The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-09-27
EXTORTION CHARGE:
PLACED ON RECORD
Grand Jury Disposes OF
Charges to Blackmail
ArbuCkle
SEMNACHER DENIES
KNOWLEDGE OF PLAN
Doctor Tells Of Injuries TO Miss Rappe-
No Indication of Intoxicating Liquor
Witness Thought Mrs. belmont
Partly Drunk at Arbuckle Party.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 27.-Roscoe
(Fatty) Arbuckle, charged with the
murder of Virginia Rappe and who was
shifted temporarily from the center of
interest yesterday when charges of eX-
tortion were made in court against Al
fred Semnacher, a witness, resumed his
place before the spot light of public Gu
rIoslty as his preliminary hearing pro-
ceeded today.
The extortion charge has been dis
posed of it was intimated today by ac-
tiOn of the San Francisco grand jury
which last night heard Semnacher s
story and .'placed it on record y. Sem
nacher denied 10 the grand jury that. he
had any knowledge OF plan to eXtort
money from the defendant as was al
legged by Frank Dominguez, chief coun-
SCI for Arbuckle.
Alfred Semnacher 5 testimony took
w most of the afternoon session yes
terday. In the morning DIR. Arthur
Beardslee, who treated Miss Rappe aft
er tle rcvel in Arbuckle 5 hotel suite,
testified he discovered evidence OF a
ruptured bladder early the morning aft
er the party and that he advised her
removal to a hospital.
The defense was unable to make him
admit that she could have been suffer
ing from anything else. Dr.. Beardslee
reiterated his diagnosis, and said he
found her writing in pain so great he
had to administer sedatiyes three times.
Replying to d hypothetical question
regarding the cause OF a torn bladder,
he said an injury such as that described
would have been caused by an external
force such as fall or blow, although
cOntortions incident to violent vomlt-
ing might have produced that effect.
Evidences of alcoholism were over
shadowed by Miss Rappe's suffering
from the rupture, DIR. Beardslee said.
He testified that Mrs. belmont, who at
tended the injured girl, showed no signs
of being under the influence of alcohol
or drugs.
Tho defense vigorously. pursued its
questioning of SeInnacher, causing hlm
to announce that he must have been
misuuoted if he had said he was Miss
with both her and Mrs. belmont was
more or less casual until shortly before
their trip to San Francisco, where they
attended Arbuckle' S party, he said,
DomingIez questioned the witness
closely about a purse he produced from
his pocket, saying it was Miss Rappe 5,
and asking what connection he had had
with it. Semnacher replied that after
the party Miss Rappe asked him to look
for it and that on asking Arbuckle
about it next day, ATbuckle produced 1t
from a desk Semnacher said ne then
TOOK IL 10 MISS kappe IN the nearby
room, where she lay i'll.
Asked about Mrs. belmont 5 condi
tion at the party. Semnaeher testified
that she was dressed in yellow pajamas
and appeared Gilt up or "about half
drunk when he first saw her. He de-
MED hearing any screams from the
room where Miss Rappe afterward was
found in. distress.
The defense drew from Semnacher the
admission that he might have misunder-
stood Arbuckle 5 exact language regard
ing the ice incident he said Arbuckle
later be told the prosecution that he did
not mistake Arhuckle s meaning.