The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-15
Alleged Slayer of Marian LAM
bert Faces Justice Today.
He's Accused of Giving Her
Poison After Betraying Her.
Her FATHER WANTS JUSTICE
Orpet Himself Remains il
Jaunty and Defiant Mood.
Tragedy Occurred Last Febru.
ary; Body Found in Snow.

Waukegan, ILL.,, May 15.-Blind JUS
tice began today to place in her scales
the bits of truth that go to make UP
the tragedy of Helms woods at Lake
Forest, where Marion Lambert, a high
school girl, came to her death and Tor
which Will H. Orpet, a student at the
University of Wisconsin, is on trial Tor
his life. The state charges that Orpet'
having won the girls love and De-
trayed her, and believing that she had
even stronger claim on his protec-
ton, gave her cyanide and so killed
her to hide his duplicity- The de-
Tense claims that the girl, respondent
because Orpet was paying court to
another girl, killed herself.
All the pitiful tragedy that has gone
before and much OF that which is to
follow, centers about the three oaks
in Helms woods, where the girl
dropped in the snow that day in Feb
ruary last and died at the feet of the
boy she loved. 1t was there they used
to meet when he was making love to
her. 1t was there he won her heart
and betrayed her trust in him. And
it was there he summoned her to meet
him under the promise to make
everything all right when she wrote
him at Madison that she was in need
of his protection.
Her Body Found.
They met there on February 9. Only
| Orpet knows all that was said and
done, but next day searchers found
the girls body lying by the three oaks
and Orpers tracks leading away.
| The state and the defense have
measured and staked and plated and
photographed Helms woods and three
oaks, and all over the tract are film
pack covers showing that amateurs
have photogra pied the place almost
daily. And the jury, which the lawyers
will select will be marched over Helm
woods and will see the three oaks and
see re-enacted the tragedy of that win
ter day.
The tragedy has not stopped at the
death of Marion Lambert Her moth
er has just returned home from q
sanitarium where she was sent to save
her from total collapse, and hel
father, Frank Lambert, is perceptibly
more gray and stopped and silent thar
| he was. He is very bitter toward viii
lOrpet.
Father Wants Justice.
81 want to see justice done-and
don't see how they can clear him,
said the father this morning.
Orpet himself is very jaunty and de-
fiant. When newspaper men asked to
talk with him Sunday there was a
burst of profanity and instructions
were issued not to let any one, even
| Ills RELATIVES, see nlIH- AlO IOue VI
his relatives called on him.
States Attorney Ralph Dady would
not say today that he will demand that
Orpet be hanged-but he did say
this:
Il shall choose jurors who are not
opposed to capital punishment"
Orpet's own father has been called
as a witness by the state. He will tell
whether he kept cyanide where his
son could have got it.
Girl Chief Witness.
| But the chief witnesses will be jose
phine Davis, the best loved and trusted
| friend of Marian Lambert-the one
| to whom she confided all griefs; and
Miss Celeste Youker, to whom Orpet
/ paid court after he had discarded
Marion Lambert.
The trial opens at 1870 today in the
Lake county court house before Judge
| Charles Donnelly. 1t is expected that
| at least a week will be consumed in
| choosing a jury.