Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-25
DR.. CALEB A. RIDLEY
CLEARED OF CHARGES
BROUGHT BY WOMAN
CONTINUED from Page ~

as he passed the Hamilton home he
tipped his hat from the sidewalk and
they began to talk. In q few min
utes he went up on the porch, and
five minutes, and left when one Of
the foremen at the church called
him.
"They still were chatting pleas
antly as he took his leave, and at no
time did I see DR.. Ridley's arm
around Mrs Hamilton. She is my
neighbor and friend, and l never
knew DR.. Ridley until today, but l
really think there has been much I'M
due excitement ever nothing in this
case" she asserted.
Couldn't Dr. Ridley have had his
arm around Mrs. Hamilton without
you knowing it?" asked counsel for
the prosecution.
IT don't think So" she answered.
Certainly, DR.. Ridley would nave
had to move very quickly to have
prevented me from seeing MIN;
While I did not see what TRANSFERRED
on the porch every minute, can
swear almost positively that he did
DR.. Ridley's Statement
Mrs. Beddingfield said that several
hours later, Mr.. and Mrs. Hamilton
rushed into her living room, frantic
with excitement. HE was brand1sh-
ing pistol, threatening TO KIN hi11 not not
to do it. I begged them to leave
NV home while they were in such
a mood. for I did not care Tor, my,
home to be the scene of a MURDER
she said. ..o whitehall
street, said he was I near ta afta irn
and that eff Mrs. Hamilton was mug
ged by DR.. Ridley she was not rals-
ing any disturbance about 1t Wn ton
saw her-some little while aIler
DIR, Ridley left her porch. ~
DIR. Ridley's statement Oh tne d.
fair was brief and conformed IN az
IFS details to the statement mace
nublic by him following his release
On bond Friday night.
"Mrs. Hamilton spoke to me as !
passed her home and SAID sne Wa Wa a.
to ask my assistance. one say md
men AT work on the new churcn nau
heen flirting with the two girls IN
her house, and that she also mao peea a
annoved bv the workmen. we Idlheu
FOR. a minute or two, and tnen en-.
tered the porch and we continued ~
discuss this same matter. :. .hora
at asked Mrs. Hamilton II tneae
were anv reason for the advances
made by the workmen to"a ara I ree
11n1ne GIRLS She mentioned. she re-
n1ied that theye were indiscreet gIrls,
and that she was afraid the Worklien
had n1aced her in the same caLes ;,c5
I synpathized with her ano ~ ~ fore
, ~ in charge of the working crew
iiie'l- Called From Porch ~,
,"At this juncture someone at lnv
church called me. ana WiInoi ~
from Mrs. Hamilton's porcn, +i1
changing remarks with ner UNI dis-
a,1ssnd the church construction WORK
I,,i+b Mr. Turner for a little Whiie
and went to my home. Shortly aIt-
arward 7 learned that my daughteI
vas in an automobile accident ana L
left Immediately to see about TINS;
When l returned, was t1reu' amu
alter partially disroblng L lay Town
mrIis Mr.. l.. M. johnson was
ushered in to see me shortly there
efter He said he came as a mes
senger from the Hamilton nome
across the way, and that Mr.. iaInl MI
ton would like very much to see me
at once. I thought someone Was Stod
or wanted to get married askeu
Mr.. Johnson who it was. he mercy
shook his head and said, no, that's
mo- @1t + seemed 1 couldn't make the
man talk, and 1 soon became sllght.
ly angry. 1 told him was NO.
dressed and could not leaVe Lne
I would be glad to receive MI. Ham ham
ilton in my home. Johnson then with
drew. but returned a few minutes
later with the announcement that
Mr., Hamilton was awaiting me on
nv porch. In my bath robe ana
stocking feet 1 went to the porch
only to find that Johnson had mis-
represented matters TO me.
Hamilton was not on my porch
but under an arc light in the street
/ saw a veritable brigade OF men
and women. l asked Johnson what II
all meant. Then he told me that
Hamilton was very mad about the
way l treated his wife that after
noon.
CONGRATULATED on Acquittal
"This remark made me very mad
and without. going back Tor more
clothing, 1 advanced on the crowd
with my fighting clothes on, so TO
sneak. I demanded to know If any
one in the crowd wanted to see Dr.
Ridley. There was no response Tor
a minute, and then Johnson SAID
Hamilton wanted to talk over mat
fer with me- [ asked that Mr.. Ham
ilton be trotted out so we could get
it over with. In minute Hamilton
emerged from behind the skirts OF
several women, and demanded that |
apologize for the advances L hao
made to his wife.
al looked him in the eyes ana
told him to go to hell. [ should not
have said this, and tomorrow L snail
apologize to my God and my congre-
cation for it, but l will never apollo
gize to Mr.. or Mrs. Hamilton: They
tried to outrage me. They did out
rage me.
"For a minute or two Hamilton
showed signs of fight, but of course
the women held him back. l asked
them to let him come on, but he
never came. An apology to Mr.. HAM
ilton from me was absolutely impos-
sible. L had done nothing which
called for an apology"
The defendant pastors statement
was followed by a brief argument
by counsel for Mrs. Hamilton, who
urged Recorder Johnson not to dis
miss the case simply because the
defendant is a minister" Counsel
for the defense said they would
waive argument.
'"The case is dismissed" promptly
came from the recorder. DR.. Ridley,
there is no question in my mind, aft
err having heard this evidence, that
anything but the best motives in
spred your visit on the front porch
of Mrs. Hamilton. You may CO."
Many friends of DR.. Ridley gath
cred about him and congratulated
him on his acquittal. He smiled and
said it had made him very happy.