The San Francisco call., 1897-09-05
love Of THE
SAUSAGE MAKER
Luetgert Was Much In
fatuated With the
Widow Feldt.
Although Witness for the
Defense She Testified
Against Him.
He Told Her Several Times That
He Intended to "Settle" With
His Wife.

CHICAGO. ILL.,. Sept. All in all it
was bad day Tor the defendant in the
Luetgert murder trial. The strongest evil
dence which has yet been given against
him was brought out, and some of it was
damaging.
The witness who gave the strongest evil
dence against the sausage maker was Mrs.
Chistina Feldt. widow with whom the
prosecution alleges Luetgert was infatuat-
ed, and to whom it is claimed he has writ
ten number of love letters since he has
been confined in jail
Mrs. Feldt is the widow whose name
has been so often mentioned in connection
with the case. 1t was believed she would
be one of the main witnesses for the de-
tense, but she had not been before the
jury two minutes when it became appar-
ent that she had gone over to the prosecu-
ton.
She said that on various occasions Luet-
CERT said to her that he did not care for
his wife, and once said that he thought
more of Mary Simmerinc, the domestic in
the house, than of Mrs. Luetgert. He
also said that he had many quarrels with
his wife, and when Mrs. Feldt asked him
why he did not secure a divorce he said
that as soon as his financial troubles were
over he would settle with her."
He repeated this several times and
called his wife carcass" and other
names equally pleasant. 1t was said to
be the object of the prosecution in having
Mrs. Feldt on the stand to show that
Luetgert was desirous of getting rid of
mis- wife for the purpose of marrying the
widow, but this was not made clear. Mrs
Feidt said, no wever, that he had made
threats against his wife many times.
niece of Mrs. Luetgert and two other
women identified the rings taken from
the vat as being the property of Mr..
Luetgert. The niece said she at one time
had borrowed the rim IS and worn them.
Guttlieke Schimpf, 16 years old. said
that on the nigh of the disappe arance of
Mrs. Luetgert she saw about II o'clock, as
she was returning from a dance, the de-
fendant ana his wife enter the factory
This was at the time when the watchman
was absent Luetgert baving sent him on
an errand to the drugstore. On cross
examination the girl broke down badly
| and denied several things she had pre-
viously said. She was given time TO COM
pose herself and took the chair again.
She broke down a second time, and then
the court took matters into his own hands
and asked her if she saw Mrs. Luetgert
enter the fac,ory that night in company
with her husband. She was very positive
that she had seen them.
The State, it is said, will in short time
produce as evidence the portion of hu-
man skull. mum Der of teeth and finger
Joint which were found in the factory, and
will endeavor 10 show that they belonged
to the missing woman.
One of the features of the sensational
trial is the focking in from all portions of
the country OF newspaper correspondents.
who crowd the regular press seats and
tbrong the space within the ratings where
improvised desks have been placed for
them. The majority find all the features
necessary In the stirring incidents of the
trial, but some of the reporters have found
it necessary TO call upon their Imagination
for striking scenes and cooring.
Luetgerts most prominent characteris-
tic is his stolid, untin ching bearing, his
face rarely showing more expression than
the back of his massive neck; yet. in his
blank countenance enterprising journal
lists find daily depicted all the human pas
sions. from u desire for glass of beer, to
abect terror and soul-torture. AT re-
cent session ne outlandish street band,
short on melody and long on breath,
stopped beneath the courtroom windows
and turned loose stream of popular airs.
'Luetgert, with everybody else present,
was amused at the temporary Interrupt
tion but in the incident q melancholy
correspondent or two saw scene of NOR
bid interest. Out OF the ravishing strains
of Sweet Rosy O'Grady" and my Gal Is
a High Born Lady" they con njured fu-
neral march, and with narrowing minute
ness of detail described The convul,ion of
fear which swept across the prisoners pal
lid countenance. To the average specta-
tor the countenance was rather red and
moist as result of the high temperature
of the crowded room, but for all that it
was none the less pallid in the CORES pond
ents' reports.
The big defendant reads these graphic
tales with great interest, and seems to be
highly amused by them, frequently in
duleing in hearty laughter al the di--
covery that he is "broken down" or is "on
the verge OF a collapse.
Several letters alleged to have been
written by Luetgert to Mrs. Christine
Feldt were made public to- night, and Will,
The prosecution announced, be submitted
to the jury Monday. They abound in
such endearing terms as "beloved Chris
tine" my bsIoved dear Christine" and
the like, and were written at various
times since Luetgert's arrest.
He frequently asserts his innocen and
saws he believes there is no evidence to
convict him, severely condemning Attor-
ney Tripp, who was formerly his counsel,
and urging Mrs. Feldt 10 assist him in
raising money for lawyers fees.
He several times declared that he will
soon be free land with you," and says,
1--WE will then have all the money we
want" To one letter he adds this post
script: what you are doing now. you
will be proud of hereafter, that you have
fulfilled my wishes, for your faithfuIness
will be recognized by your wing Louis
when we need not think OF this time any
longer. Your Louis"
In another is this mixture OF sentiment
and thrlftiness: "But now, beloved Chris
tine one thing is IN this play, and that is
the need of money, and much money, and
all the money have is in your possession.
| be lleve it is just as good in your bands
as in mIne Now, Christine, please be
comiorted. The factory is closed; that
does not matter. We have but fifteen
months time to keep possession OF the
same, consequently time enough to make
money out OF it,
II have two people on hand who want
to buy the place for $4,000 The entire
debts amount to $1,000 Certainly they
only want the business. / should run it
for them That will leave US nice sur
plus. Now, my beloved friend. these TWO
attorneys are bloodsuckers. What do you
think about it; if you and Arnold would
make contract with Vincent or some