Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-09-27
.BLACKMAIL SEEN.
IN ARBUCkLE CASE
Defense Attorneys Claim Wit
nesses Planned to "Hold Up"
The Movie Comedian

assertion in court today by Res
coe C.: ("Fatty") Arbuckle's chief
counsel, Frank Dominique, that
he believed blackmail had been
contemplated againstt the film
comedian and that this motive
figured in the defendants arrest
on murder charge. was ordered
put before the grand jury tonight
by District Attorney Matthew A.
Brady Brady issued subpienas
for Dominguez and his associate
counsel. Charles II. Brennan, of
San Francisco, and Milton NJ. Co
hen, of Los Angeles, to appear
at tonight's grand jury session
and repeat their charges.
The action was taken. Brady
said, upon request of Alfred Sem
nacher. who was accused by Do
nlingucz of having conspired'w with
Mrs Banbil1a belmont. the COM
planning witness against Arbuckle
to take torn part of the clothing
of Miss Rappe to Los Angeles
for the purpose, Dominguez said,
of eXtorting money from the de-
fendant, who is charged with the
murder of Miss Rape.
Dolninguez made his assertion
after long quest tioning of Semnac
er regarding his previous testi-
mony i'll the case. Police Judge
lazarus. before whom the hearing
is being held. refused. however,
to allow Dominguez to question
Semnacher along this line. saying
it had no part i'll the present pro-
ceedings.
Sennacher's testimony took up
most of the afternoon session. In
the morning, DR.. Arthur Boards
lee. who treated Miss Rappe after
the revcl in Arbuckle's hotel suite
testified he discovered evidence
OF ruptured bladder early the
morning after the party and that
he advised her removed to a hos
pital., The defense was unable to
make him admit that she COULD
have been suffering from any
thing else. DR.. Beardslee reiter-
ated his diagnosis and said he
found her writhing i'll pain SO
great he had to administer seda
tives three times.
Replying to hypothetical
question regarding The cause OF
torn bladder, he said an injury,
such as that described, would
have been caused by an external
force. such as a fall or blow, al
though contortions incident to
violent vomiting might have pro-
duced that effect.
Evidences of alcoholism were
overshadowed by Miss Rappes
sutferings from the rupt,Ie. DR..
Beardslce said. He testified that
Mrs. Delront, who attended the
injured girl, showed no signs of
being under the influence of al
cohol or drugs.
The defense pursued its ques-
tiol1ing OF Semnacher with great
>vigor, causing him to announce
that he smust have been misquot-
ed if he had said ne was Miss
Rappe's nnaiiager. His acquaint-
ancc with both her and Mrs. Del
mont was more or less casual un-
til shortly before their trip to
San Francisco, where they at
tended Arbuckle's party, he said.
Doninguez questioned the wit
ness closely about a purse he pro-
duced from his pocket, saying it
was Miss Rappe's and asking
what connection he had with it
Semnacher replied that after the
party Miss Rape asked him to
look for it an1 that on asking Ar
buckle about it next day, Ar,
buckle produced it from desk.
|Semnacher said he then took it
to Miss Rape i'll the nearby room
where she lay i'll.
Asked about Mrs. Delnont's s
condition at the party, Semnacher
Testified that she was dressed in
yellow pajanas and appeared
'1lit up" or about half drunk" ;"
when he first saw her He de-
MED hearing any screams from
the room in which Miss Rappe
was afterwards found iii distress.