Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-16

much after that except that on reach
ing the road | threw away the 'medi-
cine and made my way on foot to
Highland Park, caught train and
that evening arrived back at Madi-
SON."
Marion was missed that night and
her body found the next morning.
Orpet was arrested and told numer-
Gus conflicting stories prior to the
trial, these being used against him
at the trial. During his cross-exami-
nation, which lasted three days, he
repeatedly took refuge in II don't
remember" He spoke in a low voice.
with apparently studied effort, but
nevertheless became involved at times
and extricated himself by correct
ing my previous testimony" His
manner was nervous and he rarely
looked at his inquisitor, Attorney
Joslyn.
The States Theory.
Early in the case the state de-
veloped the theory that Orpet pur-
chased a two-ounce bottle from
Charles Hassinger, friend employed
in drug store at Madison, obtained
cyanide of potassium from an alleged
supply in the greenhouse on the Nc
Cormick estate, and made a solution
of it before retiring to bed in the
garage. 1t was charged that he either
forced Marion to take it, or deceived
her with the explanation that it was
medicine.
The state was unable to persuade
any witness to come from Wiscon-
sin, and repeatedly limited that
sinister influence Of the defense was
at the bottom of it. Hassinger,
| wanted with references to the bottle,
was among those who declined to tes-
tfy and no bottle or other container
for the poison was even found. Otto
Peterson likewise became persistent
absentee, despite the need for his tes-
timony regarding the abb letters and
as having seen Orpet, according to
the latter, concoct the molasses and
water.
DR.. Ralph w. Webster and Dr.. w.
| J. McNally, chemists, testified for the
state that Marion died of liquid cya-
hide of potassium, and that the spots
on her coat were left by drops of
the solution. Three defense chemists
testified that the poison was taken in
powder form and that the important
and accusatory cyanide in the green
house was not cyanide Of potassium at
all, but cyanide of sodium, with only
a faint trace of potassium. DR..
McNally, having made further ex-
periments, voluntarily appeared for
the defense and corrected his pre-
vious testimony to agree with that of
the defense, and DR.. Webster, recalled
by the state, did so in reply to a hy-
pothetical question on cross-examina-
ton.
Cause Of Death.
1t was shown further without con-
tradiction by every chemists who had
a hand in the examination of Mar
ions stomach content that cyanide
of potassium caused her death. Only
an inconsequent trace of sodium ap-
peared. When it was shown in ad-
dition, that to have taken in the
amountof cyanide Of potassium found
in her stomach, Marion would have
had to eaten two pounds Of the sub
stance in the greenhouse, or to have
drank two quarts of solution made
from it, it was admitted generally that
1; this substance as the instrument Of
death had disappeared from the case
The fact that young Orpet might
have obtained the greenhouse cyanide
had its parallel in the laboratory OF
the Deerfeld high school attended by
Marion. The instrument Of murder
and the instrument of suicide were
equally available. The laboratory sub
stance was 81 per cent pure cyanide
of potassium. Marion, on the day be.