The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-26
Investigation of Killing of Fam
lily Leads to Arrest of Edmund
Bigham
CORONER STILL
WORKING ON CASE
Statements of One of Murdered
Women duplicates Surviving
Brother


noon which cost the lives of thrc.
members of the Higham family ana
TWO adopted children. took a sensa-
uOnal turn this afternoon when Ell
mund Higlmm, one of the two sur
Niving members of the family ana
the hrst to appear on the scene of
the tragedy. according to his state
mont, was arrested at the plantation
nome ana brought To the county iail
mere. Ills wife accompanied him to
the Nll Edmund Bigham was ar
trcs.ed by Deputy Sheriff w. NJ. Burch
on warrant sworn out by John w.
NcCracken. the father of the two
children killed. Coroner Smith and
=. NJ Rose an officer of Pamplico.
acc Nm panied him. Bigham is cha. scd
with murder He submitted TO the
arrest quietly and manifested little
or no concern. He refused to make
any statement tonight when seen
at tse Jail.
The persons killed on the Bigham
plantation last Saturday were: Mrs.
VI. NJ Yigham. here daughter. Mrs.
Margie Black: Leo and John Me-
cracken, two adopted children. and
u. =. bigham. brother of Mrs. Black.
Ine nother and the daughter and
one o. the children were apparently
Killed instantly. The youngest child
died ut . o'clock the following morn
ing. and l.. X Iiigham. who was
Thought at the time to have COM
mftted the crime. was found dead
inNtht woods about q mile from the
home at IL o'clock the following
morning. lie grasped a pistol i'm his
handppnd ~ bullet had pierced the
right temple. The other four victims
also died of pistol shot wounds.
Coroner Smith said this afternoon
that several negroes would be ar
rested and held as material wit
nesses u Is his opinion that now
thar Bigham is under arrest other
testimony bearing On the case may
bc c'forehcoming.
In making the arrest OF Righam on
tho warrant OF McCrackcn. the afTl-
davit OF Philip Arrowsmith, an at
torney Of this city. was given great
consideration. In his affidavit Arrow
smith declares that he had been the
attorney for Mrs. Bllck and for l.. s.
tSmiley) Bigham. two OF the persons
That therefore. he had. become inti-
mateiy acquainted with their at
fairs
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
declares that the payment of the
bond escheated by Dr. Cleveland Big
ham, who was convicted for the murr
der of his wife and sentenced to
three years I'm the state pcnitentiarv
had been provided for by deposit of
amount sufficient TO cover the bond
I'm local bank. The money was
the proceeds OF a mortgage on the
estate lands and that Solicitor l..
NJ. Gasque of this judicial circuit
had In his possession the certificate
OF deposit Mr.. Arrowsmith also
AYERS that he has i'm his possession
all or the original deeds lrelating to
the Bigham lands. Continuing. the
statement says that on January \,
1921. l.. :. Bigham ana Mrs. Margic
flack came To his home and at their
request ne accompanied them TO his
office where Mrs. ElaCk. who was
greatly agitatcd, made the following
statement:
II signed three blank deeds i'm the
presence OF witnesses and left them
with smiley sO that IL anything hap
pened To me my fathers estate could
he handled as my mother and Smi-
ley desired. All these papers were
stolen from Smiley. found them in
Edmund's possession. When l at
tempted TO secure possession OF them
Edmund flew into n passion and
threatened TO take my life az well
as that OF my mother. gave up
all hope OF getting the deeds back
and his conduct IL such that | am
afraid he will Kill me at any mo-
ment and | want YOU to prepare my
Will giving all of my property to
my brother Smiley. and charging
him. as know hc will. To take care
OF my mother and my two little
adopted boys"
hr. ArrOwsmith further declared
tina; he drew the will as instructed
and u was witnessed 10y himself. g..
II. Bryce and Marshall W. bridges
and that he Incorporated i'm the will
the statement Of Mrs Black To him
regarding the threats against her
lNe.
AT the Blgham hone this after
noon officers made n search for pa
pers relative tO the estate lands and
for the will mentioned i'm the Ar
rowsmith affidavit. but did not ind
Them. Bigham stated that hc hid a
viii but after looking over his pa
pers remarked that hc could not lind
k!t now 10 was first believed shat
=. Higham. while supposedly in
Inc. had shot and Killed his mother.
NJ. VI. BIgham his sister. Mrs
sic Black. and the lattcrs two
cd 'childrcn, Loo and John Me
fr. and had then gone into the