The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-16
LAMBERT GIRL
NOT ILL.,, BOYS
LAWYERSSAY
Assert Two Girl Chums as
Witnesses Will Upset
State Theory.
PROSECUTION CLAIMS
II HAS NEW EVIDENCE

CHICAGO. Feb. i5~-tawyers for VIII
Orpet. the University Of Wisconsin
student held at Wauk.gan since the
death Of Marian Lambert. will set W
as ono OF the mainstays of the defence
the allegation that the girl Nnew two
weeks before she died OF poison in the
woods at the edge OF Lake Forest that
she was not in u condition that threat
ene1 disgrace.
After a long confN ercc with the
prisoner, nj which were present Mr.. and
Mrs. Il. q. Orpet. his father and mother.
the attorneys. James wiikerson and l..
J.. Hanna, and two investigators. II Was
minated that the line Of defence would
be based on u theory OF suicide. that the
girl killed herself when she learned that
Orpet wa TO wed another.
This announcement. which was made
to-day. Threatens To change the entire
aspect Of ia" legal battle upou which
hangs the fate of the young collcgian.
II has been the theory OF the state
that or t gave the girl cyanide Of
potassium on the pretence that II was
medicine meant to relieve her condition.
II Ia the contention OF the defence that
II Miss Lambert knew she was all right
II is unreasonable to believe Orpet Quiz
have persuaded her to take the fatal
drausht.
Rack 10 Old Theory.
II Orpct did not deceive the Girl into
taking poison in the belief that It was
medicine the state. IL is said. must fall
back on the theory that he forced II
down her throat-.-a theory to support
which there Is no apparent evidence.
Upon whose testimony the defence
will basc this allegation was not made
public. The runior has been rife for
e.. 49,. sIAt fa .-a 49,
bert's chums had been taken into her
confidence two weeks before the largely.
II nave no evidence" said States
Attorney Ralph Dady. that Miss Lam
bert did not know her physical condi-
ton
'Our evidence is positive that Miss
Lambert had such knowledge said Les
lie +. Hanna uf Orpet's counsel.
Miss jos, Prime Davis. one OF Miss
LAinberts chums. II is now believed.
thought &" "a, last that her condition
vas serious. She wrote a letter to Orpet
u week before thc girls death telling
him that Marian was III. Orpet in his
last letter to Miss Lambert refers to
this communication.
The principal Witness ON this point.
~ far as cuIld he learned. is Or. B. -.
i'arment.r Of Lake Forest. the Lambert
family physician lie was called to At
teItu WIS., i<tttlptEt VII JANUARY ~ !
O'Clock in tie morning when she had
faintimg spells and was hysterical.
"wll.n ! arrived that night at the
Lambert home said Dr. Parmentor,
her mother was under the impression
the girl had been poisoned in the high
school laboratory 10y 'horine fumes. This
~ the gas the Germans use in battle.
knew IL was not tn. cause of her Ill.
ness, because chlorine gas acts instantly.
Called u IWdtxrstton.
Miss Lambert after coming from
echool had eaten n hearty dinner. and
concluded she Was suffering from acute
indigestion.
II did no, SEE Mrs. Lambert again
until after the autopsy had been cid
on her daughters body. assisted Cor
oner Taylor IN IN" po~t-mortcm and
later hunted NJ Nj. Lambert. and I
assured her that her laughter wis not
I'll. as has been stated. at the time Of
death"
The examination by Dr. r. n. LcCount
OF Coroner Honnan's stan proved that
Miss Lambert MAS not III, AZ the State
claims
states Attorney pady announced to-
night that he was Ia possession OF all the
evidence necessary 10 convict Orpet.
You can call IN your detectives. az I
have all the evidence I need Of Orpet's
guilt was his telephone message TO the
Burns Detective AGENCY. This order was
made known at the main office OF the
agency In Chicago Tonight. Burns Of
frials said that when their operative
found where Orpet had bough, the small
bottle, believed TO have contained the
fatal poison. they clinched the case for
tnc prosecution.