The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-17
UNWRITTEN law
SCORES AGAIN IN
CRIMINAL COURT
Jury Returns Not Guilty YER
dict in Case of Abbie Rib
benS, CHARGED With Assault
10 Commit Murder.

The uuwIitlcn law scored another
victory Wednesday when jury in
Second division OF criminal court re
turned "A verdict Of not guilty In the
case Of Ahhic Ribbeus, charged with
assault TO commit murder.
The majority OF the congregation 81
the metropolitan Baptist church lcoi-
oredl greeted the verdict with cheers
and applause which echoed throughout
the corridors of the shelby county
courthouse and were only stopped after
Judge Tom Harsh threatened ia impose
fines upon the offenders,
Ahhle Ribbeps represented one side
OF an eternal triangle said triangle
being ui-color affair IN black. brown
an tan, Ahhie was the standard
bearer OF the chocolate brown.
All Of the parties at interest are ne
groes and for two DAYS the Second I'll g.
vision Of criminal court has furnished
the scene Tor tale OF diSsunton and
st;Iggle for control over tho des inies
OF the affairs OF the Metropolitan Bap-
fist church,
Rev. j. W Ribbons. pastor Of the
ohurch-coal black ia color--is the hus-
band OF Ahhie Ribheus and father OF
her two children, for whose favor Min
ME Williams, orgauist Of the church
and Ahhie RiAbcus, the wife, have been
at daggers points for period Of Years
Rihbens In addition 10 being pastor
OF the Metropolitan church ana the
dominating figure in that Organization
n Il politician Of more or less distinc-
ton. Ribhens was chairman Of The
delegation which recently separated IT.
self from the white Republicans and
named It's own delegates TO the q O.
p convention under what is known as
the black wing Of the local Republican
party,
Ribbens alleged Illicit relations with
he 90 ..t., a h, IL
10 1915 have been the cause of friction
within the church that has threatened
on several occasions to disrupt the or.
ganization. Investigations have been
made and IN each Instance the pastor
and the organist ahsolyed OF wrong
doing.
The defense Of Abbie Ribbeus. how
ever, produced witnesses at the trial
who testified 70 the apparent intimacy
between Rihhens and Minnie williams
that they had attended conferences OF
the Baptist church at Savannah Ga
Muskogee, Okla St LOFTS. Mo, and
Newark, n. D., together and that Rib
bens had neglected his wife for the
other woman.
Numerous witnesses were examined
and cross examined while an aroused
congregation listened attentively and
voiced its approval or disapproVal bS
means and slghs that even the court
could not prevent. The trouble be-
tween Abbie Ribhens and Minnie Will
Hams reached TIA climax on Nov. 2,
1919, when Abbie appeared at the
church during service and proceeded
10 fire four shots at the woman, whom
Abbie claimed had wrecked her home.
The shots We're Wild but Ahhie was
arrested and indicted Ripbens there
upon declined TO live with his wife
logger and later filed suit for divorce.
The state sought to show that Abhie
Rihhens had fired at Minnie Williams
for the purpose Of killing her and that
the charges Of intimacy between the
Williams woman and Pastor Rihbens
were unfoun6ed ON the other hand,
the defense accounted for Abbie's con
duct by declaring that she was men
tally unbalanced at the time of the
shooting because or the worry and
strain through which she had gore be-
cause Of the alleged infidelity of her
husband
In less than five minutes after they
had retired TO consider the case the
Jury returned a verdict Of not guilty.
Loud applause, Raps for order by the
court and tears Of joy from Abbie Rib
heu5
Ten minutes later the congregation
Of the Metropolitan Baptist church was
aisoussing the ease outside the court
house