The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-31
LuetSertS Counsel Will Probably Try
10 Prove Il Vas Not.
uAY SOAK ANOTHER BODY IN POTASH,
GOang Luetgort's Testimony Does NOT
Strengthen the Cause Of the stSte-his
Mother Came 20 His Room
After Midnight.

began in earnest to-day. TWO Witnesses
we're eNamned-Diedrch Bickncse. broth
II OF Mrs. Luetgert and Il. Luetgert,- tho
tourtcen-year-old son OF the accused.
The testimony Of Bicknese tended 70
Ihow the indifference Of Luetgert to the
late OF his wife. Louis T. Luetgert. who
was "a remarkably bright lad for his age
produced something OF a sensation IN CON
cluding his testimony. and it is believed
caused counsel for the prosecution to re-
gret having placed him on the stand. The
boy testified that his mother came to MS
bedroom after he had retired, and some
time after he heard his father DESCENT
the back stairs into the factory.
ANOTHER EXPERIMENT
Contrary 10 the expectation Of the state,
the jury will be asked boy the defence TO
witness an experiment in the vat IN the
basement of tine sausage factory. This Is
10 bo the result of an experiment conduct
cd by Luctgorts attorneys Saturday ana
yesterday. The body Of "a man, OF about
Mrs. Luetgerts age ana weight, who met
lls death by violence Thursday, was taken
10 the factory at COZ Diyersey avenue ana
immersed ln o. solution Of caustic potash.
The experts related that after boiling the
potash for tine same length Of time, three
and onc-half hours. and under the same
circumstances as the State alleges Buet-
CERT disintogratcd the body Of his wife.
The complete skeleton Of the man remain
ed intact after the solution had been let
out.
AS result the defence will. II is said
ask Judge Tuthil 20 adjourn his court
and jury 10 the basement Of the big sau-
another experiment which the defence
claims Will completely dsprove the
states theory Of disintegration.
Luctgert was calm and confident looking
when brought into court. and he had ap-
p0rcnty been greatly refreshed by Sun
days respite from the daily court ordeal
District States Attorney McEwan for
maly opened the case for the state
on the wall close to the jury box were
hung large maps of the Luetgert sausage
factory the Luetgcrt home. and all the
surroundings OF the place. where IL IS
charged tho prisoner killed his wife and
then destroyed her hody
his INDIFFERENCE
The attorney for the State began with
che disappearance Of Mrs. Luetgert on
May lst. next decribod the visit on May
4th Of Diedrch Bickncse. brother OF Mrs.
I.uetgort when ne called 10 SEQ his sister
and discovered that she had disappeared.
lie dwclt on the apparent indifference Of
the husband. his statement that he had
not informed the police. but had hired two
detectives, and his invitation to Bicknese
10 cJll again I'm about q week when he
would tell him If anything had been dis
covered concerning the whereabouts Of
his sister.
Attorney McEwan told the Jury that
IN had hired
two detectives TO look for his wife. would
he proven false. He said that 10 was the
theory Of the defense that Mrs Luetgcrt
accompanied her husband into the factory
between 1880 and II o'clock. The son
heard the father descending the steps to-
wards the factory where he had slept for
years after having ordered his son TO bed
while he was conversing with his mother.
The hoy did not hear his mothers steps
because she wore house slippers. which
made no noise. Luetgort and his wife
were seen in the alley in the rear Of the
house. a few minutes later they were
seen going through q gate which led 10 no
place except the factory.
Tho Attorney for the Sttae then detail
cd the movements Of Luetgert IN the fac
tory. the turning ON Of stcaw into tho
vat the sending out Of the watchman
shortly before 10 o'clock 90 e drugstore,
and on his subsequent egraId TO another
drugstore which kept him ont for an
hour He was away when Mrs. Luetgert
was last seen alive in the alley The al
icecd motive according TO the theory OF
the state was then described. Mr.. Nc
Evan said Luctecrt dcspiscd his wife
He had treated her with violence as the
evidence OF the State viii show. lie had
no affection COR her and lived alone in tho
factory Therc the attorney said. ho had
been visited hy others Judge objected
vincent 90 Tins statement but Judge Tut
mn ov r-ruled tho objection. Mr.. McEwan
then said witness will testify that he
saw Luetgert choke his wife IN the
chicken house back OF his residence.
Sne said:
"You will not KIN me as YOU did that
man. for have no money"
Judge Vincent objected TO this state
mcnt as foreign evidence. but was over
ruled by tho court.
when Mr.. McEwan concluded, Attorney
Vincent announced that no opening adj
dress would be made az present for the
defense. The first witness. w. III. Haafc,
81 the city Department, was then called
and testified 20 the correctness OF the
drawing being used Sy the prosecution.
THE PRIVATE DETECTIVES.
When the afternoon session began. the
FIRST witness called was Bioknese. brother
of Mrs. Inotgert Tie told the Jury Of his
visit 70 the house ~ Luetgert May 4th 10
see his sister There he met the sausage
maker and talked with him for some time
before he was informed that Mrs. Iuet-
CERT had disappeared Bicknese said
Iuetgert told him he did not know what
had become Of his wife. He had last seen
her az 3 o'clock the Saturday evening
previous. Luetgert said be did not be-
lieve she had gone away with some other
man, but thought she had wandered
away. The witness said he asked tho
prisoner what he had done - find his
wife and was informed that he had not
told the police OF her disappearance. In
stead he said he had paid two private de-
tectives five dollars each and they would
% more than the police would accom-
plish.
The witness said Iuotgert told him no
had not looked 10 see II his wife had
taken any clothing with her except the
dress ehG had on when he last saw her
He had not visited any place or made any
Blcknese told his story I'm simple
STRAIGHTFORWARD way, that made him an
impressive witness.
Louis Luetgert twelve years old, the
bright faced son OF the prisoner. was call
ed next The boy had testified twice pre-
viouslv IN the preliminary hearing and IN
a habeas corpus proceedings He told
more than on the former occasion. but
che statement OF the boy which caused the
state TO regret that he was "a witness for
the prosecution. was that al midnight or
later. long after the time when the muir
der occurred. according 70 the theory OF