The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-07-16
ENL LARGED NAVAL BILL LSUP MURDER TRIAL
BEFORE THE SENATE AGAIN. ENDED AT LAST
Evidence Such as to Create a
Doubt as to Whether 1t Was
Murder or Suicide.
ACCUSED MAN SMILES
Excess of Emotion is Such as to
Make Acquitted Man Tenn
pOrariIy Speeches..

w ~ ANAANhANg AAAst ehiy AS'
liam II. Orpet, the university stu
dent charged with numbering Marion
Lambert, n high school girl and his
former sweetheart, was tonight
found not guilty by jury in judge
Donnellys court after five hours
dellberation.
The jury retired at 1850 o'clock.
At 6 o'clock It's members were taken
to dinner, where they spent half an
hour.
One hour later came word that
verdict had been reached. Probably
Afty persons were still waiting for
It. Orpet was sent for In his cell and
Judge Donnelly was still at the court
house.
Three Ballots Taken.
Three ballots were taken. The
Grst two stood eleven to one for ac-
Quittal.
orpet was silent through excess
Of emotion. He was barely able to
return the handclasps Of his attor-
neys. He made his way to the jur-
ors and shook their hands one by
one, smiling but saying nothing.
Mrs. orpet received the verdict as
II It were mere matter Of routine
She noted that a photographer was
there watching to take snap pic
ture of her son and herself and
warned him, meanwhile shielding
her own face.
Privacy shfeglarded.
The defendant, his father and
mother, his brother and several
friends hurried into the witness room
where their privacy was safeguarded
by bailiff. Half an hour later they
emerged,
"Well 90 home now William"
Mrs. Orpet said, and they made their
way down the back stairs and to the
jail
orpet's few belongings in his cen
were already packed. He had re-
covered his self-possessIon by this
and thanked Sheriff Griffin for MAX
ing his four-months' stay in jail as
comfortable as possible. The party
was then driven home In the automo-
bile Of one Of orpet's lawyers.
The important events Of the trial
all occurred on the fifteenth. The
selection Of the jury began on May
15, the taking of testimony was be-
gun on June 15, and acquittal came
on July 15.
The case OF Marion Lambert and
William H. orpet in the course Of Its
development became one Of the most
Derplexing in the annals of criminal
history. Motive paralleled motive, ac-
ton paralleled action, opportunity
paralleled opportunity until the marks
of murder and OF suicide became sub
stantially as one.
Mysifying Niceties.
In the end the guilt or innocence
Of the defendant, 80 far as the abduc-
ton Of actual fact was concerned went
to the jury on the mystifying nice
ties Of chemical analysis and orpets
own compromising conduct. The mys-
terry attracted unusual interest in all
parts Of the United States and Canada.
Trial Of the case including selection
Of Jury occupied the better part OF
two months. There appeared In eyi-
dence forty-four letters written by Or
pet to Marion over period Of year;
bottles and. boxes containing samples
Of cyanide from the Mccormick es-
tate, from the Deerfield high school
laboratory, from Kraft's drug store at
Lake Forest and white powder scraped
from Marion's hand and from spots
on her cloak; the girls garments;
magazine article dealing with the use
Of cyanide as fumigator in green
houses; the chemistry text books used
respectively by the high school girl
and the college student, a copy Of the
Wisconsin statute dealing with the sale
Of poisons, and bottle Of molasses and
water.
Chemistry Specialists.
Five chemists, all Of whom were
specialists in texiocology, one alienist
two surveyors, druggists, street car
men, an undertaken, school teachers,
police officers. reporters and friends
Of the orpets were among the long
array Of witnesses who testified.
Ralph W. Dady, states attorney Of
Lake county; David r Joslyn, states
attorney Of McHenry county, and Eu.
gene NJ. Ranyard appeared as counsel
for the prosecution, and James q. Will
kerson, former United States district
attorney at Chicago; Ralph +. Potter
his law partner, and Leslie P Hanna
Of Waukegan, for the defense. More
than thousand veniremen were ex-
amined before jury, said by COUNSEL
upon its selection to be above the
average in intelligence and character
was chosen. Judge Charles q. Dom
nelly presided.
Series OF Parallels.
The seres oe parallels started q
Lake Forest one Of series Of aris-
t,,,,sti, "a. c5Ililllli 4. offiuf the heariIr