Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-26
ORPET DEFENSE
OUTLINED IN COURT
Attorney For University Student Gives
Outline Of Evidence to Be Intro
duced to Refute States Test.
nonY.

Waukegan, ILL.,, June 26. That
Marian lambert was suffering from
hallucinations for some time before
the day shcsited from cyanide of potas-
sium sunder the oaks near Lake Forest,
that she had ready access to the
poison in her high school laboratory
and that the powder found on her
hand did not necessarily come from a
solution of the deadly stuff were
salient points in the opening state
ment for the defense of Will Orpet,
made here today by James Fl. Wilker-
son, senior counsel of the University
of Wisconsin student.
Mr.. Wilkerson described the girl as
less the happy irresponsible child
depicted by the prosecution than the
budding woman. He pointed out that
she was nearer 49, the age fixed by the
law as maturity for women, than
was Orpet to q, the age at which
young men are presumed capable Of
assuming responsibility for their acts.
to prove that his client could not have
had murder in his mind when he met
his school girl sweetheart. The ad-
Dress in part, follows:
1.-THE indictment is for murder. The
prosecution charges that the defend
ant Wilfully administered poison to
Marian Lambert. The theory OF
guilt outlined by the prosecution
necessarily involves the accusation
that for several weeks before the
death of Marian Lambert the defend
ant had been plotting her murder and
that he proceeded carefully and cum
ningly to carry out his plot.
''The evidence relied upon is circum-
stantial. No witness has been pro-
duced who saw the defendant give the
poison to Marian Lambert. No wit
ness is produced who saw the defend
ant with poison in his possession prior
to the death of Marian Lambert There
is no witness who testifies that the
defendant obtained from any source
any poison prior to the death OF
Marian Lambert.
'In outlining the evidence upon
which the defendant relies, it becomes
necessary to state that evidence in its
relation to the set Of circumstances
upon which the prosecution has stated
it relies. Many OF the facts upon which
the defense places reliance have al
ready been partially brought out by
the prosecution and in the presentation
of some of the evidence for the de-
fense we will therefore find that we
are explaining matters to which there
has already been reference.
1T will be helpful to group the cir
cumstances relied upon by the prose-
cution in the order in which they were
presented in the opening statement for
the state They are;
"u) The physical characteristics OF
the place where the body of Marian
Lambert was found. (2) The mental
condition Of Marian Lambert. (3) The
acts Of Marian Lambert for few
days prior to her death. az The con-
dition Of the body and clothing OF
Marian Lambert when her body was
found. (5) The properties of cyanide
Of potassium the poison which caused
the death OF Marian Lambert. (6) The
relations between the defendant an6
Marian Lambert including their cor
respondence. (D The cyanide in the
greenhouse at the place managed by
the defendant's father. (s) The cyanide
OF potassium 1T the idoOTdtofy Oh the
Deerfield high school which was at
tended by Marian Lambert. (9) The
illness OF Marian Lambert on Jan. ii
1916. (10) The relations between the
defendant and Celestia Youker (11)
The acts OF the defendant shortly prior
to Feb. 9, 1915 (12) The acts OF the
defendant on Feb. Q. 1916, and shortly
thereafter, including the declarations
and admissions alleged to have beer
made by the def 8fsfs -. 5.