Arizona republican., 1921-11-29
SCREEN COMEDIAN TELLS STORY OF WILD ORGY AT ST. FRANCIS HOTEL AND
 DEATH OF VIRC|HIA RAPPE
ARBUCKLE SAYS HE FOUND VICTIM
 VERIFYING ON FLOOR AND WAS TRY ING TO ASSIST HER WHEN OTHER MEMBERS CAME INTO ROOM s> ]. -

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 2s.-Ros- 1 COG Arbuckle, motion picture come dian, spoke his first lines today in the tragic drama of which he has been the central figure since it's in- ception September 5, last. Arbuclxle told from the witness stand his own story of the happenings at a party in his rooms at the Hotel St Francis here which preceded by few days the death of Virginia Rappe, one of those who attended. It was at this party that the girl received injuries which caused her death, the prosecu- tion contends, and it is this allega- tion that forms the basis of Arbuck- les trial, now drawing to a close on the charge of manslaughter.
 The defense closed at 5:25 p. m, after a vain attempt to obtain ad- mission into the record of a state ment by George Glennon, house de- tective at the Hotel St. Francis, which it was contended, would exon crate Arbuckle of any responsibility for Miss Rappe's injury
 Everyone concerned regarded so- days developments as the principal scene of the drama The expectation that Arbuckle would testify drew a large crowd for the morning session and word that he already was on the stand drew one of about the same size for the afternoon sitting of court
 Due to the failure of the defense to qualify a witness it had summoned as an expert. Arbuckle took the stand before the time set for him to do so. | His direct examination was com pleted in ten minutes, his attorneys l leading him over the ground to be covered in such a short time that it l s,, ho rYr-f
 In a clear loud voice. Arbuckle de- nied that he inflicted the injuries on | Miss Rappe that have been charged against him.
 Found Her in Bath Room | "When I went into my room during | the party to dress for an engagement I had with a friend, Mrs. May Taube, I found Miss Rappe on the bathroom floor writhing and moaning he said. ''when I opened the door of the bath room it struck against her
 "I assisted her in the bathroom all I could, Then I placed her on the bed in my room and continued to assist her. She was moaning and writhing and nothing she said could be understood by me"
 Where was Mrs. Delmont?" he | was asked by his chief counsel
 Mrs. Bambina Maude Delmont, a guest at the party, brought the original charge of murder against Ar l buckle which later was reduced in police court hearing to the man. slaughter charge on trial
 Mrs. Delmont appeared while we were trying to assist Miss Rappe. She told me to get away from Miss Rappe and I told her, Shut up or l will throw you out of the window, Ar buckle continued.
 Arbuclxle said he did not know that the party had been planned and that he did not know that it had become reality until Miss Fey Provost, Miss Rappe, Alice Blake, Alfred Semnach- CT and other guests arrived.
 'I wanted to get away" Arbuckl' testified. 'I danced for a while witf
 Miss Blake and others Virginia Rappe did not dance although sh' , | ordered the music. She wanted . piano first but we brought in pho- nograph-"
 Denies Ice Reports Arbuckle denied the truth of state
 ments reported. .to have been made b!
 him following the party that h'
 placed a piece of ice on Miss Rappe''
 body. He had found the ice on th'
 girls body he explained, but wa
 taken to task by Mrs. Delmont fo
 picking 1t up and thereupon put i , down again.