The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-03
Defendant May BE Kept on the stand
Six Days Telling His story and
Undergoing CrOss-Examination.
Battle OF EXPERTS NOTENDED
SEVERAL LUDICROUs BLUNDERS AND
FLAT CONTRADICTIONS.
Testimony to BE Recorded by the
PhonOgraph and the Country Dell
uged with Murder Details.

CHICAGO, Oct. 2-The close of the sixth
week of the celebrated trial OF Adolph L.
Luetgert for the alleged murder of his wife
showed the case far from completed Luet-
gert's story has not been heard. The big
sausage maker may be on the stand week.
1t will take him over one court day to tell
his story under the lead of his counsel.
Then will come the cross-examination of
States Attorney Deenen, who Is recognized
as one of the best cross-questioners at the
Chicago bar Luetgert viii be carried
through a history of his life in whirlwind
fashion. Then he will experience a cylclonic
sweep through the important matters
brought out by his direct examination.
Luetgert has all along expressed an intense
desire to talk. He has repeatedly declared
that he wanted to tell his story to the jury.
1t is predicted that the anxiety OF the ac-
cused man to talk will be fully satisfied
before his cross-examination is closed If he
goes on the witness stand, and ex-Judge
Vincent, chief counsel for the defense, has
promised that Luetgert will be heard.
The greater part of this week was de-
voted to threshing over old straw. 1t was
another battle of the experts, fought along
the old line with varying results The CON-
sensus of opinion at the close of the week
this afternoon by close observers of the
trial since the opening was that the prose-
cution had the better of the argument as to
sesamoids, temporals, phalanges. phalanx,
femurs, and other bones of the human body,
as well as the lower order of animals. Ex-
perts of the defense have contradicted each
one on cross-examination. They have also
made blunders in the Identification of bones
which amused the jurors and apparently
weakened their testimony DR.. Airport
made two bad mistakes on Friday, when he
identified the femur of a gorilla as that OF
a man and piece of the skull of a dog as
belonging to a monkey. To-day Dr. Merrill
lat added to the confusion of the defense
by identifying hog femur in a manner in
direct conflict with the Identification of DR..
Airport of the same bone on Friday. DR..
Airport said the bone in evidence was the
upper or hip joint portion of the femur.
DR.. Merrilat testified positively that the
bone was the lower end of the femur.
1t looked for few moments this MORN
ing as if there would be another interruption
in the trial. Juror John e. Fowler was not
feeling entirely well. He, however. expressed
a desire that the case proceed and court
opened at the usual hour
TALKING INTO A APHONOGRAPH.
A phonograph expert brought to the
court room to-day a score of receiving
cylinders and a vast bugle-shaped tube.
This was trained on the witness stand and.
by request of counsel, witnesses will speak
loud and clear in the future. In a short time
a phonograph reproduction OF some of the
evidence in the famous Luetgert trial may
be heard all over the country. Luetgerts
testimony will be the star evidence Of the
trial and an effort will be made to get it all
into the photograph
The first witness called to the stand this
morning was DR.. " A. Merrillat of the
McKillop Veterinary College Chicago. DR..
Merrillat was called on to identify various
bones placed in evidence by the prosecu-
ton and declared by the defense to be the
bones of the lower order Of animals Like
his predecessors on the stand in the expert
line, the witness was inclined to lecture
and demonstrate his remarks to a degree
that became somewhat tiresome. But he
spoke in clear loud tone of voice. which
was entertaining to the experts in the room.
Dr. Merrillat was less confident in his as
sertions than other experts who have been
heard during the trial. Benefiting by their
amusing and at times humiliating blunders,
the witness avoided the clevrly-laid tech
nical points which were arranged by Prof.
Dorsey, of the Field Columbian Museum,
and led up to by the questioning Of Assist
ant States Attorney McEwen. He refused
to identify the gorilla Iemur yhich yester-
day proved a stumbling blockSto DIR. ALL
port, who said It Was the femu OF a
five feet four inches tall. In reality, the
gorilla, whose bones now rest in the Field
Columbian Museum. was six feet six inches
tall when he roamed the jungles. The wit
ness also refused to commit himself as to
a temporal bone handed him. He gave his
reasons for these refusals. He said that he
wanted something more than an isolated
bone in order to positively state its prob
able nature and connection. While the wit
ness felt sure in his own mind as to the
identity of these, yet he did not propose, he
said, in case involving so much, and while
these bones were absolutely what he
thought they were He did not believe in
off-hand guessing and thought any expert
should be granted time to make q thorough
investigation.
ALLPoRT CoNTRADICTED.
On cross-examination by Assistant States
Attorney MeEwen DR.. Merrillat was led
into a fiat contradiction of DR.. Airport as
to the identification of a hog femur. Yester-
day DR.. Airport positively identified the
bone as the upper part of the femur of a
hog This morning, DR.. Merrillat just as
positively stated that the bone was the
lower part of the femur.
"Sure?" queried Assistant States Attor-
ney McEwen. 49,. .,..sa
the crogS-examiner.
II think not. No. sir" answered the sur
geon.
ss'rhat's ALL" remarked Mr.. McEwen smsI-
ing as he toyed with the femur of the hog
Dr. j. Hughes, of the Chicago Veterinary
College was next called to the witness
stand and told what he knew about bones
to the phonograph, and incidentally also
to the attorneys and the jury. His evidence
did not differ materially from that of the
other experts.
Prof. Eckley. instructor OF anatomy and
physiology in the Chicago College of Physi-
clans and Surgeons, the Northwestern Uni
versity and the University OF Illinois.
proved to be the most entertaining witness
produced to-day. The professor is the pos
SCISSOR Of a peculiar voice. Ex-Judge Vim
cent handed the witness bone and asked
rs that a human bone""
II am unable to say" replied the expert.
What is this bone?' asked the lawyer,
passing up another specimen.
1T Is the articular surface of the head
of a bone. / am unable to say whether
human or from q lower animal.
have you ever examined this bone I
hand your
Il have"
"Is it human or not%'
Il could not possibly place that bone in
any animal TO save my soul. Ii would re-
quire the most absolutely eXtrayagant spec
ulation 10 do so"
This profound and scholarly admission
created O roar of merriment which tina
court bailiffs found some difficulty In re-
straining. Assistant States Attorney Me-