Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-22
SNEARS he |SS|NLESS
First Sworn Statement Made by
Adolph luetgert, the Alleged
Chicago fe.Murderer.
BRIEF DENIAL THAT HE Is GUILTY

Did Not Kill His Wife and Does Not Know
Where She Is, He Says-Believes She
VIII Yet Reappear Alivs-Jury Fails e
Agree. Declares Agreement Impossible
and In Diseharged-AccusedM Man VIII
Try 70 Get Out on Bail.
Chicago, Oct. 22-The Associated Press
last night obtained the one great feature
missing in the famous Luetgert trial
the sworn testimony of The defendant
himself. Adolph L. Luetgert. Standing
last night In the gloomy Jail adjoining
the grim-looAng gray-stone court build
Ing IN which his remarkable trial had
at last been brought to a finish, the burly
Fausage manufacturer capped the eli
max OF the extraordinary series ofevents
which began with his bankruptcy and
alleged frighsful diabolism Of boiling HI.
wife to Death at midnight in a vat in his
factory cellar. Closely following the
final result Of the trial which has at
tracted worldwide attention, Luetgert
made under oath q statement concergin.
the fearful crime charged against him,
the first sworn statement Of such kind
W. NAo" IL III IIcNkpdDef annals,
Scene Was Unique ana Dramatic.
The affidavit was put in wriSns in due
legal form. and is certified toby a notary.
Ek-Judgs William A. Vincent, the lead
Ing counsel for the defendant in this cell
ebrated case. the man to whose brain.
skill and energy Luetgert beyond all
DOUBT owes his great legal victory, gave
consent to the affidavit being made. The
scene IN the Jail when Luetgert took the
oath was as dramatic as the circum-
stances were unique. IN the dimly lighted
jail corridor. Luetgert standing cree;
grasping the iron bars that still kent him
from liberty. lifted his right hand SOL
emmy asserted as the notary admins
tered the oath. The grUesome surround
ings were reminder in some degree of
the midnight occurrences IN the factory
ceiIar that have become familiar to the
hundreds Of thousands who have fol-
lowed the details Of the great trial.
rev II any OF the curious prisoners
ana turkeys who were SPECTATORS had
any inkling OF what was taking place.
Luetgert, the notary and the representa-
I'VE OF the Associated Press conferred
together for few moments and then
IIuetgert without hesitation made affi-
davIt and signed 1t in ink with the hand
that is alleged to have committed one Of
the most fiendish crime on record.
81 Did Not XIII My Wife,"
The affidavit explicitly declares Luet-
gert's Innocence. The document in full
follows:
To Public: 1he result Of my trial. end
mg today. is victory for me because o,
tne disagreement Of the jury, but 1 am
very much 'Isappcinted and very much
surrTised. tl.i tbs jury did rot living In
verdict Of not gUSay.
4 did not kin my wife, and DO not
know where sas Is. but 1 am cure that II
70 only question OF time until she comes
home
Il did not go upon the witness stand
because my lawyer. Judge Vincent. was
bitterly opposed my doing 50. aadbecause
ne devised pie that it was not necessary.
am grateful for the tremendous
ehange In public sentiment IN my favor.
ana time will demonstrate that I am rot
only an innocent but very grievousIy
wronGed man. TS,anedl
'ADOLPH L. LCETGERT."
Subscribed ard sworn 20 before ma
this e1st day Of October, A. D.. 1897.
[Signed] N. F. SULLIVAN,
Notary Public