Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-01-26
MISS RAPPE Ill
PRIOR To PARTY
WITNESS STATES
Movie Actress Long Had
Been Subject to Attacks
of Sickness, According to
Evidence AdduCed.
(By The Associated pressO

! san FRANCISCO, IAN, ZJ.-MlSS
| Virginia Rape, motion picture act
Iress, suffered from apparently Sc
we're attacks of illness prior to the
party at which the prosecution con-
tends she was injured fatally by
Roscoe C. (Fatty) Arbuckle, ac-
| Cording to evidence adduced today
at Arbuckle's second trial on
manslaughter 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
jauthor, of Hollywood, Calf testi-
flied 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
iconvulsions," he said. He attempt
ed 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 fer the
screen" He said he had written
Several successful scenarios and
Iplays
"That Girl Cannot Drink"
Il was a fool to drink the liquor
for 1t always affects me that way"
Miss Rape said upon her recov-
cry, according to the witness. Later
he made a statement to George
Melford, motion picture director,
/ that that girl cannot drink" he
testified
J. NJ. Covlneton, cafe proprietor
Iof Venice, Calf, said that he saw
Miss Rappe in the cafe in May,
1918, with Henry Lehrman, a mo-
ton picture producer and after
drinking some liquor she went out
side tearing her clothes and
shrieking in pain"
Under cross examination he ad-
mitted that he had heard various
women "shriek and holler," while
under the influence of liquor. Miss
Rappe and her companion "did not
get along very well in the cafe"
the witness said.
Mrs. Annie Portwell, who said
she lived on q ranch near Selma,
Calf, testified that Miss Rappe,
her manager, Al Semnacher. and
a mutual friend, Mrs. Bambina
Maud 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
CO f1s fID1nnSA ctr
not want me to die" Mrs. Port
well testified. "She left the car all
doubled up and drank a quantity of
dark colored liquor from a gin bot
tie. She said it was an herb tea"
The bottle was introduced into the
evidence.
Three Attacks of Illness.
Mrs. Francis S. Bates. Santa Ana.
Calf, testified to meeting Miss
Rape in a Chicago department
store in 1913 where both were con-
nected with a style show. While
in the store Miss Rape had three
attacks of a supposed severe illness
with pains in her abdominal region,
she testified. Testimony was Of
fered by Fred Fischbach, Los An
geles motion picture director and
roommate of Arbuckle during the
party, regarding first aid" treat
ment given Miss Rappe after Ar
buckle perpetrated the supposed
attack. Fischbach said he was alb
sent when the party was at it's
height.
Fischbach "did not remember"
certain answers in an unsigned
statement taken from him by the !
authorities after Miss Rappe's
death. He refused to fix the exact !
time he was absent from the party. |
Miss Rape gave indications of
being intoxicated" Fischbach said, !
He denied having said\in a former
statement that Miss Rape was in
agony. During the cross eXamina-
tion Fischbach defied the prosecu-
tion to trick him into any lies"
The defense announced today
that "unless compelled to do so" it
would not put Arbuckle on the
stand. There were certain circum-
stances. however, that might work
to compel his testimony, 1t was
stated by Gavin McNab. chief of
defense counsel.