The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-03-30
SENTENCE 5 1 |. en- OF DEATH
ON BICRAM
Florence County Farmer
Guilty of Murdeg
GOES TO CHAIR
APRIL ElGfsTH


Guilty Of Murder I'm Case of Edmund
Bigham After Very Short Delibera.
hon. Case Appealed to Supreme
~ Court,
Florence, March 2R.-A Florence
county jury came near equaling the
record for speedy justice in bringing
Its verdict in the case Of Edmund d.
Bigham. charged with the murder of
his brother, L. Smiley Bigham. his
mother, Mrs. M. NJ. Bigham, his sis
ter, Mrs Margie Bigham Black, and
Leo and John McCrackcn, tho little
adopted children OF Mrs. Black.
The case was given to the jury at
1:15 o'clock this afternoon. At 1925
o'clock following recess to o'clock
and after wait OF some minutes to
bring tho prisoner into court, the
jury's verdict Of guilty OF murder was
read to a court room crowded with
spectators Then after painful wait
Of minutes while the clerk OF the
court searched for the ceremonial OF
the arraignmont for sentence and
harangue by the prisoner in re-
sponse to Judge Memminger's ques-
ton II 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. unless the supreme court grants
reversal OF the verdict on the appeal
which Attorney "A. l.. King announced
his Intention to make.
Calm Air Disturbed
Bigham's stolid Indifference to ev-
erything around him, his apparent In
ability to grasp the solemnity OF the
proceedings or OF the seriousness OF
his own position, his readiness to re-
spond with a smile on less than no
prOyocation, all passed when the Dris-
oner came into the court to hear the
verdict.
He resumed in part his role of in
jured innocence when he sat in the
dock for final arraignmcnt. 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 specia interest
while his attorney moved for a new
trial, and while Judge Mcmmingcr, in
refusing 1t. referred with much feel
Ing to the fact that Bigham's father,
had while 4 state senator from Flor
eaCe county. cast his vote in favor Of
putting Judge Memmingcr on the
bench. The shocking import OF the
whole thing seemed to reach him slow
ly, but as IT'S realization progressed
by degrees. the Gshen pallor that had
shown in his face all day became more
marked. the air Of brayado passed in
to pitiablc weakness that caused the
man to look here and there about the
audience with the expression Of a
hunted animal surrounded by men who
sought its life. The old Bigham had
passed and did not show again until
Judge Memminger asked him what he
had to say that sentence should not be
pronounced against him. Then, lean
ing forward on the railing OF the pris~
oner's dock and ina voice that was
calm and unshaken, the prisoner spoke
as follows
Pleads Innocence
II have nothing to say except that
I am innocent. know nothing OF
how that crime was committed. That
is tho truth, so help me God. That's
all have to say. wish my mother
could come down and tell how the
thing happened. / wish that little boy
had lived when / asked DR.. Postor
to save his life. He would have told
the same things I and my wife told
Judge, I 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 trutf
and not como too late like Judas Is
CARROT making his offering OF the 3t
pieces Of silver. do want to say
something more. hope you will take
no exception to 1t. AS far as you arr
concerned have had fair trial. Blu
N people had had time to think things
over. consider and take It up Will
CONTINUED on Page Four.)