Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-10-07

ludu Thought. ne uelSllSC uSSu'tS
rested its case and there is nothing
now to come but the rebuttal evidence
of the state and the arguments of the
atorneys-probably about two weeks
in all The state had eighty witnesses
to place upon the stand, but States At
torney Deneen said in the afternoon
that in most cases their evidence will
be short and that he will get through
with them in hurry. He expects to
demolish the stories offered by wit
nesses for the defense that Mrs. Luet-
CERT was seen around Kenosha and
Lake Zurich. Wis, within a few days
after the murder is said to have been
committed and to furnish other tes-
timony that will in Il great measure
hold up the side of the prosecution.
The defense rested in the morning
after two witnesses had been heard
and the big sausage maker did not
go on the stand in his own behalf, as
he has said all along he would do.
This was a bitter disappointment to
him, as he alweys felt if he could
have an opportunity he could clear up
II any charges and convince the jury
of his innocence. When the time
had come definitely to decide whether
or not Luetgert should testify, his at
torneys asked and received permits
sion to retire and confer with their
client privately. Chief Counsel Vim
cent was decidedly opposed to allow
ing him to appear as a witness. He
pointed out that Luetgert's partner
had gone over the ground and made
clear everything of Importance to
which Luetgert could testify and ad-
ded that if he went on the stand, he
would be submitted to long, severe
cIoss-eXaminations: that he would
lose his temper and make damaging
admissions. Attorney Phalen, while
reclining to side with Luetgert. admit
ted the pertinency of Judge Vincent's
reasons, and Luetgert reluctantly
gave up the desire which he had
cherished since the trial began, When
the trio returned into the court room,
the defense announced it rested it's
case.
Henry J. Cox, of the weather bureau
testified that the night when Mrs.
Luetgert disappeared was cloudy.
The object was to discredit the tes-
timony for the prosecution to the
effect that Mr.. and Mrs. Luetgert were
seen across the street in the neighbor-
hood OF the factory at II p. m.
The last witness was Mrs. Charles,
the wife of Luetgert's business part
FER, who testified that on several oc-
casions Mrs. Luetgert said to her she
was going away; that she could not
stand it to have people point her out
as the wife of the man who failed.
The last time she did this was near
the noon of the day that she disap
peared. Mrs. Charles further testified
that she had often seen Mrs, Luetgert's
rings. They were plain gold rings
of about the same size as to width.
ct will be remembered that the
rings produced by the prosecution as
taken from The vat, were of different
widths) When the narrower of these
rings was shown Mrs. Charles de-
clared that it was not the one worn
by Mrs. Luetgert. She could not say
positively whether the other was hers
or not.
When the defense rested, the pros
ecution was not ready for presentation
of rebuttal testimony and the hearing
was adjourned till Wednesday.
AS the evidence in the famous
trial is now practically all in, an es-
innate of the relative strength of the
prosecution and defense, respectively,
is the sole topic of discussion around
the criminal court building. The at
torneys engaged are probably the
best judges of the weight of evidence.
I'VE have made OUT as strong cir
cumstantial case as it was possible to
present" said States Attorney De-
neen THE evidence is connected and
the story moved along in a smooth,
natural groove. cannot conceive of
a case being made out more complete
~ on purely circumstantial evidence.
Our case will be strengthened by rebuff
tai evidence yet to be heard. The
VI lIlt "cAAiNh a. iANhc
sha and Lake Zurich, Wis, will be alb
solutely obliterated before the end Of
the present week. That will add an
other link to our strong circumstantial
chain. We are fully satisfied with the
situation.
ExJudge Vincent was apparently
highly pleased over the status of the
case. We have met them at every
point and checked them said he.
We have impeached several Of their
witnesses and they have failed to show
beyond reasonable doubt that Mrs.
Luetgert is dead. In my judgment, a
case has not been established under
the indictments And we are not
through yet ="
Luetgert is confident that he will be
acquitted. While apparently regret
ting that he had not an opportunity to
tell his history to the jury, the big
sausage maker said that he was salts
fled that the jury would not convict
him nnnCr the evidence presented