Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-23
WOMAN ACCUSED
KUKLUX CHAPLAIN
Ridley Freed for Lack Of Evil
dence, With Warning From
Magistrate
PULPIT CHAMPION OF KLAN

Atlanta, Sept. 23.-Investigators,
while examining the police court records
of Atlanta here, turned up the name of
still another person whom Emperor
William J. Simmons, of the Invisible
Empire, selected for appointment to
the Imperial Staff" at his head
quarters.
The new discovery is the Rev. Caleb
A. Ridley, Imperial Chaplain" Of the
order, pastor of the Central Baptist
Church Of Atlanta, chairman and Or
ganizer of the Dixie Defense Com =
mttee," widely advertised lecturer for
the Klan and star writer of the Search =
light, its semi official organ, owned by
Mrs. Elizabeth Tyler.
The docket of the Recorders court
shows the Rev. Mr.. Ridley, after being
arrested by city policemen on charges
of disordcrly conduct brought by the
husband of Mrs. ]. r. Hamilton, a
white woman. residing on Cooper street,
this city, short distance from his
church, was, on January 20, 1921,
brought to trial before Recorder George
+. Johnson, who. after hearing the
testimony of Mrs. Hamilton and listen
ing to many deaCons and women OF
Ridley's church, who appeared as char
acter witnesses for him, dismissed the
case with this statement from the
bench:
There is not enough evidence here
to convict you. but I would advise YOU
hereafter to stay away from women s
front poIches where you are not
wanted.
Testified She Was Annoyed
In her complaint and again in her
testimony reported at the time in At
lanta newspapers Mrs. Hamilton re-
cited that every day for several weeks,
in passing her home on his way to and
from his church. the minister had
made practice of looking up to her
porch whore she was sitting and smil-
ing at her.
She had, she testified. paid no at
tention to him because she had been
told he was different from most
preachers. " She charged that one
afternoon. while her husband was away
at work, Ridley entered her porch and
without invitation, sat down beside her
in her swing She said that for a time
he had chattcd pleasantly about his new
church, OF which she was not member,
and had then placed his arm about her.
tried to embrace her, and had made i'm
proper remarks to her.
She testified he finally left with the
remark;
"Wcll. there seems to be nothing for
your Uncle Ridley here, so III go.
That night. Mrs. Hamilton testified,
she told her husband of the occurrence
and he had Ridley arrested. Her ties
timony was supported by only one
other witness, who testified he had
seen Ridley enter the porch and ap-
parcnty provoke Mrs. Hamilton by sit
ting too near her in the swing, for the
witness saw her trying to push the
preacher away. Ridley STAYED there
utcs.
Denied Improper Advances
Ridley, In his own defense, testified
he had made no improper advances to
Mrs. Hamilton, but merely went up to
member of his flock, because she
Cooked lonely there on the porch" In
answer to n question from the COM
plainant's attorney, Ridley further tes-
titled:
II spend good deal of my time in
visiting the good women in my church
h.
Seventy five members of Ridley's
church attended the trial on n Satur-
day afternoon and jammed the court
room. Dcacons and women members of
his congregation testified as character
witnesses for him. The Rev. John II.
Ham, OF the Baptist Tabernacle, was
the only Atlanta minister who appeared
for him.
Ridley defended the Ku Klux Klan
from his pulpit every Sunday night for
several months stating over and over,
II am klansman and proud of it,"
In these sermons he said the only way
to hold the Negro in check in the South
is 'by the white robe and fiery cross"
and declared that while Negroes who
stay in their place are entitled to kind
treatment, those who rebel against
staying in an inferior position ought TO
be taken out and handled" by the
Klan.