The morning call., 1893-05-11
RIPLEY ON TRIAL.
Mackay's Shooter to Plead
Insanity.
THE MILLIONAERE'S STORY.
He Testifies That He Never Heard of
His AssaiIant Before the Attack,
Eyewitnesses on the Stand.
THE MILLIoNAIRE'S STORY.

Wesley c. Rippey was placed on trial
before Judge Seawell yesterd ay for the at
tempted murder of John w. Mackay.
The defendant is represented by Attor-
neys Freer and Lennon, while Assistant
District Attorney Hinkle has charge of the
prosecution, being unasssted by special
counsel.
Rippey appeared very detected and
dispirited when he took his seat next IN
his attorneys and studiously avoided the
eyes Of the persons in the courtroom dnr-
ing the entire day.
From the questions asked the Jurors bv
Attorney Lennon touching their oualifica-
lions to serve in the case it soon became
evident that the defense will be temporary
Insanity.
A number Of jurymen Intercepted ex-
pressed themselves as Of the opinion that
temporary insanity is pure fiction. in
vented by lawyers employed to defend
criminals. \ few men had conscientious
scruples against furnishing a man who baS
merely attempted to kill a millionaire.
j. B. Griffi;hs, who was examined to-
ward the close OF the afteru Don, exclaimed.
II don't believe YOU could bring evidence
enough to make me convict that poor old
wreck. lie was promptly allowed TO de-
part
His successor Jared no better. His name
was ). l.. Brewer. and he said he did not
believe in the insanity dodge" "He shot
Mr.. Mackay and then shot himself. That's
not being crazy. If he had shot himself
and then shot Mackay l might believe that
he was crazy" Mr.. Brewer was allowed
TO go the way Of eccentric jurymen.
Al few minutes past The ind ictuent
Of The Grand Jury was read and Mr.. Hinkle
made snort statement OF the outline of
the prosecutions case.
Mr. MackaV was than lad %
and testified that he lived in San Fran
cisco, but his legal residence was in
Nevada.
"On February "a of this year, a little
after j. O'Clock, turned into Lick allev.
winch runs between Post and Suffer and
Mo0tgcmery and Kearny streets, and was
going over to the railroad office to get a
ticket for a section.
Il got into tile alley about ten or fifteen
steps when l heard the report of A Dfstol
ana something struck me in the back.
My first impression was that there was
somebody shooting behind me. | had no
Idea that anybody was shooting al me
and ran across ten or fifteen feet to the
other side OF the alley to get out of the
way and met gentleman who said, Mr.
Naekay, you are shOtP
Il said No, don't think So and looked
around, and Just then l heard another
report and saw this man Ripley falling
against the wall"
What happened after thatP" asked the
Assistant District Attorney.
Il hurried through the aIley toward
Post street. On the way l met Young
man who told me | had better 90 for q
DOCTOR aud l said. AN right; | have a
wagon at the end OF the alley let us drive
to the Doctors"
Were you acquainted with Rippey?"
NO Sir, never saw Ripley before,
didn't know him, never had any dealings
with him either directly or indirectly"
On cross-eXamination Mr.. Mackay re-
uerated MS statements in regard to the
shooting. and stated positively that he had
never known Rppey or had any business
or other relations with him at ALL
Then followed the testimony of several
tyeWltnesses 10 the shooting. the first man
being John Howard Of 733 Market street.
He was standing on the opposite side of
Sniter street talking 10 a friend and soon
started 10 cross the street toward Lick
alley.
Before I got fifteen feet" continued
me witness, Il heard the report of pistol.
looked over and saw Rippey with his
back 10 me, moving his arms up and down,
as II he was laOoring under some stupeu-
douS excitement. He continued thus for
moment, then he FREQ another shot and
Immediately fell upon the ground"
Attorney Freer asked tile Young man TO
take the gum out of his mouth so that his
ulIerance might be little less impeded,
and then cToss-eyanined him. but the wit
ness Kept to his story. He repeated that
the motion OF the arms seemed to suggest
great excitement or nervousness.
Charles Du6en then followed. He knew
RlppeY by sight and had witnessed the
shooting. Mackay walked into the alley
at about 1915, and when he had gone
thirty OF forty feet the witness saw an old
man turn into the alley from Suffer street
and approach Mackay at a very rapid walk.
Nv hen he gotvery near to him tie raised
his arm, as thought, to tap Mackay on the
shoulder, but all of a sudden l saw there
was something cleaning in his hand, and
Immediately afterward l heard the shot.
Rippey must have been as near as two feet
to Aackay when he fired the shot
"Mackay walked across the alley, and
RippeY again raised the weapon in both
hands. Just then l sprang toward him
and said: What are you dongY Then he
raised the pistol again with both hands,
put it TO his head and fired"
William Williams and J. J. Bonner then
testified substantially as the previous wit
nesses. Williams said Rippey made a vain
attempt to shoot himself in the head. the
pistol merely clicking. Immediately after
ward he braced himself against the wall
and succeeded in discharging q bullet into
bis own breast.
Chief Crowley, CAPTAIN Lees and num-
Der OF officers identified the two pistols
which Bppey had in his possession at the
time Of the shooting, and an adjoUrnmf mt
was then taken until this morning at 10
o'clock.