Arizona republican., 1919-02-22
VAN R|TTERC GAN I
 REMEMBER WHEN
 HE SHOT W00LF
Defendant On Stand Says
 He Recollects Nothing Until He FoundHimself In Jail And Head Bandaged

That he cannot recall a thing that transpired on August from the mo- ment William H. Woolf walked away refusing to argue with him, until he found himself behind the bars of the county jail, was the statement or J. E. Van Ritter on the witness stand in Judge Stanford's court yesterday. van Ritter, who is charged with assault with intent to commit murder. claims to have no knowledge of the fact that he shot Woolf, except what he has been told by other people.
 This is the only single instance of lapse of memory on his part in his life, according to facts brought out by County Attorney l.. M. Laney under a rigid cross examination. Laney brought to his mind numerous other difficult ties that he had been in fistie en- counters in a barber shop in Tempe. fight on the public highway with the milkman and other troubles when Van Riter's memory did not fail him.
 Do you think you are insane now" asked the county attorney.
 ''No.' said the witness.
 Were you insane when you shot Billy Woolf?"
 That's what they told me-" replied the witness.
 To Jury Monday
 The case will go to the jury on Mon day. There remains only ii few wit nesses to be eXamin cd in the reouttai which began yesterday afternoon when the state called members of the Tempe Normal school faculty to the stand to testify to Van Riter's department. and ability when a student under them. l. is understood that the case will be placed in the hands of the jury before the afternoon recess on Monday and that there will be three forms of yer dict. not guilty. guilty of assault with intent to commit murder and guilty Of assault with a deadly weapon. Either form of guilty could be rendered un- der the information. it is said, although the charge is assault With intent 10 commit murder, which is punishable | by term in the penitentiery from 10 years to life, while assault with a deadly weapon is punishable from one to 10 years.
 J. B. Johnson of Tempe was the first witness called to the stand yesterday. ' Johnson is manager of a south side ga . rage and his testimony had largely 10 , do with the condition of the Studebaker car which Van Ritter secured in a trade with the Harmon Motor company whereby he gave his Dodge touring car and a check for $450.
 Prepared Statement
 He said that Van Ritter was dissatis fled with the Stakeholder and asked him to come to Phoenix as a witness when he intended taking up the mat ter of securing his old car and turning in the Studebaker with Woolf. Van Ritter prepared statement of his grievances which he took to the sales room asking Woolf to look over the written sheet and attach his signature The manager of the motor company refused to discuss the matter ant when he gave Van Ritter to understand that the argument was closed Var Ritter induced Johnson to sign the pa per to the effect that the firm hat refused to straighten out the matter.
 The paper. poorly written and il parts difficult of understanding, wa read into the evidence It was on fill in the sheriffs office having been takel from Van Riter's possession when h was taken into custody. It follows:
 In being asked if you had in
 stock new Studebaker 4. No, but
 have a car here that is practically
 a new car having been used only
 as a demonstrator, the speedometer
 showing 500 some miles, but dis
 connected at the time.
 These figures. of course. not be-
 ing correct mileage of car being not
 over 2600 miles.
 On account of some turkeys
 flying up on the car and disfigur-
 ing paint on some ranch in the
 vicinity of Phoenix, it was neces- sary to retouch the car with paint , and varnish it in order to preserve
 the appearance.
 The drivers seat being worn through in several places was due
 to mechanic driving car with pair plyers or pinchers in hind pocket. ], Owing 10 short distance this car has been driven and care it has received the engine should be in } perfect mechanical order and any thing that is not right we will make right.
 After l had gone over the car several days after the purchase I returned and told you that the car
 was not what you made me believe it was and l was not satisfied and ' told you I had run the car between 8 and 50 miles: that you had beat me in the deal and l would allow
 you $50 for that much use in either
 cash or the return Of my original
 Dodge car.
 This after you flat1y refused and
 said you had sold my car and had z my contracts which you intended
 10 hold me to as the car was just '' what you represented it to be. That it was not a used car be- cause it had not been sold to any one.
 August ?, this date in my pres ence W. Woolf refused to talk to J :. | B. Van Ritter on subject of Sure
 baker car. H. B. JOHNSTON Wife on Stand The young wife of the defenda was called to the stand. Mrs Van Rit described her husband as a man giv, to Respondent moods. and who on ol occasion remarked to her "I wonder could hire any one 10 kill me" Sl said that he often spoke of suici and that once when he was iniur
 from a fall. dislocating his should,
 he regretted that he had not brok,
 his neck.
 Van Ritter followed his wife on |
 stand For more than two hours
 answered question after question D
 to him by counsel. never for a nome
 losing the quet control he has exhibi cd throughout the trial. Only by co
 stantly moving about in his chair q
 he indicate any nervousness, for I answers came promptly and firmly. Under direct examination he to again the story. familiar to the jur
 of the auto trade made on May %. fc
 lowed by his repeated calls, and COT
 plants to the Harmon concern The (
 rect examination dealt entirely wi
 the car and it's condition and it W
 not until this matter had been go