The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-01-27


regarding the threats against her life.
At the Bigham home this afternoon,
officers made a search for papers rel
ative to the estate lands and for the
will mentioned in the Arrowsmith af-
fidavit, but did not find them. Big
ham stated that he had will but af-
ter looking over his papers remarked
that he "could not find it now" 1t
was first believed that L. S. Bigham,
while supposedly insane, had shot and
killed his mother, Mrs. M. M. Bigham,
his sister, Mrs. Margie Black and the
latter's two adopted children, Leo and
John McCracken, and had then gone
into the woods, a half mile from the
house and shot himself to death. There
was some doubt IN the minds of the
coroner's jury that L. S. Bigham was
the perpetrator of the crime and it
was decided to delay rendering a ver-
dict until al ..:c;onal evi..cnce could be
taken, and the arrest Of his brother
Edmund Bighan ha; given the case
a most interesting aspect.
With reference to the estate lands
it appears that a few days before her
death, Mrs. ]. Began Cain, a sister,
is alleged to have signed deeds trans
ferring certain of the lands to Mrs.
Margie Black. This is said to have
been after the Cleveland Bigham bond
had been arranged for. In view Of
the fact, as presented in the Arrow
smith affidavit, that L. S. Bigham had
not only been made the beneficiary
of Mrs. Blacks will, but he also had
in his possession deeds signed in blank
which he could have used as ne desir-
ed, it is urged that the question OF
motive for the murders on the part
of property consideration was con-
cerned, had been removed.
The affivadit of Philip Arowsmith,
an attorney of Florence, taken by Cor
oner w. Marvin Smith, is asfollows:
81 was attorney for Mrs. M. NJ. Big
ham, L. S. Bigham and Mrs. Margie
A. Black, and have, therefore, been
rather intimately associated with them
since opening Of the spring of 1872"
Ny employment was with regard %
the estate lands of L. 8. Bigham. -.
deceased, and in which Edmund Big
ham had no interest, having conveyed
to his mother and brother.
Deposit to Cover Bond.
Pursuant to my employment | ar
ranged with the First National bank
of Florence, by mortgage of the prop
crty, for the bank to issue its certifi
cate of deposit for an amount suffi-
cient to pay to the state Of South Car
olina the judgment which had been
rendered on the bond escheated upon
the default of DR.. Bigham in 1910.
This mortgage is duly recorded and
the certificate of deposit is in the
hands of Solicitor Gasque.
During the last term Of the GRIM
inal court, as county attorney, in con-
nection with the investigation then
being conducted by that body into the
mutilation of the county records of
which were alleged to have before
them, which l did. AS county attor-
ney l had no information in regard
to the matter which they were investi-
eating, but as Mr.. Bigham's attorney
it was my pleasure to advise the grant
jury that I had in my possession the
original deeds, the records of which
was alleged to have been torn from
the books, which | would be very hap
py to display to the grand jury or any
one else upon request.
subsequently some members of the
body called at my office and inspected
the original deeds. 1 ventured the
opinion to the grand jury that Mr..
Bigham could hardly be guilty of de-
structicn Ss the record and the reten-
ton of theV riginal deeds, as common
..ensc and prudence would have dictat-