Evening journal., 1897-10-22
HAD TO GIVE IT UP.
Judge Tuthill Discharges the
Luetgert Jury.
ADMITTED THEY COULD NOT AGREE.
Luetgert Considers the Result Victory
For Him, and He Has Issued n Sworn
Statement Reiterating His Inno-
cence of the Charge of Murder.

cence of the Charge of Murder.
CHICAGO, oct. 22.-The jury before
whom Adolph L. Luetgert was tried
for wife murder has disagreed and has
been discharged. The trial. which was
one of the hardest fought battles in
the history of the Chicago criminal
court. lasted nearly nine weeks and
cost Cook county $4,000. And all the
effort and all the expense have been
wasted.
The jury stood on the last ballot as
1t had stood almost from the time of
its retirement-nine for conviction and
three for acquittal They were OUT 6S
hours altogether
There was short delay after the
Jurors came into court yesterday pend
ing the arrival of Luetgert and State
Attorney Deneen. Luetgert arrived
with a look of eager expectancy on his
usually stolid face.
When he was seated, Judge Tuthill
nodded to Foreman Heckhold, who an
nounced that the jury had been unable
to arrive at a verdict. He said there
had been an absolute deadlock for 3S
hours.
Judge Tuthill had questioned each of
the jurors and had become convinced
that there was no possibility of an
agreement, so he accepted the report
and discharged the jury.
Luetgert expressed no opinion of the
result. but he appeared well pleased.
He was taken back to Jail within five
minutes after the jury had been dis
charged.
The jurors were elated to walk forth
In the fresh air free men again after
nearly nine weeks of wearisome con-
fnement in constantly crowded court
room. They shook hands with one an
other as they separated at the lie
Grande hotel, whittier they went in a
body to procure some personal effects
they had left in their rooms. For his
services each of the jurors drew SIG
During the eight weeks and five days
service each of the jurors had made
four demands for money. and checks for
$50 each were handed them in final pay
ment
EX-Judge Vincent was rather pleased
than otherwise over the result. though
he declared that his client was a per-
fectly innocent man and should have
been acquitted. But the fact that nine
Of the jurors differed with him seemed
to impress Luetgert's chief counsel
so bad after all.
Last night, closely following the final
result Of the trial which has attracted
worldwide attention, Luetgert made un-
der oath a statement concerning the
fearful crime charged against him, the
first sworn statement yet made by him.
The affidavit was written in due legal
form and is certified to by a notary.
Ex-Judge William A. Vincent the
leading counsel for the defendant in this
celebrated case. the man to whose
brains and skill and energy Luetgert
beyond all doubt owes his great legal
victory. gave consent to the affidavit
being made.
The scene in the jail when Luetgert
took the oath was as dramatic as the
circumstances were unique. In the
dimly lighted jail corridor. Luetgert
standing erect and grasping the iron
bars that still kept him from liberty,
lifted his right hand and solemnly as
sented as the notary administered the
binding form.
The affidavit explicitly declares Luet-
gert's innocence.
Luetgert addresses his statement 10
the public, and if brief il is decidedly
10 the point. He says:
The result of my trial is a victory for
me because Of the disagreement Of the
Jury, but I am very much disappointed
and very much surprised that the jury
did not bring in verdict of not guilty.
Il did not kill my wife and do not
know where she is. but 1 am sure that
It is only a question of time until she
comes home.
Il did not go upon the witness stand
because my lawyer, Judge Vincent, was
bitterly opposed to my doing so and
because he advised me 1t was not nec-
essary.
4 am grateful for the tremendous
change in public sentiment in my favor
and time will demonstrate that l am
not only an innocent man but very
grievously wronged man"
It is quite probable that some prose
cutions for perjury win result from the
Luetgert case. While the state attor-
nev refused TO affirm or deny this, it is
given on first class authority that the
testimony of two of the principal wit
nesses for the defense will be laid be-
fore the grand jury for an investiga-
ton. 1t may be that more than two
people will be included in the list thai
will be carried to the grand jury, but
II Is practically settled that indictments
will be asked for against two probably
before the Luetgert case can be reach
ed for trial again.
The two witnesses against whom it /:
said indictments will be asked are VIII
liam Charles. Luetgerts business part
ner. and Mary Siemmering, the domes
tic in the Luetgert household.