The herald., 1897-09-10
BITS OF FLESH
May Be Portions of Mrs.
Luetgert
THE BONES SURELY. HUMAN
THE TESTIMONY GIVEN IN THE
MURDER TRIAL
THE BONES SURELY. HUMAN
The Defendant Examines the Hideous
Exhibits offered in Evidence
Without Emotion
Associated Press Special Wire.

CHICAGO, Sept. 9.-The entire morn.
in the trial of Adolph Luetgert were
consumed in taking of expert testimony
Through chemical analysis the state
must establish not only the possibility
of human body being dissolved by the
action Of caustic potash heated to the
boiling point, but also that the bone
hair and flesh and the drippings Of
pirkish matter from the interior of the
vat in the sausage factory are portions
of human body If they can demon
strate these two propositions beyond a
doubt one of the most important por-
tions of the case will have been accom-
plished. By circumstantial evidence
ti.ey have endeavored to prove that
Luetgert was anxious to rid himself OF
his wife and that he enticed her to
the factory on the evening of May 1. By
expert testimony they expect to prove
that Mrs. Luetgert's remains are now
represented by the bits Of flesh and
hair.
Two expert witnesses have been
called, DIR. Charles B. Gibbs and Prof
da la Fontaine. DR.. Gibson, whose d.
rect examination was begun Wednes-
day, offered further testimony for the
state and was turned over to the de-
fense for cross-examinaton.. Prof. de
la Fontaine was examined by Assistant
States Attorney McEwen, the direct ex-
animation occupying the remaining time
of the morning session and the entire
afternoon session.
Luetgert was brought into court early
today and took his seat in front Of Bailiff
Reed before the judge or jury entered
the court room. He plainly showed the
effects of his confinement and the warm
weather, and his features were mors
than usually wan. The jury also seemed
to feel the effects of the several days hot
weather and two weeks Of confinement
which they have endured.
The first witness called was H. F
Kruger druggist, who sold Watchman
Frank Bialk medicine which Luetgeri
ordered his employe to purchase. The
testimony was intended merely as cor
roborative OF the watchman's testimony
az to time the purpose being to show the
hours between which the alleged murder
is supposed to have been committed.
The second witness was DR.. Charles B.
Gibson, chemical expert. placed on the
stand for redirect examination in re-
gard to the analysis of the fleshy sub
stances and slime removed from the vat.
The prosecution could not draw from
Prof. de la Fontaine the assertion that
the bits Of flesh were human flesh. They
might be human. but they might also
be the flesh Of an animal. The bones,
he was sure, were human bones, but
regarding the flesh he was very guard
ed and careful in his statements. He
will. in the morning. be turned over to
the defense for cross-examination.
At no time during the day did the de-
fendant display emotion. not even when
the big dry goods box with its gruesome
contents of flesh and bone was placed
few feet from him near the jury. He
handled the gunny sacks and inspected
with curious glances the bits Of flesh
and bone which were passed gingerly
from attorney to attorney, but at no
time did his hand tremble or the look
of ordinary interest give way to pallor
or an averted glance. Innocent or
guilty, the verdict of all is that Luet-
CERT is possessed of more nerve than any
other man who has ever been tried for
murder within the precincts of the GRIM
:nal court building.
The attorneys for the defense continue
in their confident attitude and assert
that when their client is acquitted a
number of damage suits are to be COM
menced. They intend that those who
have manufactured evidence" as they
put it. shall suffer for the wrong which
they say has been done their client.