The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-09-28
BLACKMA|L CHARGED
in ARBUCkLE CASE
Defense Now Accuses
States Witness
HOUSE PHYSICIAN
GIVES TESTIMONY
Counsel for Film Comedian Charges
that Blackmail May Have Been Mo-
tive Behind Charge OF Murder and
that This Figured In His Arrest.

that This Figured in His Arrest.
San Francisco, Sept 26.-An asscr-
ton in court today by Roscoe G.
atty Arbuckle's chief counsel,
Drank Domingucz, that he believed
blackmai had been contemplated
against the film comedian and that
this motive figured in the defendants
arrest on murder charge, was or
dered put before the grand jury to-
night by District Attorney Matthew A.
Brady.
BRADY issued subpoenas for Do
minguez and his associate counsel,
Charles II. Brennan Of San francisco,
and Milton M. Cohen OF Los Angeles,
to appear at tonight's grand jury ses-
sion and repeat their charges.
The action was taken, Brady said,
on the request of Alfred Semnacher,
who was accused by Dominguez to-
day Of having conspired with Mrs.
Bambina belmont, the complaining
witness against Arbuckle to take
torn parts Of the clothing of Miss
Virginia Rappe to Los Angeles for the
purpose, Dominique said, Of extort-
ing money from the defendant, who
is charged with the murder of Miss
Rappe.
Dominguez made his assertion af-
ter long questioning of Scmnacher re-
garding his previous. testimony in the
case.
Police Judge Lazarus, before whom
the hearing is being held, refused,
however, to allow Dominguez to
question Scmnacher along this line,
saying it had no part in the present
proceedings.
Semnachers testimony took up
most Of the afternoon session. In the
morning DR.. Arthur Berdslee who
treated Miss Rappe after the revel lin
Arbucklcs hotel suite, testified he
discovered evidence OF ruptured
bladder early the morning after the
party and that he advised her re-
moval to a hospital The defense was
unable to make him admit that she
could not have been suffering from
anything else. Dr.. Beardslee reiter-
atcd his diagnosis, and said he found
her wrthing in pain SO great he had
to administer scdatives three times
Replying to q hypothetical question
regarding the cause Of torn blad-
der, he said an injury such as that
described would have been caused by
an external force such as a fall or
blow, although contortions incident to
violent vomiting might have pro-
duced that effect.
Evidences of alcoholism were over
shadowed by Miss Rappe's suffering
from the rupture, DR.. Beardslee said
He testified that Mrs. belmont, who
attended the injured girl. showed no
signs OF being under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.
The defense pursued its question
ing Of Semnacher with great yigor
causing him to announce that he
must have been msquotcd if he had
said he was Miss Rappe's manager
His acquaintance with both her and
Mrs. Delmont was more or less cas-
ual until shortly before their trip to
San Francisco where they attended
Arbuckle's party, he said.
Domingucz questioned the witness
closely about a purse he produced
from his pocket, saying it was Miss
Rappe's, and asking what connection
he had had with 1t. Semnachor re-
piled that, after the party, Miss
Rappe asked him to look for it and
that on asking Arbuckie about it next
day Arbuckle produced 1t from a
deck. Scmnacher said he then took
it to Miss Rappe in a nearby room,
whore she lay i'll.
Asked about Mrs. Delmont's con-
dition at the party, Semnacher testi-
fled that she was dressed in yellow
pajamas, and appeared cit up" or
"about hall drunk" when he first saw
her. lie denied hearing any screams
from the room where Miss Rape af-
forwards was found in distress.
The defense drew from Semnacher
the admission that he might have
misunderstood Arbuckle's exact lang
uage regarding the ice incident, ne
: said Arbuckle had described to him