The Washington herald., 1921-09-15
ACTRESS DEATH
LAID TO ARBUCKLE
BY CoRoNER'S JURY
District Attorney Will
Decide Charge Against
Comedian.

SAN FRANCISCO. Sept. 14.-Ros-
coe Arbuckle, hlm star, stood
charged with having caused the
death of Miss Virginia Rappe, young
movie actress. from three official
sources tonight.
The coroner's jury. following a
three-day inquest. brought in a
verdict tonight charging him with
her death and holding him on a
charge of manslaughtsr. The verdict
of the jury follows:
I'VE, the Jurors. recommend TO
Rape came to her death from per-
itonitis caused by rupture due to
the application Of force, and the
jury further believes after review
ing the evidence that the force
which caused Miss Rappe's death
was blamable to one Roscoe Ar
buckle.
Recommend Msns1auEhter Charge.
I'VE. therefore. charge ArbuckIe
with the crime Of manslaughter.
I'VE. the jurors. recommnd to
the district attorney at San Fran
cisco. to the grand jury an6--to
Federal Prohibition agents, that
they take steps to prevent the re-
currence of affairs similar to the
one in which this young woman lost
her life. so that San Francisco shall
hn Ia. nf A.
bauches and gangsters."
A charge of FIRST degree murder
filed in a sworn complaint by Mrs.
Bambina Maud belmont. a member
of the gay party in Arbuckle's hotel
suite, and an Indictment charging
manslaughter returned by the grand
jury also face the comedian.
Stunned by Verdict.
Arbuckle seemed stunned when
the verdict was read. The jury had
debated more than three hours. an
unprecedented occurrence for a cor
oner's jury here. The defense was
hopeful that an open verdict would
be returned.
detection He sat motionless when
lne NtTulCl Hdu oCCU
looked from one attorney to the
other as he reached for a handker-
chief and mopped his brow.
This verdict was the only thing
the jury could do after hearing the
evidence and 1t convinces us that
Arbuckle will undoubtedly be con-
victed when he comes to trial in
the Superior Court" said District
Attorney Matthew Brady. who has
conducted the case against the
comedian.
One Juror Disagreed.
The verdict was eigned by eight
Of the nine jurors.
One juror, Ben Boas. did not con-
cur and returned a minority YER
dict which read:
ct. the undersigned. believe that
Virginia Rappe came to her death
from petitonitis due to rupture by
some force, but from evidence. /
am unable to determine who was
responsible for application of the
said force"
The delay in rendering the YER
dict is said to have been due to
desire on the part of a number of
the jurors to make II plain in the
verdict that they wished to accuse
Arbuckle of granddaughter and not
of murder.
Crowds View Victims BODY.
Arbuckle was taken back to his
cell in the city Jail Immediately fol-
lowing the reading OF the verdict to
await the decision of District At
orney Matthew Brady as to whether
he will be tried on a charge Of
first degree murder or for man
slaughter. Both charges remain
against him.
The actors attorneys refuse to
comment on the verdict and drove
of in Arbuckle's big cream colored
car which had been parked outside
the coroner's office throughout the
day.
While the jury was debating, the
body of the young woman. resting
in a huge casket, was viewed by
thousands in the parlors Of an un-
dertaking establishment.