize the doctors statements
- 70 the possible effect of the wound
upon the muscles OF his hand.
\ In the testimony OF every witness
<Aat followed DIR. Poston' Mr.. King
made the same efforts to emphasize
those portions which might show the
possibility that Smiley Bigham was a
murderer and suicide. DIR. j. M.
Barnwell was called as the only ex-
pert witness Of the day. Other experts,
collector Gasque announced. will be
called later In the case. DIR. Barn
well testified that in the case of a
self-inficted wound such as caused
the death Of Smiley Bigham, a charge
Of black powder would have caused
distinct burns around the wound which
could not have been washed out. His
testimony as to the muscular reac-
ton following such wound corrobo-
rated that OF DIR. Poston.
The testimony of r. III. Finkles was
made the occasion Of a strong attack
On the witness by Attorney King. Mr.
: Tinkies had testified that Edmund
/. .B1Ghem Indicated to him the direction
<for h1s brothers body. The direction
in4lcqted had been followed by Fin
I. k1o9 party ,f searchers and although
IA bbdy Was located by member
kof another party It was found
90 a' point that was ALMOST exactly
t11o ONE as indicated IN Edmund
ofghnm's direction to him.
NJ King on taking the witness In
I hen1 oehed II he had not expressed
\ Z beloof u the defendants guilt. Thi.
( ~. TinkleH acknowledged and was
( ooonl)y scol'ed by Mr.. King for form.
/. Nc hio opinions on hcarsay and news
paper repoIts. MIR. Finklcs, however
heDd his grtmnd and Mr.. Kings sole
/. Esin vas IN impression on the jury'f
mInd that MIR. Finlxles may have beer
t prs1udicsd.
ft y. G. Brown, who had one on the
Hjgharn estatc an q tenant late I'm De-
ceimbes. told OF the discovery by Ed
nprl Bighsm and himself of the body
o( Mrs. MsTgie Black. This was two
hours sitter the finding OF the. bodies
- Nrs. NM. Bigham and little JohT
McCrneken. the adopted son OF Mrs.
Black. Edmund. the witness said. had
led the search with q lighted lantern
ana went through all Of the house be-
fore enterinG the upstairs room which
Mrs. Black had occupied. There they
had found the body Of Mrs. Black. Iy-
lng across q small trunk on the floor.
On 6ndipg his sister. Edmund had
shouted "Oh. my 0od what will
dor and had apparently been SO
shocked that ne had to put down the
! lantern. The witness gave much testi-
psopg reeafding the finding Of Smiley
( Bishap's body. he having been the
slrst psrsQn to reach II. 1t developed