The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-09-13
ARBUCKLECASE
WITNESSALTERS
STORY, CHARGED
Prosecutor Says Perjury is Com.
mitted and Sees sinister
Influence
FATTY TO GRAND JURY
Refuses to Make Statement on
Advice of His Attorneys,
II Is Said

It Is Said
San Francisco, Sept. ia state
ment expressing the conviction that
perjury had been committed by one
Of the chief witnesses for the prose-
cution at the grand jury investigation
last night of the death of Miss Vir-
ginia Rappe, film actress. for whose
alleged murder Roscoe (Fatty) Ar
buckle is under arrest was issued
here early today by District Attorney
Matthew BRADY. The grand jury ad-
journed for an indefinite period at
lilo this morning.
District Attorney Brady in the
statement also charged that he be-
lieves undue influence and pressure
Of a sinister character has been
brought to bear" upon certain wit
nesses.
In his statement Brady charged
that Miss Zey Provost, also known as
Zey Pyvron had changed her testi-
nlony before the grand jury from that
she had given previously to police
and officials Of the district attorneys
Office that Miss Rape had told her
Arbuckle had caused her injuries.
Witness Said Missing S4
Brady also charged in his statement
that Miss Alice Blake, another prose-
cution witness, was missing. His
statement follows:
1--WE have sent Miss Pyvron home
under surveillance. The girl changed
her story completely before the grand
jury. Whether or not we shall arrest
her and charge her with perjury will
depend on further developments. l
am convinced however that perjury
has been committed by her.
/ Il am convinced that undue infu-
ence and pressure of a sinister char
acter has been brought to bear on
Alice Blake, has mysteriously disap-
peared from her home in Berkeley.
We have been unable to find her. In
spite OF these efforts to thwart the
ends of justice the investigation will
proceed.
Whenever wealth and influence
are brought to the bar of justice every
sinister and corrupt practice Is used
in an effort to free the accused. It is
always easy to convict q poor man.
The wealthy malefactors, are the ones
who find means to use wealth to their
advantage.
Arbuckle Summoned
"This case should be handled just
as the cases of the other gangsters
arc handled The Pyvron woman
made statement in the presence of
Captain of Detectives Duncan Mathe-
son. She repeated this state
ment time and again. Before the
grand jury she changed her testi-
mony.
Arbuckle, the last witness summon
ed by the grand Jury in its five-hour
session, was aroused from q sound
sleep about o'clock this morning.
He was in the grand jury room only
three minutes, it is said. He Is said
to have refused to make any state
ment except that his lawyers had ad-
vised him to keep silent.
Mrs. Bambina Maude belmont had
previously testified concerning the
party In Arbuckle's room in hotel
here on Labor Day at which Miss
Rappe was present. Other witnesses
were heard.
After Arbuckle left the jury room
the jurors began to deliberate on the
testimony given. Behind closed doors
the jurors argued for half an hour, at
is said, having excluded the district
attorney and his assistants. The con-
clusiOn then was reached to defer
action until further testimony could
be presented.
Tells Party Details
Mrs. belmont testified in detail in
the grand jury session regarding the
occurrences at the party In which Miss
Rape is alleged to have received her
fatal hurt. She had repeatedly
knocked and kicked at the closed door
behind which were Arbuckle and Miss
Rappe she said, and finally compelled
Aubuckle to open it. She told of hav-
ing attended the stricken girl and of
the girls removal to the Wakefield
sanatOrium.
Mrs. Gene Jameson, one of the
nurses, who. attended Miss Rape.
testified that she told her that Ar
buckle had treated her roughly and
that's Arbuckle had said that he had
waited five years for her. At times
Miss Rappe said she did not remember
what happened n the room and that
other times she accused Arbuckle of
hurting her, Mrs. Jameson testified.
DR.. William O. Phuls, who periQean-
ed the post-mortem, and other guests
at the party. also testified.
District Attorney Brady announced
he had summoned Miss Provost for
an examination today regarding her
testimony before the grand jury.
! TY-S AH~ NJ