Omaha daily bee., 1897-09-22
DIRECT EVIDENCE ALL IN
Prosecution introduces Its Last Witness in
Luetgert Case.
PRISONERS ATTITUDE TOWARD HIS WIFE
Mrs. johnson Testihcs TO Seeing
Sausage Maker Chase His Better
Half with observation-disclosures
Promises Sensation.

CHICAGO, Sept. 21.-The direct evidence
in the Luetgert case is In and the state has
closed. Shortly after o'clock this after
noon the last witness Of the prosecution was
heard This witness was Mrs. Louise John
son. She came into court, supported by Cap
tain Herman Schuettlcr, of the sheffield
Avenue police station. Mrs johnson has
been i'll for several weeks and the prosecu-
tion feared the woman would not be able to
appear to testify. Her evidence was impor-
ant as showing Luetgert's attitude toward
his wife A carriage was sent TO her home on
the North Side and Mrs. Johnson made the
trip to the court house attended by friend.
She was quite exhausted when she reached
the criminal court building and almost
| tainted at the elevator leading to Judge Tut
hills court room. When sworn, Mrs. John
son testified that upon one occasion she saw
| Luetgert in rage chase his wife out of their
home. The big sausage maker, the witnt>s
said, was armed with a revolver. He called
his wife names and threatened to shoot. but
did not EX-Judge Vincent did not cross
examine the witness When she left the
| stand States Attorney Deneen said: If the
court please, the states rests
There was a general movement in the
crowded room as the spectators glanced to-
ward Luetgert and his counsel. Luetgert
leaned forward and whispered to eX-Judge
Vi cent. The latter arose and made a formal
motion that the case be taken from the jury
cn the ground that the state had failed to
make out case. Judge Tuthill promptly
overruled the motion without argument.
Then eX-Judge Vincent stated that owing
| to the lateness of the hour he would like to
postpone his opening address to the jury
until tomorrow morning. There was no OBJ
jection and an adjournment was taken.
: inS t,yn pyG
entation of the evidence of the prosecution
Ex-Judge Vincent said tonight the defense
would present its side of the case in just
half that time. My address to the jury
in opening will be short snd directly to the
point" he said. 1--WE deny the murder; tie
corpus delecti has not been proved the
law requires. This fact cannot be assumed
nor inferred from such testimony as has been
presented here. We will explain away all
the evidence brought out here by the police
department after months of Investigation
| and manipulation. | do not care to give out
| n full our defense until we get started, but
| | promise some startling developments be-
fore we are through"
SCORES A POINT.
| Frank Balk. the aged watchman al the
| Luetgert sausage factory, who besides watch
| ing the premises at night. kept fires burning
in the furnaces, was the first witness to be
called this morning to show motive. He said
that Mary Siemmering paid frequent visits
to Luetgert at the latter's office in the sausage
| factory at night. Luetgert, because Of his
unpleasant domestic affairs, had bed placed
| IN small room just off his
office and slept there The last
! time the witness remembered seeing
| Mary Siemmering there was one week be-
| fore May i the date of the disappearance
! OF Mrs. Luetgert. It was $3.50 oclock in the
| evening and. Luetgert and the young woman
| retired to the bedroom and closed the door.
| The witness said that Mary Slemmering
| visited Luetgert on an average of three
| nights each week for months before Mrs.
| Luetgert disappeared This had been going
| on for three or four years before May l of
! the present year. Upon one occasion the
| witness said Luetgert called him about 10
' o'clock at night and told him to go and get
Mary as Luetgert said he was ill., Bialk
says he went to Mary's bedroom window and
I tapped on it with stick. When she ap-
| peared he told her Luetgert wanted her.
! She soon appeared at the sausage factory and
| entered through a window and went to
| Luetgerts bedroom.
Frank Odorofsky testified to substantially
! the same story.