The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-06-15
Death Sentence
Giuen toBighan1

Shlpp IN the sessions court mere tulS
afternoon refused to grant Edmund
D. Bigham a new trial and sentenced
him to be put to death in the electric
chair July IA.
Bigham was convicted of murder IN
connection with the killing of his
brother, Smiley Bigham, and is in
dicted for murder also for the deaths
of his mother and sister and the lat
! ter's two adopted children. The
wholesale murder took place on the
Bigham plantation in January, 1924.
Bigham was tried in March of last
year. The supreme court dismissed
the appeal and Bigham's attorneys
sought a new trial on the ground of
after discovered evidence which, they
declared, tended to show that Smiley
and not Edmund Bigham did the kill
ing. It is not thought the case will
end here.
Unabashed by the sentence Of
death, Bigham argued with the court
this afternoon before hundreds OF
spectators for the privilege Of saying,
Some things I would like to tell
now, as this may be my last chance
to speak before these people" :" The
court replied that 'depended on how
long you will take to tell them" Then
as in afterthought, the court added,
"You might as we'll tell it, though"
Abuses State Witness.
Immediately the doomed man
pounced upon Philip H. Arrowsmith,
local attorney, who was an important
witness in the connection Of Bigham
for the wholesale murder.
"I would have liked to have seen
Mr.. Arrowsmith here" he said, in
opening. 81 would like to have him
standing right here" indicating the
center of the court room. II 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 summary with
the reminder he was not up there to
make a speech but to state any legal
reason he might have why sentence
of death should not be passed upon
him.
81 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 I am convicted is because of
the falsehoods which have been piled
up against me. 1 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.
Pleads for Himself.
IF 1 knew the law. maybe could
state some reason why should have
a new trial-one more chance. No one
knows it ALL except God and myself.
If there's ahy way you could give
me another trial, just one day more
in court, I would appreciate it. The
state has four other cases against me.
I never had a fair trial. The verdict
of that trial stands against me-"
Bigham repeatedly avowed his in
nocence and as often averred that in
nocent blood would be shed when he
was executed.
81 worked hard and laid by some
MEANS" he said in the earlier part OF
his statement to the court. "But for
my property, no one ever would have
accused me. But they know that
when the juice is turned onto me,
it'll be money in their pockets.
Thereafter he Iikened himself to
St. Paul, to John, the Baptist, and to
Christ Himself, all their blood having
been shed innocently. 'tBut I'll rise
in glory with them
He challenged the state to confront
him, even when he will be buckled
into the death chair in the peniten-
tiary in Columbia, with one person
who can truthfully say that he ever
did him single wrong or injury.
Letters Do Not Impress.
A.. L. King, the attorney for the de-
fense, betrayed far more emotion in
conducting the hearing than Blgham
ever manifested. Mr.. King impressed
his audience deeply that he does be-
lieve Bigham is an innocent man. But
the facts presented by the solicitor,