The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-24
States "Ace" Witness on Stand
Springs Big Surprise.
Declares Even ArbuckIe Mysti.
fled at Cause of Death.
STORY FORCED FROM HIM
Declares Movie Actress Naked
When He Saw Her.
Case VIII Be Continued Over to
Next Week.

San Francisco, Sept. 24.-Resuming
his testimony at the preliminary hear
ing of Roscoe Fatty ArbuckIe,
charged with the murder of Virginia
Rappe, AL Semnacher, manager of the
dead girl, sprung a new surprise on
the state by declaring that Miss
Rape was in i'll health thruout her
trip to San Francisco before the gay
Arbuckle party and continued not well
until the time of her death.
Semnacher said the night Miss
Rappe died he met Arbuckle, Fred
Fischback. and Lowell Sherman, who
attended the party in Arbuckle's suite,
! and newspaper man in theater in
| Los Angeles. where Miss Rappe's
death was discussed as IAN unfortu-
nate accident" which they were un4
able to understand.
Thruout three hours of grilling yes-
terday afternoon, Semnacher parried
all efforts to bring this out, and in ad-
| dition, materially softened Testimony
that he had given at sessions of the
| local grand jury and coroner's in
quest. So marked was his reluctance
to give material testimony that he was
finally ruled a hostile" witness in
order to permit the state to proceed
with his questioning under rules of
cross examination, rather than the
more refined process of direct ex-
amination.
Was States "Ace'' Witness.
The state had called Semnacher as
their ace" witness. depending upon
the stories he had previously told to
establish the basis of their murder
charge against the famous film COM
edian: This was a shift from the
original plan to use Mrs. Bambina
Maude belmont, prosecutor, in this
role. From the moment Semnacher
went on the stand, however, it was
apparent the plans of the state had
gone awry.
Semnacher, a nervous, wiry little
peered cautiously from behind she'll
trimmed glasses. developed a bad
memory.
81 don't know" came frequently
from his lips.
Confronted with his answers to
similar questions before the coroner's
inquest, he expressed belief that the
stenographer had misquoted him.
Was Battle of Wits.
The examination developed into a
battle of wits and sharp and crafty
as were the efforts of Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Golden, the witness
| usually proved a match.
1t was only after two hours and a
half of questioning that Golden
brought forth from Semnacher the
story of the finding of Miss Rappe in
Arbuckles room.
'I am dying! I am dying!' Sem
nacher quoted her as saying and des-
cribed her as moving from side to side
as If in pain. She was entirely de-
void of clothing when he entered the
room, he said.
Two women, whose names he could
not rem ember, had preceded him by
several minutes, he said. He was en-
phatic that no noises had come from
the room and said Arbuckle was in
the other room "having a drink
when the two women who had
entered the bedroom rushed out and
summoned help.
Proceedings Are Slow.
When this story finally came out.
adjournment was taken until 1880
O'Clock today, when the state an
! nounced they would continue Sem
nacher's questioning for probity an
hour and a half. The case is expected
to be continued then until next week
| with the prospect that the hearing
| will require the greater part of the
week at the present rate of speed.
Sharing in Importance the appar-
ent shift of Semnacher from a prose-
| eution to a defense witness was the
announcement today by Assistant Dis
! trict Attorney Milton U'Ren thae
DIR. Arthur BeardslHe. the missing
! witness who attended Miss Rappe the
first night of her illness, had given
| i1ost Important testimony on his re-
turn yesterday.
| According to URen, Beardslee de-
clared symptoms of an internal injury
| were present from the start and over
shadoWed indications of alcoholism.
They were so marked, he said, that
he recommended that she be taken
to a hospital at once before turning
the case over to DIR. NJ. f. Rumwell.
Doctor Feared for Miss Rappe.
TN his statement before me-"
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