Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-23
DESCRIBE INJURIES
OF FILM ACTRESS
Women Pack Courtroom at
Hearing Of Murder Charge
Against Arbuckle
CR0SS-EXAMINATI0N TODAY

coe (Fatty) Arbuckle. film comedian,
will be tried on the charge of murder
or on the charge Of mnnsaughter in
connection with the girls death. 1t is
charged Miss Rappe suffered n fatal
iniur, inflicted by Arbuckle while she
was his guest at drinking party Mt
the Hotel st. Francis, here September
8 last
Arbuckle this afternoon was to be
brought from jail, where he is held
without bail to police court for con-
tinuation of his preliminary hearing,
The first session of the preliminary
hearing. held late yesterday, was Nd.
journed without his attorneys having
asked a question in examination
or giving any indication of what their
plans for his defense might he.
Expect Lengthy Cross Quiz
Attaches of the District Attorneys
Office said they had expected thc de-
fense to occupy considerable time in
cross examination and had no other
witnesses ready to put on the stand
before today. The session of court was
announced to begin at . i. VI.
Three witnesses who saw Miss
Rappe's body after her death Soptcm.
Der o, which it is charged resulted from
injuries suffered at a drinking party
four days before in ArbuCklc's hotel
suite, testified TINT they observed bruises
on her limbs and body. Two of them.
the surgeon who performed the post
mortem examination and The autopsy
surgeon. said that death was from a
rupturcd bladder, caused, in their opin
' ion, by external force.
May Not Call Semnachcr
District Attorney Matthew \. Brady
said it had not been determined whether
Al Semnacher. Miss RarDr's manager.
who is reported TO have testified hc'orc
the Grand Jury at Los Anye'cs that Ar
buckle made admissions regarding his
treatment of Miss RapHe, would be
called today.
ArbuckIe listened intcntly to yestcr,
days testimony. his face bearing
serious expression. Mrs Mintn Durfpo
Arbucklc his wife, from whom hc had
been separated for tiv" years, but who
came here from Now York Monday,
sat at HIS side with her mother, Mrs.
Flora Durfce.
Women jammed the corridors Of the
Hall Of Justice for nearly two hours
before the court session began. and
dozen policemen were busy keeping
them away from the courtroom door \
group of men was orGcrNl to the street
floor. and women who could show no
credentials were not admitted.
Women were given preference be
cause Judge Lazarus court is largely
devoted to wOmen's cases. Delegations
from the Women's NiGilantc Committee.
from cubs and civic organizations
packed the courtroom tn its doors. 4
few male attaches of other courts found
refuge behind the steel bars of the
prisoners dock ArbUckIe himself sat
at the attorneys table.
Bruises Caused by Fingers
DR.. Shelby Strange. who performed
the autopsy on Miss Rappr. and DR.
William tnhuls, who made the first
post mOrtem examination. were the
principal witnesses yesterday.
DR.. Strange said he found bruises on
Miss Rappc right upper arm. appar-
emily caused by finger marks two
bruises on the lower abdomen. and
others on the thighs and shins. the
cause Of which he was unable to state.
DR.. Ophuls and Miss Grace ITalSton.
a hospital nurse, who was present Mt
the post mortem. both COrrobated DR..
Strange's description of the bruises.
and CoronerS photographs Of the body
were OHerHQ nS evidence.
a rent in the bladder wall was de
scribed by DR.. Strange. who said that
the bladder and other organs had been
preserved by DR.. nDhuls. II" said he
believed that death came from pnr!t1-
nitis resulting from the rupturnd blad-
der and that III" "u',ture was caused by
some external force.
DR.. Ophu's said he was called in
for post mOrtem examination by DR.
NJ. f.. RumweU. the physician who at
tended Miss Rnppe during her last H.
ness. He found the abdomen "horr!b'r
distend"d, he said, as n result Of the
rupture and a congestion II blood in
several organs Of the lower abdomen.
The rupture he Surmisvl. was caused
by ovcrdiSt"ntiou of the bladder. re-
sulting probably from some outside
cause.
Debate Over Evidence
Miss Haston statement that she bc.
lieved the bruises on Miss Rappc's arm
were made by the grip f another Ter.
son prompted n debate over it, admiS.
sibility between Arhucklc's counsel and
Milton T. L Rem. Assistant District Al.
torney, who conducted the examination.
Although many women. unable 70 get
into the courtroom, submitted ~ fate
and stood patiently on the stairs lending
TO the courtroom, oth"rs refused to be-
satisfied, and called on thlof of Police
O'Brien, demanding their right as citi-
zens and taxpayers, 10 be given seat
in the courtroom.
Semnacher, who called tho District
Attorney by telephone "Wednesday from
Los Angeles to request that expense
money be sent t" cone ~ san Francisco
TO testify. arrived Yesterday by auto
mobile. II" was taken u tn" District
Attorney office immediately and de-
tanned there during the hearing
DR., Arthur Beardslce, the house
physician at the Hotel ST. Francis, who
attended Miss Rappc for day aftrr
the party, had not ,rea,hcd san Fran.
cisco last night from his hunting trip
In the Sierra Nevada mountains. from
which he had been called home by the
authorities.
Letter PleaSeS Arbuckle
During the session .Nrbucko took time
70 read special delivery letter sent
him from Los Angeles He seemed
greatly pleased with 1t.
While thc hearing was in session
Robert II. Mccormick. Assistant
United States Attorney General in
charge of prohibition prosecutions. and
u. Forrest Mitchell, Federal district
prohibition enforcement officer, con-
ferred on the evidence thar liquor was
served and consumed at the Arburkle
party.
Mitchell who returned from Los
Angeles yesterday after investigating
certain phases there Of the party's