The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-28
PURCHASE OF THE POTASH.
LUETGERT'S PARTNER TELLS 4
VERY PLAUSIBLE STORY.

SOHp WIS wanted 10 Olean Up the
Sausage Factory For the PrOspec-
tive English Purcbascrs-The Bar
ricRded Cellar Door Is Also Ac-
counted FOr-AnOther of Luetgert's
Trumps Is Played But the PrOsecu-
ton Calls 1t Bluff.
Chicago, Sept. 27.-The leading event OF
the day in the trial of A. L. Luetgert was
the evidence of William Charles, Luet-
gerts business partner. He explained why,
as he claimed the caustic potash in which
the body of Mrs. Louise Luetgert is al
legged by the prosecution to have been dis
solved, was bought
According to Charles story, the pot
ash was purchased as the principal ingre-
dent of quantity of soft soap to be
used in cleaning up the big factory pre-
paratory to its sale to an English syndI-
cate The witness said he suggested this
method of putting the factory in shape
himself and that Luetgert, acting upon
the suggestion, ordered a barrel of caus-
tic potash, weighing 375 pounds, sent to
the factory in March last. This was
about the time the prosecution claims ne
gotiations were pending between Luet-
CERT and Davey, the mysterious English
man, who is said to have represented the
syndicate and who borrowed something
like $4,000 from Luetgert.
Charles also offered an explanation of
the apparently barricaded door to the
basement stairway by telling about a
chase for rates, in which a small dog
was an active participant. He said that
the factory had been infested by rats for
some time, and that an effort had been
made to get ride of them. The evening of
April 80 he and Luetgert, with others,
were in the basement when a terrier,
which belonged to the witness, got after
a rat. Charles, Luetgert and the others
moved boxes, barrels and other obstacles
to aid the dog in his chase, and the boxes
and barrels were hurled in a pile against
the door. The barricade of the door was
unintentional, he said. II just happened
that the articles were thrown there with
out thought of the door at all.
Charles said besides the caustic potash.
two or three barrels-ef tallow, a quantity
of grease and some Clipped bone, which
was to be used in making the soft SOAP
that he told Odorofsky and Levandowski,
the two laborers employed in the factory,
to place some stuff in the middle vat.
He also saw Frank Bialk in the factory
at the time the caustic potash was put
in the vat, and Luetgert said he would
see to turning on the steam and boiling
the stuff.
Charles said he met Luetgert in a sa-
loon opposite the factory on the evening
of the night Mrs. Luetgert disappeared,
and Luetgert said he was going over to
the factory and turn on the steam. AT
o'clock the same night, Charles said he
went to the basement of the factory ana
found Luetgert there and the steam turn
ed on. The mixture boiled over once or
twice and splashed upon the floor he said
The following day he visited the factory
basement and saw the mixture in the vat.
The tallow was in one portion of the vat
and the grease or lard had collected in
another part of the vat by itself. Luet-
CERT again turned on steam in the mixture
the witness said
On cross examination by States Attor-
ney Deneen, Charles denied he had doc
tored" the books Of the concern so as to
show a yearly profit of $4,000 This line
of cross examination was objected to by
the defense, but the court permitted ii for
a time, the result being a complete denial
by Charles. He acknowledged that it was
he who introduced Promoter Davey to
Luetgert, but he said he was deceived by
the man as well as Luetgert.
Frank Dittler told of seeing Mrs. Luet-
CERT wringing her hands and weep upon
one occasion. 1t was during the latter
part of April, and the witness declared
Mrs. Luetgert said the business was
broken UP, everything was gone and that
she was going away also Later the wit
ness said Mrs. Luetgert promised to at
tend the wedding of his daughter in June
and make the prospective bride a pres
ent.
At the close of the afternoon session of
court ex-Judge Vincent and Attorney
Phalen were much pleased over the evil
dence of witness Charles. He told a
pretty fair story" acknowledged Assist
ant States Attorney McEwen at the close
of the trial. 1T was one of those stories
upon which there is nothing left TO cross
examine. First, he sought the opportun-
ity. He says he was in the basement
of the factory that night, and that Luet-
CERT began TO make soap. He and Luet-
CERT are the only ones who really know
the real object for which that caustic
potash was bought. They are not going
to tell any other story than the one told
by Charles. So what is the use to cross
examine at length on that point? But
we have some other evidence on this
point that will change the complexion of
Charles evidence when 1t is submitted"