The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-14
ArbuckIe Prosecution Quizzes
Veniremen on Screen Tastes.
First Man Up Passed-ThOught
Chaplin Beat Fatty.
TAKE TWO DAYS TO GET JURY
State Plans to Put Veniremen
Thru Hot GriIIing.
Defense Has Prepared Two
Lines of Defense.

San Francisco, Nov. 14.-Will the
popularity of Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle
on the screen prove bar to securing
an impartial jury to try him for man
slaughter, was the first question which
arose as the task of securing twelve
good men and true" to determine his
responsibility for the death of Vir-
ginia Rappe opened in superior court
here today.
J. T. Medley, the first prospective
Juror, after being questioned as to his
/ knowledge of the case and his ac-
ouaintance with attorneys for the de-
Tense, was asked: Are you a motion
picture fan?'
Juror Loved the Movies.
The juror plead guilty to a love for
movies and then was asked:
do you think Roscoe Fatty Ar
, buckle is the greatest comedian of the
screen?"
"No, 1 think Charlie Chaplin is
way ahead of him." Medley replied,
as the court room broke into laughter
and Arbuckle smiled broadly.
After stating that he could give due
weight to circumstantial evidence, TIE
juror was passed for cause by the
state.
Scores of witnesses on both sides
awaited the call to the stand. The
crowds began to surge early thru the
narrow corridors on the third floor of
the hall of justice, where the trial
court is located.
Admissions Limited to 800.
Despite the facs that the admissions
were limited to approximately 800,
which included more than a score of
newspaper men, hundreds picked
points of vantage to glimpse the prin-
cipals in the big legal drama as they
went into the court room.
For more than a week the contend
ing sides have had decks stripped for
action, and the eagerness with which
they collected all possible evidence
indicates a hard and bitter contest.
Election Delayed Trial.
The trial was to have starto last
Monday, but a local election and Ar
mistice day so broke up the week that
a postponement until today was
granted.
In the two months that have
elapsed since the commission of the
alleged criminal act of Arbuckle the
defendant has been in prison for sew
eral days, has had a preliminary
hearing on a charge of murder, which
was reduced to the manslaughter
charge on which he went to trial to-
day, and has been made the defendant
in a legal federal action charging the
possession of liquor illegally.
The federal charge remains to be
tried, and will presumably await the
The task of securing a jury of
twelve men and women who will de-
termine the guilt or innocence of Ros-
coe Fatty Arbuckle, charged with
manslaughter as the result of the
death of Virginia Rape, film actress,
was started today.
The state had twenty questions pre-
pared for each juror. The nation wide
prominence of Arbuckle, the intense
local interest in the case at the bar
and the widespread reports of the
party following which Miss Rape
died, made the task of jury selection
a difficult one. Two days was the
most optimistic forecast for securing
a jury while some estimated week
will be required and many special
venires.
Defense Well Prepared.
As the trial actually opened, it be-
came fore and more apparent tnat the
defense leaned heavily on the testi-
mony Of George Glennon, hotel detec-
tive, to clear their client. Glennon. 1t
is understood. will testify that before
her death, Virginia Rappe, in his pres
ence, absolved Arbuclzle from blame
for her condition. Glennon made
statement to he district attorneys Of
flee and the defense claims the prose-
cution failed to pay any attention to
it and that it was suppressed
Their second line will be dispositions
to the effect that Miss Rappe suffered
from a physical ailment for many
years and had been warned that any
eXertion might cause her death. The
state will fight introduction OF this
line of defense and expects to show
that Miss Rappe upon the afternoon
Of the party was in perfect health.