Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-26
DRINKING FITS
Of MISS RAPPE
USUAL, IS SAID
Witnesses of Arbuckle
Tell of Seeing Her in
Commissions at Times.
Strive to Prove Death
Due to Chronic Condi-
ton She Suffered.

San Francisco. Jan. 25.-Miss Vir-
ginia Rappe, motion picture actress.
suffered from apparently severe at
tacks of illness prior to the party at
which the prosecution contends she
was injured fatally by Roscoe G.
("Fatty') Arbuekle. according to evil
dence adduced Tuesday at Arbuckle's S
second trial on a manslaughted charge
arising from her death. The defense
is attempting to prove that Miss
Rappes death was due to chronic
condition and not to any act of Ar
buckle.
Two Glasses Locked Her Jaws
thor. of Hollywood, Cal, testified that
in March, 19i7, he met Miss Rappe in
public room in a Hollywood hotel.
He saw her drink two glasses of a
French cordial "and few minutes
later she was in commissions" 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.
Il was a fool to drink the liquor
for it always affects me that way
Miss Rappe said upon her recovery,
according to the witness.
Saw Her Tear Clothes In Cafe
j. NJ. Coyington, cafe proprietor of
Venice, CAL. said that he saw Miss
Rappe in the cafe in May. 1918. with
Henry Lehrmann, a motion picture
producer, and after drinking some
liquor she went outside tearing her
clothes and shrieking in pain
Under oss-examination he admitted
that he had heard various women
''shriek and holler" While under the in
fluence of liquor. Miss Rappe and
her companion did not get along very
well in the cafe the witness said.
Had to Stop to Take Tea
Mrs. Annie Portwell. who said she
lived on ranch near Selma, Cal,
testified that Miss Rappe. hes man
ager, Al Semnacher, and mutual
friend Mrs. Bambina Maude belmont,
visited her home while on the way
from Los Angeles to San Francisco, a
day before the Arbuckle 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 J"
car all doubled up and drank a guam
tity of dark-colored liquor from n
gin bottle She said it was an herb
tea The bottle was introduced into
the evidence.
Mrs. Francis s. Bates, Santa Ana,
Cal, testified to meeting Miss Rappe
in Chicago department store in 1913,
where both were connected with a style
show. While in the store Miss Rappe
had three attacks of supposed severe
illness with pains in the abdominal re-
gion. she testified.
Witness Forgets In Pinches
Testimony was offered by Fred
Fischback. Los Angeles motion picture
director and room mate of Arbuckle
during the party, regarding first aid"
treatment given Miss Rappe after
Arbuckle perpetrated the supposed at
tack. Fischback said he was absent
when the party was at its height.
Fischback "did not remember" certain
answers in an unsigned statement TAX
en- from him by the authorities after
Miss Rappe's death. He refused to
fix the exact time he was absent from
the party.
Miss Rappe gave indications of be-
ing intoxicated" Fischback said. He
denied having said in former state
ment. that Miss Rappe was 'in agony"
During the cross-examination Fisch-
back defied the prosecution to trick
him into any lies
The defense announced that unless
compelled to do so,' it would not put
Arbuckle on the stand.