The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-20
NO VERDICT FOR LUETGERT.
JUDGE TUTHILL ALLOWS THE JU-
RORS A NIGHTS REST.

Various RumOrs as to How the
Jury stands-Letters Offering
Bribes Have Turned Up-Thc Let
ters Regarded rs the Work of En-
terprising Newspaper Reporters.
Chicago, Oct. 19.-Another night of sus-
pense is ahead for the defendant in the
Luetgert case.
At o'clock tonight the jury had gone
to bed on cots, placed in the court room,
and it was announced by Judge Tuthill
that even though by one chance in a mil
lion, the jurors should wake up and agree
upon a verdict there would be no an
nouncement, and the court room would,
under no circumstances. be opened until
10 o'clock tomorrow morning, A few min
utes after o'clock, Judge Tuthill ap-
peared at the criminal court building and
gave positive orders that nobody should
be admitted to the building under any
circumstances.
Judge Tuthill went directly to the court
room, where he was told by the bailiffs
in charge of the jury, that several of the
jurymen were almost exhausted by the or
deal to which they had been subjected
during the last thirty hours, and that il
they were not allowed some rest, 1t would
certainly result in some of them becoming
i'll. The jury also sent word that there
was no immediate prospect of an agree
ment, and under the circumstances the
judge gave orders that they be permitted
to drop the case and go to sleep. The cots
We're quickly dragged into the court room,
stretched out at full length, and all con-
sideratiNn of the case was off until they
should wake in the morning.
Judge Tuthill, after giving directions
that all things possible be done for the
comfort of the jury left the building for
his home. "They have not agreed as
yet" he said when he left the court house,
land when I became convinced that there
was little prospect of their doing so, and
saw how weary some of them We're 1 told
them to go to sleep and agree in the morn
ing. There would be no use in keeping
them up all of tonight because in the
first place two or three of them would, in
a short time, be utterly incapacitated by
fatigue, and no agreement could ever be
obtained from men who are nervous from
loss of sleep and exhausted with argument
When came to the court tonight ! had
no idea that verdict would be reached,
but was anxious to do all l could for
the comfort of the Jurors. That was real
ly the cause of my visit to the building
tonight. There is, of course, no likeli-
hood that they will wake up and reach
an agreement, and even If they should
shall not come down to hear it before 10
O'Clock tomorrow morning. There is no
chance, whatever, of any verdict being
given by the jury before tomorrow"
States Attorney Deneen remained in his
office until all hope of a verdict had been
abandoned tonight. He is still hopeful of
a verdict, but naturally looks upon a dis
agreement as the most likely outcome.
There were rumors of all kinds afloat
during the evening, all of them being to
the effect that the friends of Luetgert on
the jury were weakening. 1t was known
during the day that the vote stood s to /,
and tonight the rumors were that 1t was
ten for the death penalty and two for ac-
duittal A later story was that it stood
eleven for hanging and one for acquittal.
Juror Harley Is admitted to be the stout
friend of Luetgert on the jury, and 1t is
he who is leading the fight for an ac-
quittal.
over in the jail, Luetgert was, during
the evening, anxiously awaiting word
from the jury room. He tried, as usual,
to keep up an appearance of indifference,
and, as usual, made failure of it.
"If they don't agree" he said, "Tll get
bail, and l will be out of this, / can give
bail for million, il they want that much.
My wife is living somewhere, but l admit
that she is having a lot of fun with me
at present. There is one thing sure" the
prisoner said, with great positiveness,
there will be no conviction In this case.
1t will be an acquittal or disagreement"
Asked where he obtained his informa-
ton he smiled and said: "Oh l know; you
go long. I won't be convicted though, you
bet on that"
At 10 o'clock the criminal court building
was dark as a pocket. The crowd which
had hung around its entrances during the
earlier part of the evening had disappear
ed solitary bailiff sat at the foot of the
stairs leading to the second story. An
other sat at the upper end of the flight,
two more were at the door of the court
room, and three more were inside keeping
watch over the sleeping jurymen.
The opinion around the criminal court
tonight was that all chances of securing
a verdict has disappeared, and that the
result is practically certain to be a disa
greement It is considered possible, and
even probable, that the state will have
or 10 of the jurymen and the defense
the remainder. The chances tonight.
however seem to favor disagreement of
Two letters offering bribes to the fore
man of the jury in the Luetgert case
have been received by Judge Tuthill, and
are now in the possession of the states
attorney. States Attorney Deneen is not
disposed to regard the attempted bribery
seriously, but Inspector Schaak and AS
sistant States Attorney McEwen look
upon the matter with suspicion
The first letter was received last Mon
day morning. 1t was dated Oct. 16, the
day upon which is was originally believed
the case would go to the jury. 1t reads:
''Nr. Foreman: Dear SRA powerful in
huence Is at work to save Adolph l.. Luet-
pert. Money is scarce, and in these hard
times a 500 or so comes in handy. l
have $4,000 to divide among you twelve
men. If you want 1t have two good men,
smooth.faced, that are discreet, at the
southeast corner of Randolph and Dear
horn streets tomorrow at ! O'clock p. m.
let them wear white linen neckties, or, if
they prefer It, red bow ties. Everything
will be all right. The money is secure
IN a Clark street bank. George Atrill."
The second letter is under date OF Oct. IS,
and is also addressed to the foreman Of the
I,uetgert jury. 1t is as follows: Dear
sir-Why didn't you have the young men
AT the southeast corner of Randolph and
nearborn streets as suggested? In the