The herald., 1897-09-05
VERY BAD DAY
For the Sausage Maker of
Chicago
RINGS FOUND IN THE VAT
ARE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED
AS HIS WIFE'S
RINGS FOUND IN THE VAT
Other Witnesses Declare That Lieut.
CERT Strongly Desired to Get
Rid Of His Helpmeet
Press Special Wire.


CHICAGO, Sept. ALI in all, 1t wa
bad day for the defendant in the Luet
gert murder trial. The strongest evi
dence which has yet been given agains
him was brought out and some Of it wa!
damaging.
The witnesses who gave the stronges
evidence against the sausage make
was Mrs. Christina Feldt, a widow, will
whom the prosecution alleges Luet
CERT was infatuated and to whom it il
claimed he has written number of love
letters since he has been confined in thi
Jail. Mrs. Feldt said that on various
occasions Luetgert said to her that h.
did not care for his wife, and once said
that he thought more of the domestic ir
the house than of Mrs. Luetgert He
also said that he had many quarrels witt
his wife, and he said that as soon as his
financial troubles were over he would
settle with her." He repeated this sew
eral times and called his wife a car
cass," and other names equally pleas
ant. 1t was said to be the object of the
prosecution in having Mrs. Feldt on
the stand to show that Luetgert was in
the hope of getting rid Of his wife fol
the purpose of marrying the widow, bu;
this was not made clear. Mrs. FeIdi,
said, however, that he had made threats
against his wife many times.
A niece of Mrs. Luetgert and two other
women identified the rings taken from
the vat as being the property of Mrs.
Luetgert. The niece said she at one
time had borrowed the rings and worn
them.
Gottlieb A. Schimpf, 16 years old, said
that on the night of the disappearance
Of Mrs. Luetgert she saw, about II
O'clock as she was returning from a
dance, the defendant and his wife enter
the factory. This was at the time when
the watchman was absent, Luetgert
having sent him on an errand to the
drug store. On cross-examination the
girl broke down badly and denied sew
eral things she had previously said. She
was given time to compose herself and
took the stand again. She broke down
second time and then the court took
matters into his own hands and asked
her if she saw Mrs. Luetgert enter the
factory that night with her husband.
She was positive that she had seen them.
The state, it is said, will in short
time produce as evidence the portion of
a human skull, number of teeth and a
finger joint, which were found in the
factory, and will endeavor to show that
they belonged to the missing woman.
Curiosity seekers who attempted to
gain admission to Judge Tuthill's court
found themselves interrupted at the
main entrance to the criminal court
building on Michigan street. A Gordon
of officers had been established, and only
those known to have business in the
building permitted to enter, and hun
dreds were turned away. When the
trial was resumed Luetgert consulted
frequently with his counsel and care
fully examined a ring on the inside,
which, according to witnesses for the
state, was Mrs, Luetgerts wedding ring.
Freddie Mueller, the first witness, said
the rings were those which Mrs, Luet-
CERT wore habitually. Mrs. Christina
Pearce said she had known Mrs. Luet-
CERT since witness was girl. Mrs.
Luetgert, before her marriage to the
sausage maker, lived at the house Of
witness mother. At picnic year ago
which Mrs. Luetgert attended the we'd
ding ring was the subject of a conversa-
ton, and it was remarked that Mrs.
Luetgert wore no other jewelry except
he'd wedding ring. Mrs. Anna Giezer
of Chicago Heights, servant in the
Luetgert household up to the fall of 1889.
identified the wedding ring and a small
guard ring worn with it. positively. Wit
ness produced photograph of herself
TO in 1899 yxh c11 ri
Mrs. Luetgert, she said, offered her the
rings to have her picture taken.
There was a sensation when Mrs.
Christian Feldt was called. Mrs. Feldt,
the widow, whose name has been so
often mentioned in connection with the
case, it was believed would be one of
the main witnesses for the defense, but
she had not been before the jury two
minutes when 1t became apparent that
she had gone over to the prosecution.
She produceI bundle of letters written
by Luetgert while in Jail and carried to
her home by Luetgerts son Arnold.
Mrs. Feldt testified that Luetgert told
her months ago that he cared more for
Mary Simmering, a. servant, than for
his wife. She said she visited the house
on May 5th and asked Mary Simmering
where Mrs. Luetgert was. Mary re-
piled that she had gone down town, and
would be back shortly Witness then
asked Luetgert about it, and he told her
Mary had lied, and that his wife had
disappeared. Luetgert said his wife
had on former occasions left him several
days without any explanation, and he
did not know where she had gone. He
then made the statement that he cared
more for Mary than for his wife. Wit
ness told of a visit to Luetgert at the
jail. The prisoner sent a request
through Vincent, an attorney, to come to
the Jail. Luetgert tried to induce her
to loan him money for his defense, ask
ing her to mortgage her house to raise
the necessary money. Mrs. Feldt said
she told Luetgert to apply to other
friends for money, and he told her he
had been unable to find any one to help
him. IF you go back on me-" said he.
II will take my life"
Witness said he ought to be ashamed
to talk that way on account Of the chill
dren, and he replied that even the chill
dren did not care for his life. She said
she then left him. Mrs. Feldt was not
cross-examined for the reason that the
translation of the letters has not been
verified, and the letters could not be
read to the jurors. They will be given
to the jury, and next week witness will
be recalled for cross examination. The
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