Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-01

Chicago, August 31.-Three W.T.
prosecution in the Luetgert trial to-
day.
Probably the most important witness
of the three was Frank Bialk, night
Waterman at the Luetgert sausage fac
! tory. Rialk, who is German 64 years
! old, was trusted employe of the de-
| PENDANT for whom he worked several
| years. His testimony which he gave
in German, bore directly on the move
ments of the defendant during the night
of May l. He also related how two
i barrels, which, it is alleged, contained
caustic potash, were stored on one OF
the upper floors of the factory and were
/ shortly before May / taken to the base
ment, where the barrels were emptied
into the vat and dissolved by steam.
The other witnesses were Charles P.
Melander, a photographer, who ldenf1-
fed several views of the Luetgert fac
tory, and Mrs. Agatha Tosch, the wife
of a saloon-keeper.
Mrs Tosch was frequently in charge
of her husbands saloon and had sew
eral conversations with Luetgert re-
garding the disappearance of his wife,
r She has been regarded as one of the
States strongest witnesses, being one
of the few who saw smoke issuing
from the factory the night Mr.. Luet-
CERT disappeared. She swore that Luet-
CERT had urged her not to say anything
about the smoke, as it might get him in
trouble. Witness detailed how Luet-
CERT had recited his domestic unhappi-
ness and had told her of the contempt
with which he had regarded his wife.
He had, she said, told her that his
feelings against his wife were so bit
also told how pale Luetgert Was on
May 2, and on that occasion had told
her that he felt like killing bimsalf
and would do so if it were not for
leaving his little children.
Before the taking of testimony besan
to-day attorneys for the defense asked
the court to compel the State to set
forth by what means, according IN the
theory of the prosecution. the life of
Mrs. Luetgert was taken before her
body was placed in the vat. The in
dictment contained twelve counts. but
did not state the manner Of Mrs. Luet-
gerts death. The court decided that
the State was not bound to specify
the means of death.
Waterman Bialk will resume the
witness stand tomorrow.
There was greater pressure than
ever this morning, for seats in tho
court room, and a great crowd stoud
on the outside unable to get in On,
of women who succeeded in securing
seats in the court room before the pro-
ceedings began. Women of all ages
were among the spectators.
Mrs. Agatha Tosch said she was a
friend of Mrs. Luetgert and visited
her occasionally at her home. Mrs.
|
May 2, Luetgert came to l1er husbands
saloon and bought glass of beer. He
was pale and excited and she asked him
what was the matter with him, a ques-
| ton which he did not answer. Nav
Is, she said she saw him again and
asked him about the disappearance of
his wife. He said he did not know
where his wife was and was as inno-
I cent cI1y in hn 1ly
| him she believed he was guilty and
Luetgert replied he felt like taking p
revolver and killing himself. He would
do so. he said, but for the children
| Mrs. Tosch said Luetgert asked her
what she had heard from the detectives
who were about her saloon and what
| she had seen or heard herself.
| Mrs. Tosch in her testimony. show
! ed a decidedly hostile spirit toward
! Luetgert, and in a manner of details
she improved on the story she told to
! Justice keisten and in Judge Glib
| bons' court in the habeas corpus pro-
! ceedings. She said Mrs. Luetgert once
| had an attack of throat trouble and
! Luetgert tod the witness in CONVEX
sation that if he had DELAYED a. min
F.! ute longer in calling a doctor the
would have been dead In her pre-
vious testimony Mrs. Tosch did not
use these words She said that in her
conversation with him on May Is she
asked him what caused the smoke from
the factory furnace On the morning of
May 2. and he asked her not to saw
anything about the smoke In her
former testimony she said Luetgert
once told her he sometimes became so
angry at his wife that he could take
hold Of her. and, indicating by a ges.
ture. crush her. This mornfno she
swore he said he could crush her. US
ing the word crush in the German and
not merely indicating it by a gesture
The witness said Lueteert told her he
had a great deal of trouble with his
wife and had ceased to live with her.
She objected TO the presence of Mary
Simmering. the servant, in the house.
hut Luetgert tafd the witness that
If his wife turned Mary awav he would
take her in to- the factory with him.
Mrs. Tosch vas subjected to a severe
cross examination, during which she