Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-17


William IT. Orpet In the course Of its
development became one Of the most
perplexing in the annals Of criminal
history. Motive paralleled motive. ac-
ton paralleled action, opportunity par
alleled opportunity until the marks OF
murder and Of suicide became sub
stantially as one.
@ In the end the guilt or innocence of
= the defendant. SO far as the abduction
Of actual fact was concerned, went to
the jury on the mystifying niceties OF
chemical analysis and Orpet's own
compromising conduct, The mystery
attracted unusual interest In all parts
OF the United States and Canada.
Trial OF the case, including selection
Of b jury, occupied the better part OF
two months. There appeared in evil
dence forty-four letters written by Or
pet to Marian over period OF a. year;
bottles and boxes containing samples OF
cyanide from the Mccormick estate,
from the Deerfield high school labora-
tory, from Kraft's, drug store at Lake
Forest, and white powder scraped from
Marian's hand and from spots on her
cloak; the girls garments; q magazine
article dealing with the use of cyanide
as a fumigator in greenhouses; the
chemistry text books used respectively
by the high school girl and the college
student, copy Of the Wisconsin statute
dealing with the sale Of poisons. and a
bottle Of molasses and water.
Five chemists, all of whom were
specialists in toxicology, one alienist,
two surveyors, druggists, street car
men. an undertaken. school teachers,
police officers. reporters and friends Of
the Orpets and Lamberts were among
the long array of witnesses who testi-
fed.
Thousand Veniremen Examined.
~ Ralph w. Dady, states attorney of
Lake county; David r. Joslyn, states
attorney of McHenry county, and Eu-
gene NJ. Runyard appeared as counsel
for the prosecution, and James H. Will
kerson, former United States district
attorney at Chicago; Ralph F. Potter.
his law partner, and Leslie P. Hanna,
OF Waukegan, for the defense. More
than a thousand veniremen were exam
ined before jury, said by counsel up
on its selection to be above the average
In intelligence and charactr, was chos-
en-. Judge Charles H. Donnelly, pre-
sided.
The series of parallels started at
Lake Forest, one of series of aristo-
cratic suburbs dotting the heavily
wooded bluffs along the west shore OF
Lake Michigan from Chicago to Wau-
kegan, for Frank Lambert, father of
Marian. was superintendent Of the
Kuppenheimer estate, and Edward O..
, Orpet. father Of the defendant. superin-
tendent of the estate of Cyrus McCor
mick both at Lake Forest.
Birth Of Affection.
Last summer young Orpet. then a
pallid. slender youth of 10. of sharply
regular features. somewhat vain in his
college opportunities and undisciplined
as to character, returned from the
University of Wisconsin at Madison for
a vacation at home. He fell madly in
love with Marian. according to his let
tiers. She had completed her junior
year at the DeerHeld high school and
was then II, and known for her gaiety
and, laughter-''the life of the party" as
one witness put It.
When Orpet returned to college in the
fall Of 1915 frequent letters were ex-
changed. Orpet destroyed hers; she
saved his and they remained after her
death to speak of the great fear of ex-
posure that came upon her. Orpet. in
testifying.4 said that he was certain
that these fears were groundless. Once
he mailed her bottle of molasses and
water, ITO ease her mind" and he
brought similar compound with him
for the same purpose when he entered
Helms woods near Lake Forest, with
her on the morning of Wednesday, Feb
., last.
Why Did orpet Come?
Orpet testified that he made the trip
10 allay her fears and to explain story.
which had reached Marian that he was
engaged to Celeste Youker. but the
elaborate efforts which he made to keep
the trip secret, and his subsequent con-
fiicting statements of 1t to officers Of
I. the law, developed into the most dam
aging evidence against him. 1t led to
the menacing question of Mr.. Joslyn.
reiterated again and again-"Why?
why? Why did you come? You
brought no relief; you brought no med
lcine; you brought, no tenderness-no
words OF love. Why did you Gomez"
On Feb. 8, Orpet at Madison left three
letters, post dated Feb. 9, with his