Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-09-13
MISS PROVOST is
DECLARED TO HAVE
CHANGED TESTIMONY
Charges Undue Pressure
Brought to Bear on
Witnesses.
Movie Comedian Appears
Before Jury But Refuses
to Answer Questions.

to Answer Questions.
San Francisco. Sept. IA state
ment expressing the. conviction that,
perjury had been committed by one
of the chief witnesses for the prose
cution at the grand jury investiga-
tlon last night of the death Of Miss
Virginia Rape, film actress, for
whose alleged murder Roscoe Fatty
Arbuckle is under arrest. was issued
here early today by District Attorney
| Mathew Brady.
The statement came shortly after
the grand jury had concluded a five
| hour consideration of the case and ad-.
1ourned without voting an Indictment.
District Attorney Brady In the
statement also charged that he be-
lieves undue influence and prcssure
or sinister character has been
brought to bear upon certain, witness
es. Whether or not arrests will be
made In connection with his charge
:, OF perjury. he said, would depend
upon further developments.
Changed Testimony, Charge.
In his statement District Attorney
} Erady charged that Miss Zey Provost,
also known as Zey Pyvron, laad
changed her testimony before the
grand jury from that which she had
given to the police and officials of the
district attorney Office that Miss
Rape had told her Arbuckle had
caused her injuries
Earlier last night. It was reported
Miss Pyvron refused TO sign q state.
ment that Miss Rape had told her
tnls ana later, 1t was said. she denied
that she had ever made the assertion
) concerning Miss Rape, Brady said.
u District Attorney Brady also charg-
Blake, another prosecution witness
was missing. .
Brady's Statement.
District Attorney Brady's
statement follows:
I'VE have sent Miss Pyvron
home under surveillance. The
A.. girl changed her story compaete-
~ before the grand jury. Whetl,.
er or not we shall arrest her ana
charge her with perjury will de-
pend on further Developments.
am convinced, however. that
perjury has been committed by
her.
Il am Convinced that undue
J influence and pressure OF q sim
7 lister character has been brought
to bear on her and other Wit
ncsses, one of whom. AHcn R,aae
has mysteriously disappeared
from her home in Berkeley. We
have been unable to flnd her.
In spite of these. cfforts to
thwart the ends OF justice, the
investigation will proceed
cnce are broueht to the bar Of
. Il Snstfce every sin;ste. .n6
rupt practice is used in an effort
10 free the accused. II is always
easy to conyitt a ra,or man .Ts,e
wealthy malcfactors arr the ONES
who find means of using ,I,eir
wealth IN their .Ir.rsa.a
Wealth and influence shos'd not
count in favor Of a defendant-
neither should thev connf
against him. This case shouJd 10
handled inst as the cases ~ 9TH.
er caprsters are handled The
Pyyron woman made a s,te-
ment in the presence of canta;n
of Detectives Duncan Matl,eann.
. Assistant District Attorney NH
ton U. Rem and George DnfYx.
She repeated this statement lime
and again. Tonight heforr fha
Z grand Jury she claaneed her tee
, timony., *
! ArbuckIe Silent.
Arbuckle, the last witness summon
Cd hv the grand i,r snr;nr ;.a as-a-
hour session. was aroused from a
sound sieep ABOUT l O'Clock this
morning. Arouc' e. 1t is said, was in
, the grand jury ~ only three min
utes. He is res ss II have declined
to make any lFst further than
. to explain ii =, LIS, ,twyers had ad-
: vised i1:r t,@.i., silent.
Mr. f4s45 4s, a ..hlaude belmont had
d IN 3 ~. 4, ,s-zf,.Sf9ded concerning the
,ofS Slkle's room at a hotel
!, ssSs8s<sT .e6sssr ,1ay at which Mis-
tGSz.s. y - y q present. Other witne.ses
Z, sS, card.
Alter Arbuckle left the grand jury
room Inc ourors oesan 10 dehnerate
upon tne 'estimony gwen. Bennd
, closed doors the Jurors argued IT ts
!, SAID Tor half an hour having ex-
| cluded District Attorney Brady and
: his assistants. The conclusion then
was reached, it was announced. to de-
for the resumntion of the innnirv 49 q