Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-12-01
FATTY ON STAND
in OWN DEFENSE
Arbuckle Denies He Invited Miss
Virginia Rape to His
Room.
EXPLAINS USE OF ICE ON GIRL
Film Comedian Says He Asked Girls
to Stop Virginia From Tearing
Her Clothes OFF; Mrs. Del
mont Put ice on Girls Head.

San Francisco, Nov. 29.-Roscoe G.
Arbuckle took the stand in his own
defense at the manslaughter trial here
In the death of Miss Virginia Rape.
He told of coming to San Francisco
from Los Angeles on September 3. ana
told also of the guests who attended
the party given by him in the st.
francis hotel. He said the only guest
he had invited was Mrs Mary b.
/ Taube. He declared that shortly be-
fore the hour of an engagement he mad
With Mrs Taube he found Miss Rappe
In his room. She was on the floor ana
seemed to be very Ill.
Arbuckle at EaseA
Arbuckle was entirely mt ease on
discrimination.
His answer to the barrage of ques-
tons fired at him by Assistant District
Attorney Friedman were given with
out moments hesitation, and some
of them came sharp as the crack OF
whip.
The cross-examination was confined
to narrow limits by reason. of the
skillful maneuvers in which his coun-
sci conducted the direct questioning.
No mention of any other parties
crept in. The state was forced to
confine itself to an effort to shake the
comedians story by apparent contra
dictions
And this effort was not success.
Not only did he hold to his story close
ly, but questions designed to trap him
were cleverly evaded.
He might have been enacting court
room film drama, so perfect was his
poise.
II have known Virginia Rape six
years." he said answering the search
Ing question fired at him by Fried
man.
"Fishback said he was going to
phone for Virginia, but the first l
knew she was coming was when she
knocked at the door. l was in 1919
when she came, hut l went into 1920
almost Immediately.
Asked Girls to Aid
! II then went out into 1920 and told
Miss Prevon and later Mrs belmont.
i / asked the girls to stop her from tear
Ing her clothes off. ! went into room
1910 again later and saw Miss Rape
on the bed nude. Mrs. belmont had
some ice on the back OF Miss Rappe's
head ! asked what the Ice was do
ing there. Mrs. belmont said she
knew how TO take care of Virginia.
81 told Mrs. belmont TO shut up or
would throw her out of the window.
Mrs Taube then called Mr.. Boyle, the
hotel manager, and room was ar
ranged for her.
81 put a bathrobe on her and moved
to 1927. / took her down to 1927, but
she kept slipping, and l called Boyle
to help me with her.
"The door from 1919 to 1920 was
not locked The window shade was
up.
81 never heard Virginia say he hurt
me- or anything that was Ineligible"
Denies Talk About Ice.
81 never did have a talk with AL
Semnacher about putting Ice on Miss
Rappe's body" the comedian de-
clared.
Tie talked I'm loud tone Of voice,
and frequently arose to demonstrate
his testimony.
81 never placed my hand over hers
on door in 1919" he said In reply to
question.
mo, never" he emphasized.
He then denied conversation re-
lated by Peter Nargaard as state
witness In which Nargaard declared
Arbuckle at Culver City studio had
offered him $50 for the key to room
occupied by Miss Rape three years
ago.
IL have told you everything that
occurred" said Arbuckle In his final
words on direct examination.