The herald., 1897-09-29
EXPERT REESE
Testifies in Luetgert's Be-
half
BOILED BODIES IN POTASH
WITH RESULTS WHICH FAVOR
THE STATE
BOILED BODIES IN POTASH
Witnesses Discovered Who Claim to
Have Seen Mrs. Luetgert After
the Alleged Murder
Press Special wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
CHICAGO, Sept. 2S.-The battle be-
tween experts has begun, and from now
on there will be denials thrown at the
evidence Of the medical and chemical
wise men who testified for the state in
the Luetgert case. The defense put its
first witness In the expert line on the
stand today and he will be followed by
q long string Of others. The witness Of
today was DR.. B. L. Riese, who boiled
two bodies in caustic potash In behalf Of
the state. Another witness of the day
was Armadale Opdyke, peddler, who
testified that long after the murder Is
said to have been committed he saw Mrs.
Luetgert in the neighborhood of James
VILE, Wis. Witness said that there was
mo chance of his being mistaken, and he
identified the photograph of her which
he was shown in court in the most posi-
tive manner. Two girls were placed on
the stand to impeach the testimony Of
Emma Schimpke, who said that she saw
Luetgert and his wife enter the factory
on the night on which the murder Is said
to have been committed.
There is a strong probability that
Mary Siemmering will be called upon
to answer to the charge Of perjury. In
her testimony she gave evidence reflect
ing on the manner in which she had
been treated by Inspector Setback ard
Assistant States Attorney McEwen be-
fore the trial, and as she gave sworn
evidence on the witness stand directly
contrad dictory to the sworn evidence she
gave at the preliminary hearing, the
assistant states attorney says that he
will bring a charge of perjury against
her.
The proceedings today opened with
DR.. Clarence Rutherford. the Luetgert
family physician, on the stand. He tes-
titled 10 Mrs Luetgert's physical condi-
tion. It was also attempted to show her
me ntal condition, but the prosecution OBJ
jected, unless it was shown that the wit
ness was an expert on mental diseases
Armadale Opdyke, fruit vendor of
Janesville, is positive that he saw Mrs.
Luetgert in the vicinity Of Lake Zurich
on the night Of May eth. while camping
out In a grove. He Internationally
Identified her photograph.
The defense introduced its medical
expert witness. DR.. Bernhard L. Riese
was called to the stand to tell Of expert
ments he had made In disintegrating
human bodies with a 10 per cent solution
Of caustic soda or potash.
The effect Of his testimony, which In
fact bore out the statements Of the pros
ecution, was to establish an important
point the defense has kept in view from
the beginning.
Frank Odorofski and Frank Bialk tes-
tilted that the floor OF the basement near
the middle vat was covered with grease
which had flowed from the vat. DR..
Riese testified that the residue from
both bodies boiled in the vat was very
little. The fat did not amount to over
q twentieth Of an inch, the physician
said. Ex-Judge Vincent declared this
statement substantiated the story OF
the defense that Luetgert was making
soap in the vat and that the grease in the
soap boiled over and flowed on the floor
Luetgert will probably go on the stand
In his own behalf on Thursday.
UNEXPECTED AID
TEKEMAH, Neb., Sept. 2S.-H. Wade
Gillis, attorney, claims to have seen the
wife Of A. L. Luetgert, now on trial in
Chicago for her murder, the latter part
of May, when she came to him and con-
suited about getting a divorce Luet-
gert's attorney, Vincent, Is elated over
the news and will probably call Gillis
to Chicago TO testify for his client.