The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-09

Chicago, Sept. S,-The defense in the
trial of Adolph /. Luetgert, for wife
murder, was somewhat surprised by a
move of the state today
What is considered to be one of the
strongest pieces of evidence in the triad
was introduced
Mrs. Christine Feldt, Luetgert's one
time sweetheart, was called to the
stand by the STATE for tine third time.
Assistant States Attorney McEwen
handed her an ugly appearing pocket
knife. the blades of which were stained
and rusted. and asked her if she had
ever seen it before. She testified that
..lle big sausage manufacturer had
given her this knife for safe keeping
on the day of his arrest The prosecu-
ton asserts that 1T was with this knife
THAT Luetgert murdered his wife before
placing her body in the boiling potash,
where it was dissolved.
The ugly looking object was passed
around for the inspection of attorneys,
and was handed to Luetgert, who
opened and closed the blades. gazing
euriouSly at the weapon, and scrapin@
the blade with his finger as If to feel
the stains which covered The blade. He
evinced no emotion, though he knew
that every person in the court room,
Including court. jury and spectators.
we're closely watching and Taking note
of his every action. In talking With his
attorneys he admitted that the knife
was his property.
The court opened with the usual
crowd clamoring for admission at the
door, Within the court room the mem
berg of the fair sex predominated
among the spectators. and the little
room was crowded to its utmost capac-
fly.
When Luetgert entered shortly be-
fore court was opened, he repeated mis-
manner of Tuesday and srnhinigly
nodded at the jury. He attempted to
catch the eye of Judge Tu-hill. but that
official refused to notice the prisoner
REPORTERS WORK.
The first witness called was Eugene
Palmer. a reporter for the Chicago
Journal He testified to having held
a small bottle under the stream of
pinktsh matter which feared from the
/ sluiceway OF the vat when the police
opened the valve.
W. H. Stuart, also a Journal reporter,
corroborated the testimony Of his con-
fierce, and also testified to having deliv-
cred this same bottle of pinhish slime
INTO Ule n2IQS, OIL an expert, WHO WIFI
be called later in the case.
Policeman Bernard Preuss identified
two bits of steel as pieces he found in
the ashes where the supposed residue of
bones and other material which was
scooped from the vat was dumped.
Policeman Fred TaloritZ testified as
to having found hairpin in the same
pile of refuse and the hairpin was pro-
duced as evidence. after an objection
by Attorney Vincent to the effect that
it was improper to introduce as evil
dence any and every object which,
owing to its similarity to objects worn
by any and every woman, could never
be identified as having been the prop
erty of Mrs. Luetgert.
THE SENSATION.
Then came the sensation of the day
J. H. Odebrett and W. G. Cady, corset
makers, were placed on the stand in
succession and positively identified the
two alleged corset steels as having
been the product of their factory.
Certain marks on the two bits of metal
we're shown to correspond with similar
marks on new steels which were pro
duced in court. The witnesses testified
positively as TO the similarity and also
as to the fact that the new steels were
the pattern usually sold by their fac
y.
to be a great blow to the defense, and
was unexpected by the latter. who
hoped to prove that the two pieces of
steel were scale bands.
Carl Klein, jr., who is employed by a
dentist, described a set of false teet h
which he had sold Mrs Luetgert.
Klein seemed to be burdened with a
sense of his own Importance in the
case, and in the ss-eXamination by
Affn,,,exy Vincent fhiaf 81 e., he
defense, he continually objected to the
questions asked and refused to answer
several questions until the court or
dered him TO do so. His conduct on
the stand caused considerable merri-
ment among the lawyers and specta-
tors.
A TREMBLING GIRL.
Emma SchimplSe, sister to Gottlieba
Schimpke who testified to having seen
Luetgert and his wife enter the factory
on the fated evening, was placed on
the stand to corroborate the testimony
of her younger sister. She was a very
faltering witness and suffered under
the scathing cross-eXamination to
which she Was subjected. She was ap-
parently imbued with the idea that she
must testify only TO those matters
which hurt the cause of the defense
Judge Tuthill administered a kindly.
but firm, lecture to the trembling girl
From her the defense secured the ad-
mission that she was not sure she saw
Luetgert and his wife enter the fac
tory. and the defense also forced her
to admit that she could not remember
anything that happened on another
particular night than May l. When
asked the day of the week upon which
May l fell she hesitated and then said.
Saturday, wasn't it?'
The defense felt that their cause had
gained perceptibly from her testi-
mGny.
EXPERT TESTIMONY.
After Emma Schiemplee on the stand
came Mrs Feldt, whose evidence has
been given above and which consisted
merely in the identification of the knife
The afternoon session was given up to
dry expert testimony.
Prof. Charles Gibson. to whom the
newspaper men gave the fluid they got
from the vat, was examined and testi-