The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-20
ESTABLISHED JUNE %. 1se2-voL. So.
DISAGREEMENT LIKELY.
Luetgert Jury Are Still Holding
Out.
LAST BALLOT WAS NINE TO THREE
FOR CONVICTION.

The Sausage Maker Has One or Two
staunoh Friends on the Panel-Alleged
Attempt to Bribs Jurors.
Chicago, October 19.-Another nigh t
OF suspense is ahead of the defendant In
the Luetgert case. At Q O'Clock tonight
the jury had gone to bed on cots who
were placed in the court room and 1t was
announced by Judge Tuthill that, even
| though by one chance in million the
jurors should wake and agree upon a
verdict, there would be no announcement
and the court room would under no
circumstances be opened until 10 O'Clock
tom orrow morning.
Juror Harley Is admitted to be a stout
friend of Luetgert on the jury and 1t Is
he who is leading the fight for an acquit-
| tai.
Over in the Jail Luetgert was during the
evening anxiously awaiting word from
the jury room.
'.lf they don't agree he said. 81 get
bail and will be out Of this. l can give
bail for million If they want that much.
MY wife is living somewhere, but
admit she is having a lot Of fun with me
at present.
"This is one thing sure," the prisoner
said with great positiveness, There Will
be no conviction in this case. 1t will be
an acqu1ttal or disagreement.
The opinion around the criminal court
tonight was that all chance of q verdict
has disappeared and that the result is
practically certain to disagreement.
1t Is considered possible and even prob
able that the state will have nine or ten
of the jurymen and the defense the re-
malnder. The chances tonight, however,
seem to favor Q disagreement OF eight for
convlction and four for acquittal-
just before retiring for the night the
jury took another ballot, the vote stand
Ing nine for conviction and three for
acquittal. The four jurors who have been
standing out for aequittal are Behmiller,
Barber, Holabird and Harley. The two
latter are still for acquittal, but either
Behmiller or Barber has come over to the
4 state.
| The long afternoon wore slowly away
with nothing to relieve its monotony save
the request of the jury for: the map of
Luetgert's factory and surroundings. It
was believed at first that some point in
reference to the vicinity was under dis
cussion, but later information developed
the fact that the jury in order to circum-
vent the efforts of crowd Of reporters,
who from an adjoining building were
surveying them with telescopes, had
placed the map across the window, shut
ting out all views of their room.
II Judge Tuthill did not put in an appear
ance at three O'Clock, but sent word that
he would not come to the court room
again today or tonight until verdict is
arrived at. The court Is endeavoring to
force an agreement and will not come
down tonight to hear a disagreement 1t
is optional with him as to the time for a
disagreement, and he is giving the jury
every chance to agree before permitting
them to report that they are unable to
reach decision.
At five o'clock the twelve men had been
out twenty-four hours. Two letters
Offering bribes to the foreman had been
received by Judge Tuthill, and arc now
in possession of the state attorney. The
amount offered is $1,000. Both letters are
signed George Atrill. Slater Attorney
Deneen is not disposed to regard the at
tempted bribery seriously, but Inspector
Setback and Assistant Attorney McEwen
look upon the matter with suspicion. The
first letter was received last Monday
morning. 1t was dated October 49,. the
| day upon which it WAS originally believed
the case would go to the jury. 1t reads:
"Mr. Foreman: Dear SRA powerful
| influence is at work to save Luetgert,
Money is scarce and in these hard times q
| PlUu VI 81 COlIlcb III 0RAuys AoV0 elUUU
to divide among you twelve men. IT you
want it, have two good men smooth faced
that are discreet at the southwest corner
of Randolph and Dearborn streets at one
O'Clock p. m. Let them wear white linen
neck ties or If they prefer It,, red bow
ties. Everything will be all right. The
money is secure IN r4GT Olnrk street bank
| The second letter is under date of o.
ober le and is also addressed to the fore
man. 1t is as follows:
dear Sir:-Why did not you have the
young men at the corner as suggested. In
the present times 500 is pretty useful. II
you will agree to vote Luetgert free we
can yet arrange matters. Send the young
(Signed) GEORGE ATRILL."
Judge Tuthill opens all mail sent to
the jurors and in this way these letters
fell into the hands Of the court His
Honor is inclined to regard the letters as
a hoax.
gotten up by enterprising newspaper re-
porters.
Late in the afternoon the jury sent In
for the contract which Matron Kurth
gave Gottleib Scnimpke at the time she
took her into her home as domestic.
When the police learned two months
ago that the girl, whose age is eleven, had
walk toward the factory on the night OF
May 1, they took her to the Sheffield Ave
nue. police station and later placed her in
the home of Matron Kurth. A contract
was signed by Mrs. Kurth agreeing to
pay the girl So per week. This contract
was read during the trial and offered In
evidence. During the collection of the
documents to send to the jury room, II
was left out. One of the jurors wanted to
see it and not finding it, sent for the
paper. Attorney Phalen was inclined te
the opinion that the contract had beer
omitted on purpose States Attorney De
neen denied this and said he had no OBJ
lection to its going to the jury. 1t wa!
accordingly sent
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