Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-03-30
vALHALI4A, SOUTH WEDNESDAY,
B1aHAM is GUILTY OF MURDER.
Jury Renders Verdict in Two Hours
and Ten Minutes. sEtM

Florence, March 2S.--Edmund d..
Bigham, charged with killing his
brother and four others, was found
guilty Of the murder of his brother
here to-day and was sentenced to die
April 8th. The case was given to the
jury at LIS o'clock this afternoon,
and at 1926, following recess to
, O'Clock, and after wait Of some
minutes to bring the prisoner into
court, the jury's verdict Of guilty Of
murder was read to court room
crowded with spectators.
Convicted Man Talks.
Then, after painful wait Of min
utcs while the clerk of the court
searched for the ceremonial OF the
arrangement for sentence, and an
harangue by the prisoner in response
to Judge Memminger'S question If
he had anything to say in his own
behalf, the death sentence was pro-
nounced and Bigham knew that he
was to die OH Friday, April Sth, un-
less the Supreme Court grants a re-
versal of the verdict OH the appeal
which Attorney A. l.. King announc-
ed his intention to make.
Bigham's stolid Indifference to
everything 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 smile on less than no
provocation all passed when the
prisoner came into court to hear the
verdict. He resumed in part his role
of injured innocence when he sat In
the dock for final arraignment. For
a time he leaned forward, his head
resting on his hand as IL he prayed
for strength to go through the ordeal
he had been called upon to pass. He
listened with no special interest as
his attorney moved for new trial,
and while Judge Memminger, in re-
fusing 1t, alluded with much feeling
to the fact that Bigham's father had
while State Senator from Florence
county cast his vote in favor of putsa
ting Judge Memminger on the Bench. \
The shocking part of the whole
thing seemed to reach him slowly,
but as its realization progressed by
degrees the ashen pallor that had
shown in his face all day became
more marked, the aid of bravado
passed into a pitiable weakness that
caused the man to look here and
there about the audience with the
expression of a hunted animal sur
rounded by men who sought it's life.
The old Bigham had passed and did
not show again until Judge Mem
minger asked him what he had to
say why sentence should not be pro-
nounced against him. Then, leaning
forward on the railing Of the pris-
oner's dock, and in voice that was
n n 1,olr
spoke as follows: 81 have nothing
to say except that ] am innocent.
know nothing Of how that crime was
committed. That Is the truth, so help
me, God. That's all have to say.
wish my mother could come down
and tell how the thing happened. I
wish that little boy had lived when
| asked DR.. Poston to save his life.
He would have told the same things
] and my wife told. Judge, I hope
you will give me time, 80 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 making his Offering
OF the thirty pieces of silver. I do
want to say something more. I hope
you will take no exception to 1t. AS
far as you are concerned + have had
a fair trial. But II people had had
time to think things over, consider
and take. 1t up with their God, they
would have testified differently"
When asked to explain the finding
OF his pistol in his brothers. hand,
Bigham said: "I left that pistol in
my bureau drawer, and it has been
testified that the door was found
broken omen That Ia tho on1v ,uov
Smiley could have got 1t. If am
guilty Il hope I may be petrified in
front of this court house, Just as 7
was that day or as | am now. am
as innocent as a newborn baby"