Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-19
STATE is ACCUSED
IN ARBUCKLE CASE
Miss Alice Blake Declares She
Was Detained Against
Her Will
MEMORY PROVES POOR

San Francisco. Jan. 19.-MiSs Alice
Stake, a showgirl who participated in
fhe party at the Hotel st. Francis. at
which Miss Virginia Rappe is alleged
TO have suffered her fatal injuries. yes.
ferday testified that she and Iey Pre-.
vost, another prosecution witness. had
been detained several weeks prior to
Roscoe G. Arbuckle's first trial Mt the
home Of au attache Of the District At
tofney's office.
This testimony created a sensation in
the second trial of Arbucklc. charged
with manslaughter in connection with
Miss Rappe's death. and the major
topic OF conversation about the court.
room today Is what action the at.
torneys for the defense will take as the
result Of the witness revelations.
4 Asked whether she had been coerced
regarding her testimony the witness said
she would rather not state"
At the morning session of court the
defense eagerly seized upon what prom
jsed 10 be big defense issue. when Miss
Blake not only failed to testify that
Arbuckle had followed" Miss Rappe
into the room where she was later
found suffering. but admitted that she
could not recall whether Arbuckle was
present or not when she found Miss
Happe lying on the bed in pain.
Memory Improves Later
At the afternoon session. however,
Miss Blake rccollected some of the
party incidents better. when Assistant
District Attorney Friedman read tran
scripts Of her former testimony. She
hneif1fin1lr aIy,tNtal tbn% rh,,nt1N ha RI
been standing by the window. several
feet from the bed where Virginia Rappc
was lying. when she said, Il am
dying. he hurt me-. She was unccr-
tain as to the possibility of Arbuclile
having heard the words. but admitted
that he had said: "Shut up; you re
crazy" She also explained for the
first time the incident Of Arbuckle' s
appearance at the party in paianRs.
saying be had told them he had been
burned in an accident and that the
pajamss were more comfortable.
DIR. Arthur Beardslee. house physi-
cian at the st. Francis Hotel. called
TO attend Miss Rappe MT I o'clock on
the evening Of September 5. the day OF
the party, declared that from the first
he recognized the case as one demand =
ing hospital care and surgical atten-
.AVf ohu thul hV gu 'vlh All o. -hdNCe
belmont.
Small Bruise on Arm
DR.. Beardslee said that although he
examined Miss Rappc carefully. the only
mark that he saw on her body was n
small superficial bruisr on the left arm
Surgeons who assisted at the autopsy
have testified that the girls body was
deeply bruised in several places at that
time.
A lively battle developed over Attor-
ney Nat Schmulowitz' questions re-
gsrding what Mrs. belmont. then at
tending Miss Rappe. told DIR. Beardslee
about the girls illness. State attorneys
objected vigorously, while defense at
torneys countered with the argument
that the information was part of the
history Of the case.
Judge Loudcrback sustained the
States objections, but Attorney Me-
Nab, through an offer of proof. sue
ceeded in getting before the jury. if not
into the record as testimony, the az
legation that when DR.. Beardsee asked
Mrs. belmont II any one had hurt
Miss Rappc the answer was in the neg
ative.
DIR. Fl. E. Castle. called as emergency
physician on the afternoon OF Septem-
Der o. said that he reached Wakefield
Sanitarium q few minutes after Miss
Rappe's death and examined her body
10 see II death had occurred. He said
that he noticed that the girls arms
were bruised.