Evening star., 1933-05-19
THEFTS ADMITTED
IN RIDLEY MURDER
$4,000 Robbery PIo'
Barred With Attempt to
Split Bequest.
BY the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, May 19.-An agree
ment to split three ways a 100000
bequest in the questioned will of the
slain Edward A. Ridley was related
to police in the morning lineup today
by one of two accountants, who were
arrested last night, charged with par
ticipating in an alleged conspiracy to
Systematically rob the aged and &C.
centric millionaire
The bequest was made to Lee Vein
stein, the secretary, whose body was
found alongside Ridley's in the latter's
subcellar Office last week. Police said
that both of the accountants under
arrest, George Goodman and Arthur
j. Hoffman,, have confessed that they
conspired with Weinstein to rob Rid
ley of $4,000.
After telling Of a further conspiracy
by which Ridley signed will without
knowing it, Hoffman, said, as COM
pensation for witnessing the document
Weinstein was to give himself and
Goodman one-fourth "of what he could
get out of the will"
Says Terms Dictated.
Hoffman, said Weinstein dictated
the provisions Of the will and that
he had it typed. He was present,
he said, when Weinstein presented 1t
to Ridley to sign.
did Weinstein tell Mr. Ridley that
It was will?" an officer asked.
mo, sir" Hoffman, replied.
ut looks as if the old boy had it
put over on him, is that SOP"
Yes, SIR
Hoffman, and Goodman are ac-
cused of acting in concert with Wein-
stein to transfer more than 100000
from certificate bank account OF
Ridley's to a checking account. Then,
police charged, they formed three
dummy corporations and issued checks
to the corporations in alleged pay
ment for work done on Ridley's vast
real estate holdings.
They are charged with grand larceny
and conspiracy.
From the home Of Hoffman, an in
spectcr said he recovered bonds valued
at S3l, 900, which detectives say were
bought with part of the proceeds of the
larcenies. The thefts were said to have
extended from September, 1881, to May
9, this year, the day before the mys-
terious killers invaded the office under
an East Side garage where Ridley ruled
his money principality.
A bill of sale for an expensive motor
car gave police the clue which led to
Tie dTleStS. 1Ile paper was IUuilO III
the apartment of Weinstein's widow, a
Richmond, Va, under the name of
Jacques Leroy Lee. The marriage was
not disclosed until after Weinstein was
slain.
Detectives said the bill Of sale dis
closed that the $4,000 car was paid for
by checks drawn on the accounts Of
the Lego Iron Works, the Allegheny
Construction Co. and the Gorgo Heat
ing & Plumbing Co., Inc It is charged
all three were dummy firms officered by
Weinstein, Goodman and Hoffman.
Ready to Contest VIII.
Hours before the arrests were made
about dawn today John L. Ridley
grandnephew Of the millionaire, an
| nounced that he would contest the will
He said the circumstances gave
grounds for the gravest suspicion"
The will left 100000 to Weinstein
on condition that he survived Ridley
They were found dead together. and
legal fight had been expected to de-
| termine which died first.
Weinstein's blond widow had engaged
a lawyer to protect her claim to the
| 100000.
| Goodman and Hoffman,, who had
Deen employed Dy Hluley 10 auulI his
| books, denied strenuously that they
knew anything about the double
| killing.
Two years ago another Ridley secre-
tary, Herman Moench, was found shot
to death in the subcellar, apparently
with the same weapon from which
seven bullets we're fired into Vein
| STEMS body That murder, like the
Weinstein- Ridley killings, has never
| been solved.