The New York herald., 1922-01-21
PROFESSOR FREED
OF ASSAULT CHARGE
Columbia University Instruc-
tors in Court Again as Re-
suit of Their Alteration.

Prof. Ralph Culver Bennett OF AL
West 117th street, who had an alterca-
ton with Prof. William Henry Carpen-
ter provost of Columbia University. on
the porch of the latter's home at AT
West 117th street, was discharged by
Magistrate Oberwager In Washington
Heights court yesterday following his
arraignment on a charge Of assault made
by Prof. Carpenter. In finding Prof.
Bennett not guilty, Magistrate Ober-
wager said that 1t appeared from the
testimony that Prof. Bennett had been
struck first. Prof. Carpenter said after
the discharge Of Bennett that he in
tended to bring suit against the latter
for false arrest.
The houses In W est 117th street, in the
professors block. are exactly alike. on
the exterior. at least. On December 10,
when the provost was leaving his home,
he found Prof. Bennett ringing his bell.
Prof. Carpenter asked him the purpose
of his call there Prof. Bennett ignored
the question and kept on ringing.
Prof. Carpenter struck Prof. Bennett
across the knuclSles with cane. Prof.
Bennett, it is alleged, retaliated by
punching Prof. Carpenter on the nose.
When they first were arraigned in court
Prof. Bennett put up the defense that
he thought he was ringing the door bell
of the house in which he makes his
home. 421 West 117th street, and in
sisted that he had right to defend
himself when Pro-. Carpenter struck
him. The arrest of Prof. Bennett on
charge of assault followed.
When the hearing came up in Wash
ington Heights court yesterday both
professors were there, with John Tilney
Carpenter representing his father, the
provost, and Lee l.. Rosett of 115 Broad
way appearing as counsel for Prof. Ben
nett.
Prof. Carpenter. member of the
university faculty for the last forty
years. is 81 years old. Prof. Bennett is
43. They did not agree in their testi-
mony as to the elder mans tap of the
cane.
This person. testified Prof. Car
penter walked up the steps of my
home and rang the bell so insistently
that I left the friends with whom l was
chatting on the sidewalk and told him
three times to desist. AS he continued
after my third admonition, in which I
had not raised my voice, | brushed his
two fingers off the bell with light tap
of this light cane. He instantly swung
on me and struck me under the eye so
forcibly that I bled profusely. u then
entered the house. where my wife ad
ministered aromatic spirits of ammonia.
l have suffered from a weak eye ever
since. L am an old man and well
known in this community, and my one
purpose in pressing this action is to
go on record against a man who comes
from nowhere abusing n respectable
citizen of this city"
Lawyer Rosett interposed an objec-
tion to Prof. Carpenters referring to
his client as "this person" and to the
aromatic spirits going into the evidence.
and asked Prof. Carpenter IL he hadn't
brought the action to end his career
as the laughing stock OF Columbia Uni
versity.
Magistrate Oberwager rebulked the
lawyer for his use OF the words laughing
stock.
Prof. Bennett was called to the stand
and admitted that he had struck Prof.
Carpenter in the face. II did it without
premeditation." he said. "and hadn't
time to consider how hard 1 hit or
where. / simply struck. and shranK
back with my arm up anticipating an
other blow of the cane, which hit not
my fingers but my wrist. and a heavy
blow. My one desire Is to forget the
matter. and think that Prof. Carpenter
ought to-"
In dismissing the defendant as not
guilty Magistrate Oberwager said:
"There Is no man in this city or even
this country more known and esteemed
as an educator than Prof. Carpenter,
but we are dealing here with question
first must find him not guilty OF as
sault"