Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-26
A Triumph for Justice.

n -
Washington Post)
The discharge of the jury in the Luet-
CERT case is to be applauded by all Iair-
minded people. We do not care 10 re-
view the revolving trial or 10 parade lor
the horror of our readers the disgusting
details that have been elected; but 1t mas
seemed to us from the first that the
question was simply one of sustaining Vi
rejecting "A theory set up by the ponce.
The hypothesis was one which ihciuueu
tn assu,nntion OF Luetgert's guilt, ana
every effort of the State has been CON
contracted upon the establishment or mat
assumption. There has been no visible
endeayor to ascertain the truth. IL mas
been a struggle to vindicate the poii0e
idea-an un,nistakable conspiracy 10 en-
force a preconceiyed proposition ihs'eau
of irving 20 find out whether the accuse"
was entity. the authorities OF Chleago
nave made IL a matter OF pride ana vi
esnrit de corps to Impress lheH w, 49,
upon the court II has not peeh 80. 80"
an investigation. IL mas pesh a Pc zen
ton we are glad that the jury mas peen
dischareed. We hope, for the sake u
dacencv and Justice. that juries VIII con-
tinue to disagree until the S
the prosecution is radically cnanseu' ,ho
What strikes US Is .he aaS' hos never
nroof OF Mrs. Luetgerts death mas ne'. co
YET been produced. 1t is hard enough 10
ESTABLISH a murder even When tne pouS
is shown In evidence, Dut Wneh ,ne.s oro
no body-when IL is a matter ol ,ii', 80
speculation whether thei. - al" ~ rial or
h. found-it seems to us that lne ,,ihi %
anu ons for murder Il fantasucaiiy ~
detrimental Here IL case WIFI W.
death OF the supposed victim mas not see
been established. the ga s aioS,,sncs To
the end az showing thar Luetsert nas
committed murder, but IL has NOT snoWn
that the alleged object OF his 'iilaihy has
been murdered at all. The woman may
he dead but the prosecutor, mas nol
nroduced her remains. IL has been en-
l,a'ad s,mniv I'm an endeavor to show
INT the accused man must have killed
somebody. -. ~ ,rr,, bave
disa greed. We should have been as
es.sSad othArwise. No murder has been
nyoyed1how could Luegert be convicted
as the murderer! rosor. 9. tho
The bane OF society az present rs the
perversion OF justice IN the inyariabie Ell
fort OF the. anthoriues H., ~ hr;ns out
he facts Instead OF trying to hnd the
remains of the alleged victim In this case,
the nrosecution has devoted itself 10 tne
task of sacrificing the accused 10 the tne-
orv of the detectives. There has been
no attemrr 10 20 to the bottom Of things.
Everv energy has been expended on the
exnloitation OF the surface: The police
have set up theory. and the courts t, and
selves no the end of vindlcating that
theory by by putting man to death. 1t has
~, heen really a question OF Luetgerts
guilt gull or innoncence. II has been ques-
lion OF gratifying the vanity OF his ac-
e e,vn Nohody seems to be sure that
Mrs i.uetgert II actually dead. Nobody
saay,s 10 have realized that the proof OF
ser Ssath is indispensable to the pre-
sumption OF Luetgsrt's criminaiity. The
mhoie nurpose and burden Of the prosecu
No. has Contemplated the conviction of
he prisoner by means or specious argu-
Vent and circumsrantial evidence We re-
ioice In the result as II stands to-day. We
desire justice. but we shrink from the
sdea OF pursuit and persecution.