The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-17
Once a Reporter, He Hopes
STORY Is Played
Up
SUICIDE WILL BE
HIS DEFENSE
Marian Lambert, Cast Aside,
Took Poison, His
Story

Naukegan, I'LL, req. Nv lllldU II
0rpet, University of Wisconsin student
former newspaper reporter and now IN
Jail charged with the murder of Marian
Lambert, was more interested yesterday
in how the newspapers were playing
up" his case than in his own predica
ment.
I'D rather be on your end OF the case
than mine," Orpet told group of re-
porters, as they stood around the youth
In the office of the sheriff
"How are they playing IL" he asked.
"Say, I'd like to see the Madison, Wis,
papers. DO you know what they're do
ing with the story up there? Wonder il
The Cardinal 1.-THE university daily is
printing much about it,"
Some of the reporters had worked with
Orpet last SUMMER in covering the East.
land tragedy.
"That was a big story" said 0rpet.
"Wish was y king on it again. Is my
story getting MS much play as that did!'
Urpet smiled whimsically when the re-
porters asked him il he'd like to write
his own story.
When Orpet was taken u the sherlifs
office, in company with Leslie ?. Hanna,
one OF his counsel, he was warned by
Hanna not 10 talk about any OF the de-
tails of his case. Asked ii he had made
a statement credited to him Tuesday,
admitting he had bought an empty bot
tie at Madison, Wis, the day before he
left to keep his tryst with Marian, Orpet
replied:
"The only statement have made, and
the only one | will make is that / am
innocent"
"A lot of prisoners in the jail sang
and yelled most OF last nirht," Orpet
said in explanation of his tired appear
ance. I'm getting good care at the jail.
It's a pretty good boa inghouse.'
y. A. Wilkerson, former United States
district attorney, who will be chief OF
Orpet's counsel, yesterday outlined the
principal points OF orpet's defense.
1--WE win seek to prove that 0rpet did
not buy an empty bottle at Madison
Tuesday he said. at will be estab.
lished that Marian deceived him as 10
her condition. We will show beyond a
doubt that the conflicting statements
0rpet has made were drawn from him
under brutal third degree methods We
win show that the "alibi" letter he wrote !
from Madison was merely TO keep the
news OF his visit to Lake Forest from |
parents"
A new arrest has been made in the |
case. Charles w. Hassinger, drug clerk |
Of Madison, Wis, who sold the phial 10 |
0rpet the night OF the students meeting |
with Miss Lambert, was charged with |
selling quantities of drug TO Orpet to be
used for illegal purposes. The alleged I
act dates back to last summer. The
charge is believed to have been lodged
against Hassinger so that he will be held |
as a material witness in the death of the
high school girl
On this phial---an innocent, empty two
ounce bottle that Orpet is alleged to
have purchased Just before his secret
Journey to Lake Forest to keep his tryst
hinges the whole structure of eircum.
itantial evidence that the state has built
up against Orpet. The state is prepared
10 attempt to prove that 0rpet placed
he poison in the bottle and pressed ii
against the girls lips, forcing her to
swallow the fatal draught.
The states theory has been that 0rpet
rave the girl cyanide of potassium on the
,retense that it was medicine to relieve
Ter condition. II is the contention Of
he defense that If Miss Lambert knew
he needed no such medicine it is un-
reasonable to believe 0rbet could have .
PERSUADED her to take the fatal draught. !
1t has been intimated by the state |
hat although Miss Lambert's condition |
vas not such as to cause alarm, young
)rpet was not informed of this and went 7
o the tryst under a misrepresentation. !
{ was coptended that the girl used her I
ondition as a club over the youths II
cad in final attempt to persuade him 7
0 marry her. Q
III orpet is ever indicted and brought