The Washington times., 1921-09-15
GIRL
OFFERED
.BR|BE To
KEEP MUM
Defense Will Launch Fight to
Free Fatty When Indictment
Is Returned Today.
BY ELLIS H. MARTIN.
International News Service.

International News Service.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15.--In-
terest centered today in the formal
return of an indictment voted by the
grand jury charging Roscoe (Fatty)
Arbuckle with manslaughter in con-
nection with the death of Virginia
Rappe. This was scheduled to take
place at II o'clock before Presiding
Judge Shortall, of the superior court.
Defense to Fight for Release.
Formal return of the indictment
was expected to mark. the opening Of
q determined effort on the part Of the
defense to obtain the release Of the
famous film comedian on bail. Judge
Shortall was expected to set the
amount of bail, and reports were cur.
rent that the defense had prepared
for any contingency by having avail.
able q bail fund Of 100000.
Intimately connected with the
plans Of the defense for obtaining
Arbuckle's release was the attitude
of District Attorney Matthew Brady
on the matter Of the still pending
charge Of murder against Arbuckle.
He as yet has given no indication
whether he will press It or prosecute
on the granddaughter indictment.
Action Of the coroner's jury late
yesterday, however, in returning a
verdict holding Arbuckle responsible
for the INJURIES that caused Miss
Rappe's death, and charging him
with manslaughter, was expected to
influence the district attorney In ia
vor Of the latter charge.
An active investigation continued
today into reports Of efforts at wit.
ness tampering.
Women's Committee Active.
The San Francisco women's Vigil.
ance Committee, an organization
formed during gangster trials here.
appointed q committee Of twenty TO
give the women witnesses in the
case moral support and to look after
their welfare.
There was conjecture today a. 70
the effect of the entrance Of the
Federal Government into the case
through action by Special Federal
Attorney Harold H. Mccormack.
looking toward q sweeping investiga-
ton into the source Of the liquor At
Arbuckle's gay party and whether
similar affairs are prevalent.
IF Arbuckle is guilty Of having
transported liquor from Los Angeles
to San Francisco. intend to 70
after him. and any man or woman
who attempts to evade or misrepre.
sent the details o. the ArbuckIe
party insofar az the liquor end OF il
Is concerned will be prosecuted on
charges Of perjury" said McCor.
Arbucisie was CHARGED late y..t.r-
day by the coroner's Jury with man.
slaughter In causing the death of
Miss Rappe.
The coroner's Jury held that Mis-,
Rappe's death was due to force.
(which We believe from the evidence
was applied BY Roscoe Arbuckle, and
We hereby charge him with man.
slaughter. We recommend that the
district attorney. chief Of police and
prohibition enforcement officers take
steps to prevent further occurrence
Of such events, 90 that San Fran.
cisco viii not be made the rendezvous
OF tho debauchec and the gsngster."
Witness Tampcring Charged.
Both the grand jury and the coro
ner's jury had seemed disinciined 10
take any action against the comedian.
but their minds were made up against
him chiefly by evidence furnished by
two Of the women who were present
Miss Fey Prevon and Miss Alice
Blake.
These were the witnesses who had
been the occasion Of District Attor-
ney Brady's charges that attempts
had been made to tamper with wit
nesses.
Miss Prsvon. whose real name 10
Sadie Reiss, had changed her story
before the grand jury OF statements
she had made TO the authorities.
Miss Blake. o member OF q well-to-do
family. had disappeared for q time to
avoid publicity.
Both backed up in many details
the story told by Mrs. Bambino
Maud Deimonb and furnished sorns
added details OF the attitude ef Ar
buckle after he had opened the door
of his bedroom and Nlss HnDDe hsd
been found In agony. Thsy eUesd