The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-06-15
for mill and never had letter from
him on a typewriter.

for a mill and never had letter from
him on a typewriter.
C. L. Farmer, of Florence made an
affidavit that he used to run board
ing house and Smiley used to stop
with him when here. In December
1920 Smiley expressed to him dread
of being away from home because
of anxiety that Edmund would kill
the family. The last night Smiley
was in his home, Smiley could not
sleep and finally in the middle of the
night got up and went by special
taxi home to see about the family.
He expressed constant fear that Ed
mund was going to hurt his mother
and sister.
When arguments for and against
a new trial were completed ard after
the court had pronounced its refusal
of the motion for new trial and had
practically branded all of his last
effort as fraud and forgery, Judge
Shipp asked Bigham if he had any
thing to say why sentence of death
should not be passed upon him, the
prisoner replied emphatically eyes
sir"
"Please your honor, l have lived a
life that | am not ashamed of. All
through the Bible, you can see where
men have been put to death innocent
ly. Take the evidence against me,
and who gave it. 1t will be money in
their pocket when the juice is turned
on me. That is between them and
their God. l am like st. Paul" Here
his voice wavered so, that his COM
parison was lost.
"John the Baptist was beheaded.
He was killed when he was innocent.
Jesus Christ was convicted and SEN
fenced to death. When I draw my
last breath l will hear him say, I
knowest how thy life was TAKEN In
nocent blood will be shed Just the
same as He was crucified. So my
life will be taken. But will rise with
Him, I wish we'll to those who have
done mean like those who have stuck
up to have me killed.
T have lived in South Carolina and
| in Georgia. And I challenge the
state to face me, when I am buckled
in the chair, with one person who
will say that l ever did him a wrong
or an injury.
T worked hard. saved money.
All with the hope of getting married
and raising a family. If had not
had some money, SO there would be
some pie, I would never have been
accused"
Unabashed by the sentence Of death
impending on him he argued with the
court, before the hundreds of spec
tators, for the privilege of saying
"some taiogs I w,u|i like to tell now
as this may b. my last chance to
speak before these people" Begging
for the privilege Of relating these
things, ihe court replied that "de-
pends on how long you will take to
tell them" Then as an after thought,
the court added, "You might as well
tell it though.
Immediately the doomed man
pounced upon Philip n. Arrowsmith,
local attorney, who was an important
witness in his conviction for the MUIR
der. 81 would like to have seen Mr..
Arrowsmith here" he said, in open
ing. 81 am sorry he is not standing
right here" indicating the center OF
the court room. I would tell the
reason Arrowsmith accused me right
to his. Whatever he intended to
have said probably will never be
spoken for the court stopped him
summarily with the reminder that he
was not up there to make speech
but to state any legal reason he might
have why sentence of death should
not be passed upon him.
"I never studied law" said Big
ham, beginning on the line which the
court had indicated he must follow
in his discussion. 81 am ready to
meet my God and am not guilty. The
reason am convicted is because Of
the falsehoods which have been piled
up against me. may have to die.
In fact that's what I am up here in
this prisoners dock for now. It's
hard to die for something one did
not do.
"Jesus Christ had to die so. He
prayed for the night to pass from
Him. The people who testified
against me, and stuck out to have me
killed, did it.
GJf knew tho law NAV he / could