Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-29
ArbuckIe Release
: StirS Prosecutor
Continued from Page One

continued from rage One
was committed by the defendant on
Miss Rappc.
II feel also bound by the Grand
Jury, whose indictment for man
slaughter was voted after having more
evidence than | was permitted to hear.
There is just enough evidence here, I
may say barely enough, to Justify me in
holding the defendant, without further
facts and circumstances which the Dis
trict Attorney said would more strongly
establish the fact that Roscoe Arbuckle
Is guilty of the crime Of murder.
Trying Present Day Morals"
"This is an important case. We are
not trying Roscoe Arbuckle alone. Ac-
tuay, in large sense, we are trying
ourselves. We are trying oLr present :
day morals, our present day social con-
ditions, our present day looseness of
thought and lack of social balance.
THE issue here Is really and truly
larger than the guilt or innocence Of
this particular unfortunate man. The
Rissue is universal, and grows from con-
3Sitions which are matters of comment
Sand apprehension to every true lover
end protector Of our American institu
tons.
The thing which occurred on the
NTH of September this year, happened
In the heart of San Francisco, the most
beloved city in the world, in one of the
largest and most pretentious hostelries
q. the city, in broad daylight. The
thlng that happened there-and what
ever the occurrence, it was the Culmi-
nation of an orgy which, according to
me testimony of the last witness. n
cnambermGid in the hotel, was well
hhowh to the management-no, | won't t
say the management-bu it was known
IN and about that hotel.
we need not speak of bacchanalian-
Ism, or Snturnalianism, or sybaritism,
" y, any OF the terms Of the ancient days.
we we are supposed to live and breathe
s anu nave our being. in better and
,S more advanced age. Nevertheless, this
SSms' this orgy that continued many
Try;urs and resulted in the death of Miss
mslhla ,as happe, n moving picture act
nS, nvss, was not repressed by the hotel
management. 1t Is of such common Oc-
nr.n wiehce that 1T was given no attention
n,n n"'Ii something happened, until the eli
~af made 1t notorious.
IN this thing is public lesson
larger than the District Attorney would
aasc oaS US understand. | had really hoped
sM, Saa expected that all the evidence pos :
b"N on Doth sides would be presented
WV r, 10 that this humble Police Court
tu,l tII'u DC the avenue through which a
made ''''"''oi "ou'u pe
Dubs Witnesses Worthless
nh me testimony shows that during the
I%SH1e ISSne afternoon in these rooms, 1910,
H"t', ana l22l in the st. Francis
sa' u'el' condition, let us charitably
Wy ~%, OF icStiyity prevailed. Men and
sO 'uleh I came and went, their movements
SO irregular the witnesses found 1t diff
",ult n, 10 say who occupied certain rooms
VI certain times.
n,or.lh Murh liquor was drunk in this
nUnlIh"nt nolnt hotel. despite the recent un-
rtHOp"iar tH addition to the Constitution of
WI, W.T. lhil"d States. The complaining
h""eeSS' haa W no was not put on the stand,
nc",aueeh ueeh described as being in u par
"|HuSssrly uS mcbriate condition."
M. some of the witnesses were absO-
wSo WHY worthless, especially Semnacher,
w;. no occupied two days time, The only
Si1asS Si,anesS in the entire case who rave any
innoet testimony bearing on the guilt or
nehce nervce of Roscoe Arbuckle was the
KUuS Ke,oUou chambermaid, Josephine
h.srd rdtssing along the corridor, she
,oi"ss ,ae sound Of revelry, the raucous
hs 80 q OF JOY gatherers, and then, com
shs through the door of Room 1919,
no. lizard weman's voice crying, mo,
lssyins "a, my God and a mans voice
.tlnaa, smut up This is the only tes-
vny which BY any Conceivable nos.