The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-11-23
DEFENSE NOW IS
TRYING To SAVE
FATTY ARBUCKLE
Most Important Witness Barred
BY Court
MODEST MAN TEsTIFIEs
Wouldn't Write Bad Word--Miss
Rape Often Tore Off Clothes
When She Was Drinking

| San Francisco, Nov. o2-After the
prosecution had closed its case today
IN the manslaughter trial of Roscoe
! G. (Fatty) Arbuckle and had reserved
the right to Introduce further testi.
mony tomorrow. Gavin McNab chief
counsel fcr the defence. made the
opening statement for ArbucAle.
We will prove that Arbuckle was
not in the hotel room more than ten
minutes with Miss Virginia Rapne. !"
McNab said. Arbuckle Is accused of
having inflicted fatal injuries on Miss
Rappe, a motion picture actress. in
his hotel rooms September S,
George GIennon, house detective Of
the hotel. was the first witness called
BY the defence
The court ruled out McNab at
tempts to have the witness detail a
conversation he had with Miss Rappe
after her alleged injuries at Ar.
buckles hands.
Before the trial the defence an.
ncunced that Glennon had made "a
statement to the District Attorney in
which he said Miss Rape had exon.
Grated Arbuckle. Glennon was ex.
cused from the stand following the
courts ruling.
Kate Brennan, maid at the hotel,
followed Glennon and testified that
she busted off the two doors intro.
duced By the prosecution for finger
Hprlnt evidence some time after the
finger prints were supposed to have
been made by Arbuekle and Miss
Rape. The defence endeavured to
prove that In busting process she rub
bed out the finger prints.
Arbuckle gave a tip of $3.50 to her
for cleaning his room and offered tc
her some whiskey. which she refused.
Miss Brennan testified.
Mrs. Lois Harding Lancashiere.
stopping in the hotel during the par.
~. said she was near the rooms and
heard and saw nothing.
More general interest was evi.
denced in the trial today than on any
day since 1t began. Crowds thronged
the courtroom and the, adjoining cor
ridors, or waited outside to obtain a
glimpse OF the principals
Details of the visit OF Miss Rappe TO
San francisco from Los Angeles were
related by Alfred Semnacher, mana
er for Miss Rape. Semnacher said
he brought Miss Rappe, and Mrs. BAN
bina Maude belmont, a friend, to San
Francisco In his automobile, Septem
Der 3. and that they attended party
given by Arbuckle together Septem
ber 5.
He testified to the finding OF Miss
Rappe in Arbuckle's room apparently
dying after she had been alone for c
time with the defendant.
He met Arbuckle the next day, he
said, and I'VE all believed Miss Rape
was intoxicated" Semnacher re-
fused to repeat a word he said was
used by Arbuckle In relation to the
attempts by guests Of the party to
relieve Miss Rappe. He wrote the
word out for stenographer,
Miss Rape had torn off her cloth
ing on many occasions after drinking
liquor, be testified, but the manner
was different from that she used af
ter supposedly having been injured at
lt1e party.
Miss Alice Blake, show girl, was the
first witness, a statement made by
her to the police was introduced. The
statement described the party and re-
| lated that Miss Blake first saw Miss
Rappe nude on bed in the film CO.
medians room and suffering great
pain. 1t continued that Miss Blake
and others Of the party assisted Miss
Rappe.
| The next witness, Joseph Rideaux,
physical culture trainer OF Los An
geles, who treated Miss Rappe for
being overweight, said she appeared
healthy and was stronger than most
women he had instructed.
On request Of the prosecution, the
court directed that microscopic ex
animation be made OF the bladder OF
Miss Rappe. The examination was
desired to refute. ii possible contcn-
tlons Of the defence that intirmities
OF the organ might have caused the
rent In it rather than external force.
Josephine Kaza, chambermaid al
the Hotel st. Francis, testified that
while in a hallway she heard q wom'
ans voice scream, No, no, no." while
the party was in progress and a mans
voice answer "Shut up!"
A statement made by the witness
to the District Attorney was read in
to the record of the defence, The
statement told OF the invitation by
telephone to Miss Rappe to attend
the party Fred Fischback, friend OF
Arbuckle, did the telephoning. the
statement said. Miss Kaza was clean
ing the rooms, the statement ex-
planned
Later, the statement continued,
Miss Kaza heard a girl crying and
much music and shouting, She lis
tened at the door OF Arbuckle's room
and heard the girls cries coming
from that room while other members
Of the party were in 1t, the statement
detailed.
Rev. VIM G. Towart, pastor OF the