Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-25
DIR. CALEB A. RIDLEY
C[EAREDOF CHARGES
BROUGHT BY WOMAN
Pastor of Central Baptist
! Church Cheered When Re-
! corder Johnson Announces
! Decision

Charges of disorderly conduct
brought by Mrs. J. B. Hamilton, OF
Is Cooper street, against DR.. Caleb
A. Ridley, pastor of the Central Bap-
fist church, were dismissed by Judge
George Johnson, in recorders court,
Saturday afternoon. The minister
was given an ovation by the large
audience which jammed the court
room.s
DR.. Ridley was arrested Friday
night on Mrs. Hamilton's complaint
that he had made insulting advances
to her on the front porch of her
home. A demand by her husband for
an apology for the alleged effrcntery
was fatty refused by DR.. Ridley with
the statement that the charge was
"an Internal lie in it's entirety"
DR.. Ridley's church congregation
was well represented at the trial.
Several of his deacons were present.
along with other officials Of the
church and many laymen, all Oh
whom voiced their faith In his lnno-
cence. DR.. John W. Ham, pastor OF
the Baptist Tabernacle, entered the
court roo mwith DR.. Ridley and us
tened intently to the evidence. Both
DR.. Ham and DR.. Ridley indicated
they would discuss the case from
their pulpits Sunday, as preiudes
to their sermons.
Mrs. Hamilton, the prosecutor, en-
tered the court room on the arm
Of her husband. who is railroad
clerk. Her testimony opened the
hearing.
MRS, Hamilton Testifies
Mrs. Hamilton apparently was
uuite indignant when she began her
testimony. and Immediately launched
into a vigorous attack on DR.. Ridley
for what she termed his outrageous
conduct" on her porch.
She said she knew Dr. Ridley cas-
uaIly. az did not seek his acquaaint. ~
me-" she said. He walkea up ,i On
NV porch while 1 was sitting VIII
nav baby in the swing. ooWeu any
ta9d. him to come in. He took sea-
in the swing and played Win ens
haby as we talked. Something was
aid about two girls who lived with
fbair narents in a part of my mouse
said I thought they had been ll !iS
ing with the workmen who are puata
ing the new church across the st Iesar
s.prasently. Dr. Ridley moved closel
IN me and I felt his arms aoouI me.
was mortified and drew myse,, Il up
Tic an iceberg. He wanted TO Know
if NV husband worked at nlgnt, aIlu
asked other questions oI Inls , nsisr 3.
!. he told me what healthy loo s,,s,.a e
,renoan was, and when sma :,
,roraan nassed on the sidewalk ne
1suphed at the shape of her ankleSi
Tacted as coldly, toward MN a. tha
knew how. and finally ne ticKle u,,e ess
haby,s arm and said: We'll, guess
r 49, I1ncle Ridley had better be go
inc along; he doesn't seem " ct
wanted around here. Tnen ne ~
the porch and walked across so,,,ad
street. where he stood anu Ala
60, some time with man utu
Ho Mrs Hamilton at times during , hed
airoonv raised her voice ana nurIeu
e11rt remarks at DR.. Ridley VIZ Mrre
Sfanding near her, Closely
her statements.
4,rned toward DR.. Ridley
Nth the remark that N 10 nau har1
snnse 7 would have landed d naiU
how on your head. .h.+
Mrs. Hamilton declared Tic "a
-1snaner reporter who lnterVleWoo
ne. Fridav night misquoted her Wnen
ne Pid1ev and went into the
ho,1se when his advances became III
eulting. 49,, 1ouse until
.f+er DIR. Ridley left" she salu.
Indee Johnson interrupted to re-
r,srk that 1.-THE newspaper reporters
Generally tell the truth and TO sus
Est that the reporter who wrote the
article in question be placed on me
stand. Counsel for Mrs. Haniit ~
evidently did not take ntauiy z,h b was
suggestion, for the reporter, VINO va"
an the court room, was not calleu:
n K. Johnson, of counsel Tor Ii.
Ridiev. cross-examined Mrs. HamlI-
TON and drew from her the statement
that Dr. Ridley entered her porch
He drew the further admission that,
slthough a number of workmen were
within a short distance of the porch,
she did not call for help when he
minister's alleged attentions became
offensive to her.
An the swing with you," asked Attor-
SProbably or 10 or II or Is min
utes," Mrs. Hamilton replied.
Ire Aroused by Questions
Further questions by Attorney
Johnson relative to what happened
on the front porch finally aroused
her ire, and she told the dCIol neS
that his questions were repulslVe.
CDR. Ridley had no business on my
front porch for 1 am not member
IF his church md do not want TO
be-" she said.
..If DR.. Ridley was OFFENDING you
why did you not call Mrs. Beoolns,
field. your next door neighbor ana
close friend?" pressed the attorney.
"I don't know" was the reply.
"Was not Mrs. Beddingfield on ner
front porch, less than eight 1eeL
away. while all of this outrageous
conduct of Dr.. Ridley's was taxing
nlace?" was the next question.
eff she was there I did not see
her." replied Mrs. Hamilton.
Mrs. Hamilton then concludeo ne[
testimony with the statement tnaI
she told Mrs. L. M. Johnson, VINO
lives in the house with her, OF the
occurrence Immediately after Dr.
Ridley's departure, and that she
barred the whole story to her hus-
hand when he came home from work
IT made him awful mad" she said.
EEhe husband of Mrs. Hamilton was
NOT called to TIE witness stand. The
onIy other witness for the prosecu-
zion was L. M. Johnson, who acted
E,riday night as "go-betWeen man"
and arranged the conference between
DIR. Ridley and Mr.. Hamilton. He ',e-
cIared Mrs. Hamilton had been great
ly wrought up due to the reported
.dvance3 of Dr. Ridley.