Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-19
film FOLK RUM
!. SUPPLY IS TRA|LED
Expectation Of Startling Evi.
dence Leads to Delay Of
Court Action
UNDERGROUND FROM MEXICO

San Francisco. Sept. TO- Fcdernl
indictments under the prohibition laws
In connection with the party staged at
the Hotel ST. Francis. here. by Roscoe
q. Arbucklc will not be asked tonight.
ss intended. Robert II. Mccormack.
special assistant TO the United States
Attorney General. announced today.
Mccormack said he had decided upon
delay because he expected startling
new developments.
Mccormack is conducting an eX-
haustive investigation into the source
Of the liquor supply alleged ~ have
been consumed at the Arbucklc party
the outcome Of which has resulted in
charges Of murder against Arbucke for
the death Of Miss Virginia Rappo.
Belief that his Investigations will un.
earth a system Of liquor smuggling from
Mexico 70 Los Angeles and San Fran.
cisco was expressed by Mccormack.
Examination of persons At Los Angeles
who may be able to divulge intorma
tion concerning the party liquor is
being continued he said.
Statements Obtained
Mccormick Yesterday received from
the South the complete transcript of
the statements secured from Ira G.
Fortlouis. Al Scmnacher. Lowell Sher
man and Fred Fishbach--all guests at
the fatal festivities on Labor Day.
Putting the statements together
with evidence secured here from the
managerial staff and the beIlboy corps
Of the St Francis, as we'll as others
not connected with the hotel staff.
Mccormick made the following state
ment:
That n regular system was in opera
ton whereby certain wealthy men lin
the know" could come from the south
ern picture and millionaire colony to
this city and bc assured Of ample
liquid sustenanCe during their stay
here.
Two OF the witnesses questioned bv
McCormick had TO be threatened with
instant arrest before they would tell
their tales. One at first said he would
rather go to jail than tell what he
knew but he told
Mrs. Bambina Maude belmont. the
State star witness. is standing brave
ly by her guns. That she has not
weakened in the least in her deter
mination to bring full vindication to her
dead friend, Virginia Rappe. was quite
evident from n brief interview given by
her here yesterday.
Won't Change Story
She was propped up on pillows in her
bedroom at the Plaza Hotel. where she
is under the care of nurse and the
guard of policewoman. She spoke
with great nervous intensity. her gray
eyes flashing She is q woman Of forty.
with gray -besprinkled hair. She said:
I'm ready for the defense any time.
All ] have to do at the trial is 10 tell
the truth And all the Fatty Arbuckles
and Frank Dominguazes in the world
won't be able to shake me.
Virginia Rappe was a good girl.
ANY suggestion to the contrary is
lie and a defamation.
"Of course. as every one knows.
] had had quite number of drinks
myself But they didn't blind my
eyes to what was happening. Vir-
ginia Rappe's condition woke me up.
Like Fatty l am of the booze for
why did | kick on the door? Be
cause I knew something wns wrong
don't like that kind of thing. | had
taken Virginia there and was respon
sible for her going. liked that girl .
She was whole souled and genuine.
I'm not afraid OF the defense.
They'll get the truth and nothing else. !
There's enough Of that 10 keep them
busy"
Mrs. Mae Taube. the latest booze
party witness to be interviewed. tells
story on the whole favorable to Ar
buckle. She stated she had known hm
for some years, and had never known
him to be other than gentleman. She
said:
These parties are hold every day.
Then suddenly something comes and
hits you like an avalanche. | am very
sorry for Mr.. Arbuck p--n fine man
and hard worker
Mr.. Fischbach. Mr.. Arbuckle, sew
eral others and mvself had an engage
ment to dine together the day Of the
party. When we entered Mr.. Arburkles
suite to ret him the room vas full of
people. ! didn't particularly notice
Miss Rape.
Warned Arbuckle
81 told him: The hotel won't ike
your giving this party. You are an
actor with lot Of nrOminencp and
popularity; you can't afford this sort
OF thing
II went down to the dining room.
Later Mr.. FiSchbach hunted me I'D and
said Roscoe wanted me. returned 10
hnd the people talking about Mis-,
RNppe. I did not see her; they said
she was in the other room.
They told me She was under tho
influence Of liquor and was tearing off
her clothes. Some one was banging az
the door Of the room opposite. Later
she came out by another way and came
among us, loking very strange. It was
Mrs belmont, clad in pajamas
AT dinner Roscoe mentioned the af-
fair to me. He only said the Virl was
intoxicated. ] am sure he had no no
tion as to her being hurt.
Roscoe and I danced together thot
syening. But it was not heartlessn.ss
Nobody knew Virginia Rappe wa.
another defense witness will be Miss
Is in Kansas City. She way "oi"o T
present Miss Clark is said 70 tel
Story contrary in many important nsr.
oculars to that told by Mrs. DeImont