The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-22
Arbuckle Case Stands or Falls
on Show Girls Evidence.
Defense and Prosecution Profit
From Star Witnesses Words.
PEEVED At THEIR TREATMENT
Zey PreyOn and Alice Blake Re-
sent Being ''ImpOunded."
Admit Changing Their Stories
of the Fatal Party.

San Francisco. Nov. 22.-Alicc
Blake, second of the states star Wit
nesses in the manslaughter trial OF
Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle. again took
the stand when court opened today.
A statement she made shortly after
the death of Virginia Rappe to De-
tective Griffin Kennedy was produced
by Chief of Detectives Matthewson.
for the defense, and was read in the
record by the defense for the purpose.
Defense Counsel McNab announced.
of refreshing the memory of the wit
ness
The statement proved little differ
ent from her story on the stand late
yesterday. The state attempted to-
introduce all statements made by the
witnesses but the defense successfully
objected.
The state sprung a surprise by
calling Al Semnacher to the stand.
Semnacher was Miss Rappe's So
called manager" and it was with him
| that she came to San Francisco the
day before the party. His testimony
at the preliminary trial was given with
| a show of great reluctance.
Show Girls Tell Story.
Further testimony by Jesse Nor
gard, former motion picture studio
watchman, was first on the program
today in the states efforts In Judge
Louderback's court to convict Fatty
Arbuckle of mansiaughter in connec-
! ton with the death of Virginia Rappe,
film actress.
| Norgard worked at the Culver City
studios where Miss Rappe and Ar
/ buckle were employed. in August,
1919, he said Arbuckle offered him
/ fifty dollars for key to Miss Rappe's
roors. He declined the ctfer. he said.
Zey Prevent and Alice Blake on
the stand yesterday described the
| Hotel St. Francis party which they at
| tended and at which Arbuckle is al
| legged to have fatally hurt the actress.
Both said Miss Rappe moaned II
am dying, he hurt me- Neither.
however. could say that she mentioned
Arbuckle's name.
Has Reached @Sfmax.
Additional witnesses for the state
will be heard today but the man.
slaughter charge will stand or fall on
! the testimony already given. The
case reached its climax late yester-
/ day with the conclusion or the testi-
mony of Alice Blake.
When the jury filed out after hear
/ ing Zey Prevon and Miss Blake tell
| their stories it was a case of even
! Stephen" between prosecution and de-
/ fense
! Inclined to smile a bit nervously
and to answer trifle too readily, Zey
| Prevon. tho one of the states star
witnesses, struck several blows to
, their case.
Changed Her Story.
| The defense was able to develop
that she had changed her story fol-
! lowing a threat from a detective.
4 However, she repaired part of this
damage to the states case by explain
: ing the change was made because she
/ had been misunderstood and in the
, interest of truth.
! Another point upon which the de-
. fense made much was the fact that
Virginia Rappe's statement he hurt
me" following an ice water bath to
and from which she was carried by
= Fred Fischback. The state partly re-
paired this breach in their case when
Alice Blake testified that ArbuciSle
| responded TO the declaration of Miss
Rappe with the admonition:
| Shut up; you're crazy
Painted Sordid Picture.
! The two girls painted rather sor-
? did picture Of the Arbuckle party. In
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