Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-09
Woodbridge Man Tried for
MansIaughter In
County Court
STATE Street TRAGEDY

the HlItrAs
Sergeant John Larson, of tbs
Perth Amboy police force, told of in
vestigating the accident with Chauf-
feur William Clooney. The oficer
said he and Clooney visited the ga
RACES along the road and found that
the engines OF the automobiles were
cold, indicating they had not been
used. Arriving at the Woodbridgo
police station, Sergeant Larson said.
the mysterious call came in stating
that Ripley's car had struck the meu
and that ii could be found in the
Woodbridge Hotel garage
Going 10 the garage, the witness
said, he found the car with plank
about ten feet long by six inches
wide jammed under it and the right
headlight broken with pear inside
of it. Going to the hotel. he Eafd,
they were met by Mrs. Ripley, who
said her husband was in bed and she
asked: What has he been doinge
Ripley said he could not remember
anything, Sergeant Larson testified,
and Officer Dunphy of the Wood
bridge force arrested Ripley and
turned him over TO him to take To
Perth Amboy. Ripley was taken TO
the office of DR.. Smith and then to
the police station in Perth Amboy
where Ripley made a statement.
heard It read to him. read it himseIx
and then signed it. the officer testi-
I fed.
After this statement had been
turned over to the attorney for the
defense it was read to the jury, it
stating that Ripley and Cattano iefs
Woodbridge in a Nash roadster for
Perth Amboy with Cattano driving.
Going TO Wards Ferry Hotel. the
statement said, both men ordered
drinks and paid for them. They re-
mained in that place for thirty min
utes or an hour. il continued, after.
/ which he did not remember whaf
/ occurred Ripley's state ement said he
/ had been drinking all day, having
! had about ten drinks in his own
place and "a couple" in Elizabeth.
Officer William Clooney, the next
witness, corroborated Sergeant Lar
sons testimony. adding that in his
! opinion Ripley was sufficiently sohel
to know what he was signing when
he attached his signature to the
statement made by him at police
/ headquarters. The witness said Rip
ley had told both he and Sergeant
Larson that he was alone in the car
although Ripley said he did not re-
member what occurred after he LEFT
the Ferry Hotel
+ Thomas Cattano, twenty-four. tesz
tilted to driving Ripley's car fo
+ Perth Anlboy as he considered Rip
/ ley unfit 10 drive. They spent ten
minutes in Wards Ferry Hotel. he
said, during which time they drank
nothing but gingeraIe. As they left
the place. he said. he got in the car
/ TO drive but when Ripley insisted
upon driving. he refused to ride with
him. Cattano said he saw Ripley
drive off and he then went to the
Argonne Hotel where he received
word Of the accident.
! Upon cross-exs mination Cattane
/ admitted that he had been convicted
/ Of crime and that although he had
/ been occupied as a chauffeur, he
also had tended bar, having worked
| as bartender at Wards Ferry Hotel.
+. He said Ripley was drunk az s
O'Clock on the night Of the accident
/ Considerable commotion was
caused when Attorney Richardson
Z for the defense asked Of Cattano tas
/ direct question: Were you or We're
/ you not the driver OF the Ripley ca :
/ at the time OF the accident?" The
! state objected 70 this question unless
/ this was to prove the basis for the
/ defense. Adjournment for lunch was
/ taken at this point.
/ Indications seemed to be during
+ the morning that the defense might
/ try and show that although Ripley
was in the car at the time of the
accident he was not driving it.