Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-08
Jury COMPLETED,
0RP[1 TRIAL BEGINS
ATTORNEY FOR STATE OUTLINES
CASE AGAINST 2o-YEAR.o
UNIVERSITY STUDENT.
STATES EVIDENCE
ONLY clRcUMsTANTIAL
Father Of Dead Girl to Be Called as
First Witness-Defense Not to Out
line Case Until States Evidence Is
E. Concluded-No Need to Show Use OF
Force to Prove Murder Charge.

waukesan, ILL.,, June s.-With the
Jury in the trial of Will Orpet finally
completed after the examination OF
more than 1900 veniremen, the actual
trial was begun today.
David r. Joslyn, assistant to the
states attorney, opened his statement
for the prosecution today, outlining
the states case.
1t is said the defense will reserve
it's opening statement until after the
evidence of the prosecution has been
presented.
Frank Lambert, father of the dead
girl, will take the stand as the first
witness for the state.
1t is believed the states case will
rest on circumstantial evidence. Let
tiers from Orpet to Marian Lambert
will be presented as evidence for the
state Most of the letters are but those
of a boy to. his sweetheart, but in
some of them is hint of the rela-
tions of the two and the possibility
of the delicate condition of the girl.
State Outlines Case.
The circumstantial evidence on
which the state will rely to convince
a Jury that William H. Orpet, twenty
1ear-oiti University OF Wisconsin stu
dent. murdered his former sweetheart.
was outlined to the jurors in Judge
Dcrnelly.s court here today by DAVID
r. Joslyn. Mr.. Joslyn is states at
torney of McHenry county. but came
here to assist States Attorney Ralph
Daddy in the prosecution of Orpet.
The points on which the state will
rely in it's efforts to convict, as dis
closed in Mr.. JoSlyn's remarks, are:
/. Orpet's waning or vanished arec-
ton for Miss Lambert and his belief
that her physical condition presaged
serious trouble for him.
9 That he made elaborate efforts to
establish an alibi by mussing up his
bed to make it appear he had slept
there when as d matter OF fact he was
on his way to Miss Lambert, and by
leaving letters to be mailed after his
departure from Madison. Wis.
g. BY his contradictory statements
and final admission that he saw Miss
Lambert die.
4. BY the alleged fact that he pur-
chased an empty two-ounce bottle from
drug store at Madison.
5. BY the alleged fact, as establish
ed in the belief of the state, that the
fatal drug used was in solution.
6. BY the fac ct thatno container was
found near the body, as would have
been the case, in the states opinion,
had the girl carried the poison herself.
7. BY the fact that while the poison
in crystal form was kept by the pa
rents of both Orpet and Miss Lambert.
and at the respective schools attended
by them, it was more readily accessible
to Orpet.
Murder Despite Lack Of Force.
1.-The charge of murder" said Mr..
Joslyn, "is equally applicable whether
Orpet forced Marian Lambert to take
cyanide Of potassium or whether he
induced her to take it under a belief
that it was drug likely to relieve her
supposed condition"
The attorney asserted that the au-
topsy plainly showed that the young
"
death, nor for some time prior, in a
delicate condition, but he said that in
her innocence it was quite likely she
Rad believed Other wise.
MI. Joslyn pictured Miss Lambert as
"a girl .of considerable natural beauty,
intelligence. with a disposition whose
chief characteristic was unvarying
cheerfulness, great modesty, a love for
the society of her girl friends, fur
nishing the life and spirit of each spe-
cial gathering, entertaining her girl
friends at her home constantly, and
frequently spending the night with
some girl chum.'
Up to the time Of her death, the
lawyer said, she betrayed no thought
of death. Her activities were as gay
and cheerful as ever to the last. On
Feb. three Of her girl friends spent
the night with her. On the sixth she
entertained eighteen of them at her
birthday party. Feb. Z she was alone
and Feb. Josephine Davis, chum,
stayed with her. She met Orpet Feb.
and her body was found in the snow
of Helms woods the next day.
Cheerful When Leaving Home.
Orpet on the night of Feb. 8. un-
noticed by her parents and Miss Davis
in an adjoining room. On the morning
of Feb. in her usual good spirits, the
lawyer continued, she and Miss Davis
started for school. She was to have
helped serve at an entertainment at
the home of her Sunday school teacher
that night She carried. along with
her school books, skirt and an
apron in a bundle.
At the Sacred Heart station of the
/ interurban road the girls met Verna
Jackson, friend. Verna, it was learn
ed later, had noticed young man
| standing. apparently waiting, IL
Helms woods, but the fact made no
impression on her at the time. Marian
had no recitation in the forenoon
period at school. She spoke to jose
phine about it, and concluded not to
60. She handed her bundle to jose
phine.
Goodbye, old top, I'll see you
later she said to Josephine" related
Mr.. Joslyn.
'The two girls took the car, leav-
ing Marian standing on platform, smil.
ing and happy. went on the lawyer
"She was never seen alive again by
any one except William Orpet."
| Trail Leads to Body.
to return until the train at SOS p