The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-19
JURY MAY DISAGREE
NO VERDICT REACHED IN THE LUET-
CERT MURDER CASE AT 3 A. III.
&-
Case Was Given to the Jurors Before
8 O'Clock Last Evening, and They
DeIiberated All Night.
MOB At THE COURTHOUSE
POLICE FORCED TO DISPERSE A
CROWD OF NOISY PEOPLE.
Closing Argument of the States Attor-
ney-Impartial Instructions Civ
en- by Judge TuthiIl.

CHICAGO, Oct. 1S.-The fate of Adolph L
Luetgert, accused of numbering his wife and
dissolving her body in a vat filled with
caustic potash, is now in tie hands of the
jury. Judge Tuthill finished his charge to
the jury at 445 p. m. and FIVE minutes later
the jurors filed out and We're locked in the
jury room Supper was sent in to them a.
short time later, and after it had been dis
posed of they set earnestly to work on the
evidence. Judge Tuthil took up quarters
near the Criminal Court building in order
to be within easy call if a verdict should be
reached during the night. At midnight not
word of any sort had come from the jury
room. and the chances OF an all-night wait
Tor the verdict seemed excellent. Rumors
OF ten to two for conviction and later of ten
to two for acquittal fioated around, but
there was no authority for either story
Inc crowd which surrounded the Criminal
Court building and Jail at night surpassed
in number anything witnessed since the
opening of the famous trial. BY dark the
street in front of the court building was
jammed and the crowd surged around the
corner in front of the JAIL The tops of the
three-story buildings across the street from
the court building had crowds of specta-
tors and every window in the structures
"A
sorts of opinions were expressed as to the
probable verdict of the jury and a few bets
were made at odds of 60 to 40 that Luetgert
would be convicted.
About half-past o'clock the crowds in
Michigan street were augmented by over a
score of men from the vicinity of Luetgert's
sausage factory on Hermitage avenue and
Diversey street They were assertive and
nd oHp
court building. This was refused them but
they were so persistent that word was sert
upstairs. The deputies at the door, fearing
a rush for admission, had word telephoned
to the East Chicago-avenue police station
for more officers. The alteration drew a
crowd which quickly checked the entrance.
The police on duty were entirely incapable
of handling the crowd. Captain Hoffman,
of the East Chicago-avenue station. sent
a patrol wagon filed with officers to the
scene on a "hurry-up" run. When the Off
GERS reached the building they drew their
clubs and, aided by a score or more of
deputy sheriffs, quickly collected in
the building, drove back the
crowd. The friends of Luetgert had
by this time been reinforced by about 2O
other people from the crowds, but they re-
treated after a few vigorous applications of
the clubs. The mob took up a stand near
the middle of the street and jeered the DO
lice, while small boys with tin horns added
their quota to the discord which swelled
from the deep-lunged, would-be rioters who
loudly proclaimed their right to enter the
building.
Judge Tuthil did not appear at the court
house until o'clock, and then he went into
the private room of States Attorney
Deneen, where he remained waiting for the
verdict.