Omaha daily bee., 1921-09-25
Witness Refuses
To Repeat Aloud
Arbuckle Story
Semnacher Writes Out An.
swers to Questions Concern.
ing Statements by Film
Star Following Party.

San Francisco, Sept. 24.-Alircd
Semnacher declined to repeat aloud
from the witness stand the details OF
Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle's descrip-
tion OF his treatment OF Miss Virgil
MIA Rappe at the revel which led
to the girls death, and instead wrote
them out on a paper. which he
showed to the attorneys and Police
Judge Sylvan Lazarus, who is hear
ing the murder complaint against
the film comedian.
He first said that Arbuckle's story
OF the incident, told to himself, Low
ell Sherman, Fred Fischbach and
Arbuckle's chauffeur, Harry Nc
Cullough, caused a general laugh.
When the details were demanded he
objected to testifying verbally.
No one demonstrated at Arbucklc's
tale, according TO the witness, who
said it was told in Arbuckle's suite
at the Hotel St. Francis where the
drinking party had taken place the
afternoon before. Other conversa-
ton about the affair was limited to
discussion OF the intoxicated condi-
ton of some of the participants,
Semnacher said. He testified yester-
day that he had cnly coffee to drink.
Arbuckle Expressed Regret.
In answer to questions from Ar
buckles attorneys, Semnacher said
he had observed nothing improper
in Arbuckle's actions toward Miss
Rape or any Of the other women
at the party.
When the news OF Miss Rappe's
death was brought by newspaper
reporter to Arbuckle, Sherman,
Hschbach and Semnacher in Los
Angeles the evening OF September
., Semnacher declared, Arbuckle ex-
pressed regret at her fate. All of the
group spoke of her death as al, "un-
fortunate accident which they could
not understand" according to the
witness and Arbuckle. after a dis
clssion OF what had better be done,
telephoned to the chief of police in
San Francisco, offering to come
north. Immediately ifShe was wanted.
Semnacher was the first witness
to be subjected to questioning by
the defense and these inquiries were
but few. Aside from his statement
regarding Arbuckle's conduct at the
party, the defense drew from him
an admission that Frank Domingues,
chief defense counsel, had told him
to tell the entire truth to Captain of
Detectives Duncan Mathewson, and |
that the defense had never heard his |
version of the case.
Garments introduced.
The prosecution introduced as ex- /
hibits the garments which Semnacher
said Miss Rape wore on the oc-
casion at the St. Francis, and Dom
ingues asked the witness if he had |
seen Arbuckle wearing Miss Rappe's /
Panama hat. Semnacher replied that
he had not.
The defendant entered the court
room with considerably more cheer
than he has evidenced since
his arrest and grinned at District !
Attorney Mathew A. Brady's face
tious comparison Of their two waist
lines. His smile died away quickly,
however, when the testimony began
and it did not return all morning.
Today's session of court occupied
less than two hours. Women not
provided with credentials were
warned away from the hall of justice
by the police, who had much easier
time of it than yesterday or the day
before iii handling the crowd. A
corporars guard Of men spectators
remained throughout the hearing, but
some of the women left early. The
rest of the women's delegations from
civic organizations watching the pro-
gress of the case stayed until the end,
however.
After Arbuckle decided to come
north to report to the San Francisco
police, according to Semnacher, the
start was made in the early hours of
Saturday, September 10. He drove
n one machine with Fischbach and |
Sherman, while Arbuckle, Domin-
yues, Arbuckle's manager; Lou An
ger, and the comedians chauffeur
occupied another.
There was very little discussion OF
Miss Rappe's death en- route, he said,
Ind none that involved Arbuckle's t
conduct with her.
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