The Fatty Arbuckle case (1962)

on a drowning man. Arbuckle couldn't have cared less, but it offset some of the positive Arbuckle publicity in the press for Brady. Brady's problems continued to increase. Three more witnesses couldn't be found. One was a hotel maid who said she had heard Virginia screaming for help. Two other women guests, who had been in and out of the party, were also wanted for questioning. The D.A.'s office called a press conference and said it had proof that Zey Prevon had been bribed. Brady said he'd offer photostats of the checks as evidence at the trial. ( He never did. ) Minta Dunfee, Arbuckle's estranged wife, then arrived in San Francisco, her fare paid by the defense. She said, "Roscoe is a great, big, lovable, pleasure-loving, oxergrown boy. Success has just been too much for him to cope with. I feel by intuition that he is not guilty. And I have never been wrong about that wonderful man." Mabel Normand, one of Hollywood's biggest stars of the era, called Minta to offer her sympathy and good wishes. When Irving Lehrman's name came up in the D.A.'s office, Minta said, "He's a fop and a charm boy— tasteless and a climber. He's not worth one finger of Arbuckle. He would never have married Miss Rappe, and he's putting on a big show for all the publicity he can get out of it" Her valiant efforts in Arbuckle's behalf, however, did not offset a constant dumping of Arbuckle films. Six hundred theatres now announced they would not show any Arbuckle film. On September 14, Arbuckle was charged with manslaughter by the coroner's jury. They theorized, "Miss Virginia Rappe unfortunately had sexual relations with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle against her will. During these sexual relations such force was applied by Arbuckle that Miss Rappe was mortally hurt. We recommend such steps be taken that will prevent such outrages in San Francisco." Constantly, both with the coroner's jury and other civic and legal groups, it appeared as if no one cared 72