The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-01
Attempt to Show That Girls
Mind Was Deranged.
DIED IN CONSPICUOUS PLACE
Three Oaks Plainly Visible
From Sheridan Road.
Claim Scene Too Open for De-
Iiberate Murder.
BY DOROTHY DIX.

/ Kip1ing sings a song of misadventure,
and tells how, when the thing that
| couldn't, has occurred" We grid our
selves up and begin all over again.
This cheering ditty was doubtless
running in the mind Of States Attor-
| ney Dady in the Orpet case while the
defense spent hours in proving that
certain things couldn't possibly have
happened that have happened.
The first related to the weather in
Lake Forest on the day on which Mar
ion Lambert met her death. A learn
ed meteorologist who runs the wealth
er in Chicago, carrying in his hands
an imposing looking book of statistics,
proved conclusively from his record of
statistics that it did not snow on that
particular day. Unfortunately, how
ever, for his testim ony it does not rain
alike on the four hundred of the North
side and hoi polloi of Chicago, and
whatever it may have done in the city,
there was a furry or two of snow in
Lake Forest.
steps Were Marked.
The particular interest in this
meteorological phenomenon lies in the
fact that the footsteps of William Or
pet and Marion Lambert as they trod
the unbroken snow in Helms woods
were covered over with thin coating
of sleetlike snow that fell during the
day and was thus set apart for days
marked by Gods own hand, as Mr..
Joslyn dramatically puts it-from all
the other footprints that were made by
those who went out searching for the
girl when she failed to come home on
Wednesday night and who flocked to
the spot when the news of the tragedy
became known.
Then the defense introduced witness
after witness and photographs and
diagrams and maps galore to show
what a conspicuous spot the Three
Oaks is, especially in winter when
the leaves are off of the trees. 1t was
shown conclusively that any one
standing at the root of the trees could
be easily seen from Sheridan road
and from the electric railroad cars.
Therefore. the defense contended that
lit was incredible that Orpet would
have selected such an open space in
which to commit a cold bIooded and
deliberate murder.
Could Be Seen From Road,
Doubtless this is true. Certainly the
Three Oaks are easily visible both
from the Sheridan road and the cleo
trio car line, and yet Marion Lambert
was killed. either by her own hand
or by Orpet's. at that particular spot
and no eye save Orpet's saw the deed
done. And nobody saw the Ozark form
lying there on the snow for a day and
night, although the Sheridan road
is great highway and the electric
cars flash by every few minutes
Today the defense was to begin ex-
plotting its theory that Marion Lam
bert committed suicide. 1t will paint
her as a modern Ophelia, whom much
love made mad, and whose mind be-
came like sweet bells tangled out of
tune.
An interesting physiological study as
any lbsen heroine is the strange young
girl, the revelation of whose life and
character has astounded every one
who knew her. Outwardly, she was
the prettiest and simplest and sweet
est of village maidens. She was al
ways laughing and gay, the life of
every party.
Model for Other Girls.
She was the kind of a young girl
who seemed SO gentle and modest that
she was called a perfect little lady,
and only few days before her death
an elderly clerk who served her in a
store, turned to a woman customer
when she had gone, and said: Il nope
when my little girl grows up, that she
will be just as sweet a girl as Marion
Lambert" And she was held up as
a model to other girls by her Sunday
school teacher and her pastor.
Yet she was living a secret life that
no one suspected. She had sinned
and chartered and was apparently the
most carefree among her little light
minded schoolmates, yet she was i'm
ploring her lover to send her medi-
cine to save her from disgrace, and
she was agonized with the knowledge
that he was tired of her and she was
holding him only by eompulsion. And
she was just IT. She celebrated her
eighteenth birthday only three days
before her death.
The testimony in the case has
shown that from September to Febru-
airy Marion Lambert was ceaselessly
writing Will Orpet that she was in
trouble, that she feared disgrace and
that he must help get her out. 1t was
the insistence of these letters that
brought him down to see her on the
sth of February, and. according to his
story, on their walk through the woods
she spoke of nothing else. She said
the same thing with a thousand va
riations," he testified.
What is the real Interpretation of
this, for Marion Lambert knew abso-
lutely and certainly that she had moth
ing to fear, that no disgrace impended
and that unless she told of her secret
romance it would never be known. Did
she use this claim of bogus mother
hood to make a false appeal to her
recreant lovers honor, or as a club to
use over his head to keep him from
leaving her?
"A "a n AA "A aAUAVE nm