Arizona republican., 1922-01-26
WITNESSES TESTIFY
OF VIRGINIA
.RAPPE WAS CAUSED
BY CHRONIC ILLNESS
[RspublIean a. ?. leased WIrel


SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25.- Miss
Virginia Rappe, motion picture ac-
tress, suffered from apparently Sc
we're attacks of illness prior to the
party at which the prosecution con-
tends she was injured fatally by Ros-
coe c. (Fatty) Arbuckle. according
to evidence adduced today at Ar
buckles second trial on a manslaugh-
ter charge arising from her death.
The defense Is attempting to prove
that Miss Rappe's death was due TO
a chronic condition and not TO any
act OF Arbuckle.
Eugene w. Presbrey. dramatic
author, OF Hollywood. California, tes-
titled that in March. 1917. he met
Miss Rappe IN a public room in a
HOLLYWOOD hotel He saw her drink
two glasses OF a French cordial "and
a few minutes later she was in con-
yulsions," he said. He attempted to
give her some ice and her Jaws were
set so hard. he said. that'he had TO
force the ice between her teeth.
Presbrey gave as tributary occu-
pations," the secretaryship OF the
Screen Writer'S Guild and "the Up
lift OF those who write for the
eral scenarios and plays.
II was a fool to drink the liquor
for IL always affects me that way"
Miss Rappe said upon her recovery,
according TO the wIttnesx. Later he
made a statement TO George Melford,
motion picture director. "that the girl
can not drink" he testified.
J. M. covington, cafe proprietor of
Venice, California, said that he saw
Miss Rappe in the cafe In May. 1918,
with Henry Lehrman, a motion pic
ture producer and after drinking
some liquor she went outside tearing
her clothes and shrieking in pain"
Under cross examination he adj
mitted that he had heard various wo-
men "shriek and holler" while under
the influence OF liquor. Miss Rappe
and her comapnion did not get along
very well in the cafe" the witness
said.
Mrs. Annie Portweil. who said she
lived on a ranch near Selma. Cali
fornia, testified that Miss Rappe, her
manager, AL Semnacher and mu-
tual friend, Mrs. Bambino Maud
belmont, visited her home while on
the way from Los Angeles TO San
Francisco. a day before the ArbuclIle
party. I'VE were out riding in my
car when Miss Rappe said please
stop the car if YOU do not want me
to die" Mrs Portwell testified. "She
LEFT the car all doubled up and drank
a quantity of dark colored liquor
from bottle. She said 1t was an
herb tea" The bottle was intro
duced into the evidence.
Mrs. Francis s. Bates, Santa Ana,
California, testified to meeting Miss
Rappe in Chicago department store
in 1918 where both were connected
with a style show. While in the show
Miss RaDpe had three attacks of
severe illness with pains in her abb
dominal region, she testified.
Testimony was offered by Fred
Fischbach. Los Angeles motion pic
ture director and room mate Of Ar
buckle during the party, regarding
first aid' treatment given Miss
Rappe after Arbuckle perpetrated
the supposed attack. Fischbach said
he was absent when the party was
at its height.
F'ischbach did not remember cer-
tain answers in an UNSIGNED state
ment taken from him by the authori-
ties after Miss Rappe's death. He
refused to fix the exact time he was
absent from the party.
Miss Rappe gave indications of
being intoxicated" Fischbach said.
He denied having said in a former
statement that Miss Rappe was 'in
agony" During the cross eXamina-
ton Fischbach defied the prosecu-
tion 'to trick him into any lies"
The defense announced today that
unless compelled to do sou it would
not put ArbuclSle on the stand. There
were certain circumstances however,
that might work to compel his testi-
mony, il was stated by Gavin Nc
Nah chief of defense counsel