Omaha daily bee., 1921-09-13
Arbuckle
Is Held As
Murderer
Formal Complaint Against
Film Star Signed by Woman
Friend Of Dead
Actress.
To Be Anaigned Friday

To Be Anaigned Friday
San Francisco. Sept. i2.--A for.
nal complaint charging murder was
sworn to before Police Judge Daniel
O'Brien today against Roscoe c,
(Fatty) Arbuekle. In connection will
the death OF Miss Virginia Rape,
a motion picture actress. The com.
plant was signed by Mrs. Bambins
Maude belmont, friend OF the
dead actress.
II was the second murder COM
plant against Arbuckle, the first hav-
ing been made Saturday night by
the investigating detectives Tor the
purpose OF holding him until the
formal charge could be filed.
Mrs. belmont. in signed and
sworn statements, gave the police
many details OF the party in Ar
buckles rooms IN the St. Francis
hotel here week ago today, at
which time Miss Rappc was sub
jccfed to an alleged attack by Ar
buckle. She died four days later.
Arraignment Put Off.
Mrs. belmont attended the party
and assisted Miss Rappe after the
alleged attack. She appeared per-
sonally in court to swear to the
complaint. Arbucklc was not in court
when the complaint was filed.
Arbuckle appeared in court to be
arraigned on the charge sworr TO by
Mrs. belmont. AT the request OF the
district attorney the case was con-
tinued until Friday morning and Ar
buckle was taken back to lis cell.
Arbuckle consented later 70 sec a
group of newspapermcn, but refused
TO discuss the Rappe case with them.
He appeared detected but said he
was receiving good treatment in the
jail.
District Attorney Brady through
Deputy Milton 7. U'Rcn said. I'VE
have a complete case against Ar
buckle.
Film Star is "Mugged."
.Arbuckle's appearance in police
court was delayed until his Bertillon
measurements could be taken and
he could be photographed ior the
rogue's gallery.
The Bertillon record showed that
his weight is 266 pounds and his
height 5 feet s 3-8 inches. Lie gave
his birth place as Kansas and his
age as 81.
The arraignment was conducted
in q haze Of saassilight smoke, the
flashlights popping with machine
gun regularity. The arrival OF Ar
buckle in court was so long delayed
that Judge O'Brien adjourned the
session and said he would wait fve
minutes until the prisoner could be
produced.
Arbuckle Is Detected.
Arbuckle appeared through a side
door within the FIVE minutes, flanked
by his attorney and the police guard.
He appeared greatly detected and
lieaved many sighs. =
Following the court session and
before he was taken back to his
cell. he was given an opportunity to
SO into the judges chambers to
make and smoke cigaret while the
a-raignn,ent papers were being made
out.
The little court room was packed,
tie spectators rising in their chairs
when Arbuckle appeared and re-
naming in that position during the
brief session.
There were few women present.
Arbuckle told newspaper men in
court that he was born in Smith
Center, Kan.
Girl Accued Him.
Almost with her dying breath Nir-
einia Rappe, accused the film actor
ot having been the cause of her in
juries.
This is the assertion made to the
police by Mrs. Jean Jameson, the
nurse who attended her at the Wake
field sanitorium, and who was at her
side during her last moments.
Mrs. Jameson repeated the tragic
denunciation of Arbuckle, made to
her by the dying woman. She de-
Aciared that Virginia Rape had told
her that Arbuckle had been waiting
for five years to get her. Mrs.
Jameson would not be certain that
the actress had said that she had
been dragged by Arbuckle into the
room, but she declared unhesitat;ng-
" that Virginia Rape had accused
him Of having caused the bruises and
the other injuries that resulted later
in her death.
Before Detectives Griffith, Ken
redy and Henry McGrath, the nurse
told her story, quietly and with an
assurance that impressed the police.
She declared that she was speaking
voluntarily, without fear OF punish
,nent or hope OF reward.
Statement Of Nurse.
Here is her statement:
".About 8 p. M. Tuesday. Septeni
has 7 ,,,,. c.11nrJ i,&y Mrs ne1y11on