The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-09-24

Throughout the three hours of grilI- ing yesterday afternoon, Semnacher parried all efforts to bring this out and in addition. materially softened eestimony that he had given at the. sessions of the local grand jury, and coroner's inquest. So marked with his reluctance to give material testi-- mony, that he was finally ruled 1i the state to proceed with his ques- uoning under rules of cross examina- tion, rather than the more refined process of direct examination.
 The state had called Semnacher as the ace" witness depending upon the stories he had previously told them, as the basis of their murder charge against the film comedian. This was a shift from the original plan to use Mrs. Bambine Maud Delmont, prose- ~cutor in this role. From the moment Semnacher went on the stand, how ever, it was apparent that the prose- cuuon'S star witness had gone awry. Semnacher, a nervous wiry little man whose dark eyes peered cautiously
 from behind shell-rimmed glasses, de- .veloped bad memory.
 "I don't know came frequently from his lips.
 Confronted with his answers to similar questions before the coroner's inquest, he expressed the belief that the stenographer had riSQuoted him. The examination developed into a bat tie of wits and sharp and crafty as
 
 Attorney Golden, the witness usually proved a match.
 It was only a few hours and a half of questioning that Golden brought forth from Semnacher the story of the finding of Miss Rappe in Arr buckles room.
 T am dying l am dying" Sem nacher quoted her as saying and de- scribed her as moving from side to side as if in pain She was entirely devoid of clothing when he entered whose names he could not remem- Der, had preceded him by several minutes, he said.
 He was emphatic that no noises had come from the room and said that Arbuckle was in the other room having a drink" when the two wo- men who had entered the bed room rushed out and summoned help. When this story finally came out, adjournment was taken until 10:30 today, when the state announced they would continue.
 Semnacl1ers questinong was for probably 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 greatest part of the week at the present rate of speed.
 Sharing in importance, the appar- ent shift of Semnacher from a pros eeution to defense witness, was the announcement today by Assistant District Attorney Uren that Dr. Ar thur BeardSlesS, missing witness who attended Miss Rappe the first night of her illness that the physician had given most important testimony on his belated return.
 According to U'ren, Dr. Beardslee declared symptoms of an internal in- jury were present from the start and overshad owed indications of alcohol ism. They were so marked, he said, that he recommended that she be taken at once to a hospital before turning the case over to pr. M. D. Rumweu
 "In his statement before me- U'ren announced. 'Dr. Beardslee said that whatever evidence there was of alcoholism in Miss Rappe's case, was entirely overshadowed by the intense pain she was suffering and by he symptoms of an apparent internal in jury. Any symptoms of alcoholism the doctor said, was secondary. Immediately upon being called to treat Miss Rappe, Monday night, Sep tember ,, Dr. Beardslee said that after securing the history of the case and observing the symptoms he came to the conclusion that it was. a case Of some internal injury and advised her removal to a hospital at once. At 5 o'clock. the next morning. the physician said, he treated Miss Rappe again. He was relieved or the case he said. shortly afterward P1r1,oyre11 o