The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-01-25
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
In FL LORENCE COUNTY
FIVE VICTIMS sLEEP IN ONE
* GRAVE.
One White Member of Family and
Two Negroes Under Arrest-An
Awful E.miiy Row.

Two Nesroe. Under Arrest-An
Awful F.mily Row.
Special to The State.
florence, Jan. 20.-The tragedy
near SPamplico last Saturday after.
noon which cost the lives of three
members Of the Bigham family and
two adopted children, took a sensa.
tionaI turn this afternoon when Ed,
Eund Bigham, one Of the two sur
viying members Of the family and the
first to appear on the scene of the
tragedy, according to his statement,
was arrested at the plantation home
asad brought to the county jail here
Els wife accompanied him TO the jail
Bamund Bigham was arrested by
Deputy Sheriff N. B. Bnreh on war
Eant sworn out BY John w. Mccraek.
in, the father pf the two children
kllled. Coroner Smith and G. M. Rose,
al officer Of Panp p,ico, accompanied
him. He submitted TO the arrest quiet
" and manifested little or no con-
cern. He refused b make any state
ment tonight when seen at the ::ail.
The persons killed on the Bignann
plantation Isst Saturday were: Mrs.
M. NJ. Bigham, her daughter, Mrs.
Margie Black; Leo and John Nc
Cracken, two adopted children; and
L.S. Bigham, brother Of Mrs. Black.
The mother and the daughter and
one Of the children were apparently
killed instantly The youngest child
died at S o'clock the following morn
ing, and L. S. Bigham, who was
thougln at the time to have commit
ted the crime. was found dead in the
woods about 3 mile from the home at
ii O'Clock the following morning. He
'erasped a piss6i III his hand. and a
aSsst Kaf pierced thg tigh temple.
The other fouf Victims also died OF
pistol shot wounds.
Negroes for Wisneases
Coroner Smith said this afternoon
that several negroes would be ar
rested and held as material witness
es It Is his opinion That now that
Bighai,1 is under arrest other testimo-
nv bearing on the case may be forth
coming, IS,
In making the arrest sof Bigham on
the warrant Of McErscken the afida.
Wit Of philip Arrowsmfth, an attorney
Of this city, was given great consider
alton. In his affidavit Arrowsmith de-
ciares that he had been the attorney
FOR Mrs. Black and foil. S. Smiley
Bigham, two OF tie persons killed,
since the spring Of 1920 and that,
therefore he had become intimately
acquainted with their Affairs.
At the outset OF The affidavit, which
was sworn to before the coroner,
Mr.. Arrowsmith declares that Ed
mund Bigham has no interest in the
estate of the late Senator L. S. Big.
ham, this having been conveyed to
his. mother and brother. He also de-
clares that the payment of the bond
escheated by Dr. Cleveland Bigham,
who was convicted for the murder OF
his wife and sentenced to three years
in the state penitentiary, had been
provided for by deposit of amount
sufficient to cover. The bond in a local
bank. The money was;the proceeds of
a mortgage on the estate lands and
that Solicitor L. me. Gasque of this
judicial circuit had in his possession
the certificate of deposit. Mr.. Arrow,
smith also AYERS that he has in his
possession all of the original deeds
relating to the Bigham lands. Con-
tinuing, the statement says that on
January 8, 1921, Is. s. Bigham and
Mrs. Margie Black came to his home
and at their request he accompanied
them to his Office where Mrs. Black,
who was greatly agitated, made the
following statement:
Feared for Life