Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-02-17
BOY INSISTS GIRL
HE SPURNED TOOK
DEADLY DRAUGH7
College Student Confesses Be.
ing With High School Miss
lust Prior to Time of
Her Death.
YOUTH NOW IN CUSTODY
Deaf Mute Declares He Saw
Man Press Vial to Lips Of
Lass and Later Saw
Her Drop.
YOUTH NOW IN CUSTODY

Chicago, Feb. 1~4.-So7emn denial
was made today by VIII II. Orpet, stu
dent at the University of Wisconsin.
that he saw Marion Lambert take the
poison which ended her life in the
Woo near her hone III Lake Forest.
Where her half frozen body was found
Thursday morning.
IF l had only looked back, do You
think 1 would have let her lie there"
he asked, pointing to the dark woods
where the body was found.
Orpet arrived iii Lake Forest today
from Madison, Wis. in the custody OF
detectives and States Attorney r. j.
Dady. of Lake county.
Part of the mystery which surround
ed Inc death of Miss Lambert was
solved by the confession of Orpet, who
admitted that he had met the girl in
h lonely woods; on a secret tryst and
that he had told her he intended to
marry another.
Tells Of Tryst in Woods.
Oroet is reported to have given the
following account of his trySt with the
girl:
ri got to Lake Forest Tuesday night
and failed to make an appointment
with Marion for that evening, so 1
made one for the next morning. We
had our talk in the woods II | then
told her I was figuring on marrying
another girl.
Il old her plainly h a it was all off
between us. Then we arranged that
should leave the woods first n take
a car to Chicago. where l ould get a
train for Madison. I did that. She was
to follow me in a few minute after |
had time to catch my car and get out
of her way. But she didn't do that"
The police planned to confront Crpet
with David James. a deaf mute, who
said he saw Miss Lambert and a young
Vo.vo ~ SAa r-o@Ic "Wednesday ami
that he saw the man press a bottle TO
h young woman's lips.
According to the statement of Off
GERS, Orpet said he met Miss Lambert
in the woods near the Sacred Heart
academy. Wednesday morning, by ap-
%pointnent, He said she pleaded with
him for two hours 20 renew his friend
ship with her. He said he declined.
Then, according to the officers. Orpet
said he left her and as he did she
swallowed the poison, which caused
her death.
Wrote Letters, He Says.
Orpet did not admit that ne actually
saw the girl die. He confessed, how
ever, that he wrote her a letter making
an appointment, declined to continue
as friend. and later another letter to be
delivered at her home in Lake Forest
after the finding of her body.
1t wa pointed out by detectives,
that the second letter might have been
written to establish an aIihi, the pur-
pose of which was to indicate that he
had not LETT Madison on the night pre-
ceding the girls death
1t was expected that Orpet would re-
peat his story to the coroner'S jury to-
day.
Tried To Establish Abb.
orpet's confession came at the end
of five hours cross examination at the
hands of detectives and States At
torney Dady. of Lake county. He was
taken into custody at Madison, Wis.
yesterday afternoon and it was after
midnight before he admitted that h"
had been with Miss Lambert on the
day OF her death. Prior to that time
he maintained stoutly that he had not
left Madison, and this was corroborated
by his i%andiady, who based her state
1nent on the fact that his bod appeared
to nave been slept in. Orpet and the
officials left Madison on an early train
and We're expected to arrive in lake
Forest early today.
The Lake Forest authorities today
made public the statement of David
James. a deaf mute. who claims 70
have witnessed the girls death. James.
according to the police, said he saw Il
a walking in the woods with Miss
Iamber. saw him press something
that looked like 9 bottle 20 her lips and
that shortly afterwards she fell dead.
Youth Visits Scene.
Orpet was taken TO the woods where
the body was found. With officers he
walked ove the route which he said
he and Miss Lambert followed on last
Wednesday,. Crossing a little ravine.
Orpet stopped. There. he said, was
where he had a sharp quarrel with the
girl when he told her Of his engagement
to another. Reaching the three trees
under which the body was found the
party searched unsuccessfully for a
bottle OIL paper which might have con-
tanned the poison.