The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-22
TEsTIFlEs BY AFFIDAVIT
Luetgert Didn't Kill Eis Wife and Doesn't
Know Where She IL

Chicago. Oct. N.-The Associated
Press tonight obtained the one great
feature missing in the famous Luetger,
triel-the sworn testimony OF the de-
PENDANT himself. Adolph L. Luetgert.
Standing tonight in the gloomy jail
adjoining the grim-lo0king grey stone
court building in which his remarkable
trial had al last been brought to a fir
ish, the burly sausage manufacturer
capped the climax OF the extraordinary
series of events which began with his
sensational bankruptcy and the alleged
frightful diabolism Of boiling his wife
20 death a midnight in a vat in his fac
tory cellar.
Tonight. closely following the final re-
suit of the trial which has attracted
worldwide attention. Luergert made.
under oath, a statement for the Asso-
ciated Press concerning the fearful
crime charged against him, the first
statement yet made by him, and the
first statement OF such a kind ever
known in newspaper annals. The afi-
davit was put in writing. in due legal
form. and Is certified to by a notary.
Ex-Judge William A. Vincent. the
leading counsel for the defendant in this
celebrated case. the man 70 whose
brains AMI skill and energy Luetgert
beyond all doubt owes his great legal
victory, gave consent 10 the affidavit be-
ing made.
The scene in the Jail when Luetgert
took the oath was as dramatic as the
circumstances were unique. In the dim
ly lighted Jail corridor, Luetgert. stand
ing erect and grasping the iron bars
that still kept him from liberty. lifted
his right hand and solemnly asserted as
the notary administered the binding
form. The gruesome surroundings were
A reminder in some degree of the mid
night occurrences in the factory cellar
that have been familiar 70 the hundreds
OF thousands who have followed the de-
tails OF the great trial. Few. IL any or
the curious prisoners and turkeys who
were spectators had any inl5llng OF what
was taking place. Luetgert. the notary
and a representative OF the Associated
Press, conferred together Tor a few mo-
men:s. and then Luetger:, without hest
,ation, made the AFFIDAVIT; and signed Il
in ink with the hand that is alleged 70
have committed one 0: the most fiend-
ism crimes on record.
The affidavit publicly declares Luet-
gert's innocence.
The document in full Is as follows:
''To the Public:
The result OF my trial. ending today.
IL victory for me. because OF the 5ls-
agreement Of the jury. bat / am very
much disappointed and very much eur
pr;sed that the jury did not bring in a
verdict of not guilty.
II DID NOT KILL NY WIFE. AND
DO NOT KNOW WHERE SHE Is, but
am sure that IL is only question q
time Until she comes home.
II did not 20 upon The witness stand
because my lawyer. Judge Vincent. wss
bitterly opposed % ny doing 50. AMI BE-
cause ne advised ne i Eas not ne>es-
ssry.
y an grateful .o- ne Tremendous
change in public sentiment. IN ny ga
vor. and tine riE demonstrate that
an not only an innocent. but very
gr,-~ously wronge1 man
CSlgned)
~AOOLPH L LCETGERT"
Subscribed and sTora . before ne 4
th's ;Teaty-ffFst day % Octo5e-. A D. .
1917
Cs.gae50 II =. SULLIVAN.
Nc-sry Public