The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-13
0rthwein Defense as Outlined
q Resembles Ardmore Case.
Defendant Breaks Down at
Opening of Trial.
Opening of Trial.
BOTH SIDES CLAIM DRUNK
g kissing Blonde" To Be One of
Chief Witnesses.
Prosecution Will Not Ask for
Extreme Penalty.

5 Chicago, June 13-Mrs. Cora c.
Orthwein became hysterIcai in court
today when Prosecutor Lloyd Heth ac-
cused her of shooting her lover in the
back.
The defendant, charged with mur-
dering Herbert P. Zeigler, figeted
and squirmed under the bitter arraign-
ment OF Heth, who made the opening
argument for the state. Her eyes were
bloodshot from crying.
Claim She Confessed.
when police raided Mrs. Ortiz
veins apartment March i, they found
her sitting in a chair clad in lingerie
and crying, I shot him." said Heth.
"The defendant says she shot him
when he tried to break into her apart
ment. 1t was not hers. Zeigler's s
clothes were there; he paid the rent
and gave her $3.50 month. He had a
right to go there, where he had lived
with her for five years
Mrs. Orthwein was still Intoxicated
when put in CELL She kept shouting
| I killed himi Why did I kill him
Yes. I killed Herb, the only man 1
ever loved
Heth charged Mrs. Orthwein with
staying Zeigler because she was jeal-
GUS sof Mrs. Charlotte Lewinsky, the
kissing blonde and because she was
obsegsed with the idea that Zeigler
was going to return to his family and
| leave her.
THE prosecution then told of the
wild night of revelry," that preceded
| ZiegIer's death.
| Defense Admits Deed.
ben Short, Mrs. 4Orthwein's attorney
| inf his opening address to the jury
stated; that his client was financially
| independent of Zeigier. She paid her
| own rent and at times lent Zeigler
money@when he was in want. he said
"Zeigler was a fiend when he was
drunk He beat her so hard three diff
fereht times that she had to go to q
hospital to recover. He was in 8
drunken frenzy when he broke dowT
! the doorof the apartment and threat
7, ened to kill her.
| ...Zeigler knocked her down. She
Icrawled to q table where his revoivei
| Mrs. Orthwein said, Herb, don't come
near me- He lunged toward her, she
killed him."
+ Won't Ask Extreme Penalty.
Prosecutor Lloyd Heth announced II
| court today just before the states wit
nesses were called that he would no
ask the death penalty for the defend
ant. r -
| MRS. lOrthwein, during her trial, vii
be confronted by Ralph Orthwein. hel
second husband and millionaire Kan
sas City broker. The state has asket
him to testify that she did not receiv'
alimony from him and therefore wa
financially dependent on Zeigler.
Mrs. Neva Orthwein. the broker
| first wife, is to appear. Heth an
nounced, to testify that the dependan
i was. a "love pirate" and stole her hus
band from her.
Call Kissing Blonde.'
Mrs. Lewinsky, it is thought, will
not testify today. She is to appear il
divorce court to fight separation pc
tition of her husband, Barney Levin
sky, who has named the dead ZeigIe
as correspondent.
Mrs. Charlotte Lewinsky has bee
referred to as the kissing blonde.
Zeigler's attentions to Mrs. Lewinsk
the night he was killed are alleged b
the prosecution to have excited Mrs
Orthwein's jealousy.
Self defense will be the plea of Mr..
Orthwein's attorneys. who will attemp
to prove that Zeigler burst in the doc
of Mrs. Orthwein's apartment an
that she acted to protect herself.