The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-03-31
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it's verdict in the case Oh E01nunu u.
Bigham, charged with the murder OF
his brother, L. Smiley Bigham; his
mother, Mrs. NJ. NJ. 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
1:15 O'Clock this afternoon. At 3:25
O'Clock, following a recess to 3 o'clock
and after wait of some minutes to
bring the prisoner into court, the
iury's verdict of guilty of murder was
read to a court room crowded with
SPECTATORS. Then after painful walt
of minutes while the clerk Of the
court searched for the ceremonial OF
the arraignment for sentence, and
a harangue by the prisoner in re-
sponse to Judge Memminger's ques-
tion 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, un-
less the supreme court grants re-
versal of the verdict.
Calm Air Disturbed.
Bigham's stolid Indifference to eV-
erything around him, his apparent
inability to grasp the solemnity OF
the proceedings or of the seriousness
of his own position, his readiness to
respond with a smile on less than no
provocation, all passed when the pris-
oner came into court to hear the
verdict.
He resumed in part his role of in
jured innocence when he sat an the
dock for final arraignment. 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 feel
ing to the fact that Bigham's father;
had while a state senator from Flor
ence county, cast his vote in favor of
putting Judge Memminger on the
bench. The shocking import of the
whole thing seemed to reach him
slowly, but as it's realization progress
ed by degrees, the ashen pallor that
had shown in his face all day became
more marked, the air Of bravado
passed into a pitiable weakness that
caused the man to look here and there
about the audience with the express
sion of hunted animal surrounded
by men who sought it's life. The old
Bigham had passed and did not show
again until Judge Memminger ask
ed him what he had to say that SEN
tence should not be pronounced on
him. Then, leaning forward on the
railing of the prisoners dock and in
q voice that was calm and unshaken,
the prisoner spoke as follows:
Pleads Innocence.
CT 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. I wish my mother
could come down and tell how the
thing happened. I wish that little boy
had lived when I asked DR.. Poston
to save his life. He would have told
the same things and my wife told.
Judge, hope you will give me time
so some of the people who testified
here against me may have 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 ! We udu q ldll Il1d1.
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 my 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 it. If am guilty I hope I may
be petri1ed in front Of this court
house just as I was that day, or as I
am now I am as innocent as a new
born baby"
Bigham's show of weakness at the
end may have been in some measure
due to the fact that he was not sus-
tained by the presence of his wife
and children whose devotion has been
so marked feature of the trial