Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-14
SAYS "FATTY' USED
I yARD0M ASSURE
u;.. Rappe's Friend Declares
ArbuckIe Held Out Promise
4 of Better Jobs
WANTED TO TALK BUSINESS

a., Vrancisco. Sept. 14.-The lure
!, Ds..orethinr better" in her notion
%,,orc career. possibly the stardom she
~ craved for years but never had
nsu nss.u.;ned. was the snare with which
u.scoe Arbuckle. charged with her
mmurder, enticed Virginia Rappe into
Ills net. A. o,r. ,,r.
~.mbins Maude belmont has made in
p. complaint against Arbuckle. The
noi,es have not yet seen fit to make
pp,hlic her entire story, and this feature
her disclosure is one OF the i'm
.crtant circumstances the authorltles
ksye kept to themselves.
Tbough for five years a member, OF
,hs Hollywood colony and during that
rsyiod intimately acquainted with all
,he fascinations of the motion picture
zane" Miss Rappe proved to be just
a. susceptible to the lure OF motion.
nicture advancement as are hundreds OF
thousands of girls who have never
.chieyed the screen and VINO forever
dream OF accomplishing it.
Hoped for Bigger Job
Miss Rappe's death from injuries al
,..sd 70 have been inflicted by Arbuckle
- the sensational party in his st.
T,.ncis Hotel suite is directly due,
.vera Mrs. belmont, to happy hope that
,hroueh her participation in the party
.hs would obtain higher position in her
hdd. . 1,,..
Reupe at the belmont home, in Fresno,
Saturday. The two motored into San
francisco Sunday and put up at the
PALACE Hotel. There, as they were
strolling through the lobby, Sunday
sftsrnoon, she has told the police in a
Hatement which the authorities have
not entirely disclosed, they saw Ar
buckle and another man.
The other man was Ira Fortlouis.
Mrs. belmont says she has learned that
Tortlouis, salesman for New York
garment house, turned to Arbuckle and
With a tone Of rapt admiration, .ex-
claimed:
Gee, but she is a peach! I'd like TO
meet her."
Phones for Miss Rappe
Arbuckle, with a dramatic gesture Of
vcssession, replied proudly:
"Well, can fix that up. She's a
friend of mine. Leave it to me-
The next day, in their suite at the
Palace Hotel. Mrs. belmont received q
tslephone call. 1t was from Arbuckle.
Be asked for Miss Rappe.
The latter at first hesitated, express
ing her repulsion against Arbuckle.
Finally, however, she went to the tele-
phone. Her talk with Arbuckle was
Interrupted several times as Miss
Rappe, with her hand over the mouth
piece turned to her companion and re-
ported what Arbuckle was saying. She
said
"He wants me to 60 to his room al
the st. Francis."
Mrs. belmont replied:
"Be careful of him. What does he
want?"
'He says he's got chance to get mt
something better in the movies anG
maybe It's chance to make star Out
Of me-"
Pondering for a moment, Mrs. Del.
mont warned. - =.
F"T don't trust him. You know his
reputation. DO you think it's safe fol
you to go?"
Takes Mrs. belmont as ChaperOne
Miss Rappe answered:
He says he's giving a party ant
wants me u 80 u lain ihiS tHinB oNe'
with him. He says it's going to b,
lose the chance, but I'm afraid.
don't like that man and I'm afraid o.
him."
Mrs. belmont cautioned:
TEL him you'll come il I can accom-
piny you."
Turning to the telephone the actres
asked whether Arbuckle would invit
Mrs. belmont to his party. He replied
afirmatiyely and she accepted the in
vitation.
The two women went to the st
Francis suite. There they found tn
party already in full swing, with al
abundance of liquor on the tables an
men and women singing and prankin
with hllarity attesting the enthusiasm
With which the intoxicants had bee
attacked.
Arbuckle, himself already strongl
influenced by drinks, laughed off Mis-
Rsppe's suggestion that they get righ
down to business of the moving pictur
proposition he had spoken of. He gayl
pushed that topic into the future, say
Ing he would take It up with Mis-
Rappe later during the party.
Nevertheless, he continued to play hi
lure strongly. In vague manner
brought up time and again the fact tina
he had for Miss Rappe an opportunit
that she could not afford to ignore, bu
no never came down to "brass tn cks
as to what the job was.
II Is understood, from what Mr.,
belmont says, that Arbuckle made
proposition" that Miss Rappe re
sented.
In the cours of this dispute, durin
which Arbuckle's zest for Miss Rapr
had caused him to discard his Garlic
purpose Of giving her company to h
New, York friend. Arbuckle, it is al
iesed, dragged the actress into his roo
TO talk 1t over privately"