Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-31

Z Witness a ISSG VI SA
Luetgert is Alleged to Have Oseo
in Disposing of the Corpse OF H-s
Wife.
Chicago. August SO-The trial OF
Adolph L. Luetgert, for the murder OF
his wife. Degan in earnest to-day the
preliminary work of securing a jury
having been completed.
Long before the case was called the
corridors of the court building were
tbronged with people anxious to gam
admittance to the little court ROOM
and FIVE minutes after the doors were
opened the room was packed TO sur
location.
Contrary to the expectation OF the
state the Jury will be asked by the
defense to witness an experiment IN
tho vat in the basement Of the sausage
factory. This is to be the result OF an
exneriment conducted by Luetgert's at
tornevs Saturday and yesterday.
The body of a man of about Mrs.
Iuetgert's age and weight, who met
his death by violence Thursday, was
taken to the factory at col DiversYy
avenue. and immersed in a solution OF
caustic potash. The result exceeded
their expectations.
The experts reported that after DOLL
ing the body in a 10 per cent. solution
Of the potash. for the same length Oh
time three and one-half hours, and
under the same circumstances, as the
State alleges Luetgert disintegrated
the body of his wife, the complete SAel-
eton of the cadaver remained intact
ard that the solution had but little
effect ON the clothing. As a result OF
the test. the defense will, it is said
ask Judge Tuthin to remove his court
..and the Jury to the basement OF the
sausage factory for a few hours
Citness another experiment Whicn
-N'
Eletgert was calm and confident
.fooking when brought into court, and
he had apparently been greatly re-
freshed by Sundays respite from the
daily court ordeal.
Assistant States Attorney McEwan
formally opened the case for the State.
ON the wall close to the jury box were
hung large maps of the Luetgert sau-
sage factory. the Luetgert home and
all the surroundings of the place where
it is charged the prisoner killed his
wife and then destroyed her body The
attorney for the State began with the
disappearance Of Mrs Luetgert on May
and next described the visit, on May
~. of Diedrick Bicknere. brother Of
Mrs. Luetgert. when he called to see
his sister and discovered that she had
disappeared. He dwelt on the apparent
Indifference Of the husband, his state
ment that he had not informed the po-
lice. but had hired two detectives. and
his invitation to Bicknere 10 call again
in about week when he would tell
him il anything had Oeen discovered
concerning the whereabouts Of his
sister.
Attorney McEwan told the jury that
Luetgert's statement that he had hired
two detectives 10 search for his wife
would be proven false. Mr.. McEwan
said it is the theory Of the State that
Mrs. Luetgert accompanied her hus-
band in to the factory between 1890
and II o'clock. About 1890 her little
son Louis returned from the circus
and saw her sitting in the kitchen.
The conversation Of the boy with his
mother was interrupted by Luetgert,
who came in and ordered the boy to
. bed. Before going to sleep the boy
heard his father descending the back
stairs toward the factory. where he
had slept for years. Mr.. McEwan
said it is the theory of the State that
Mrs. Leutgert descended the stairs at
the same time and went to the factory.
The boy did not hear her steps. be-
cause she wore house slippers which
made no noise. Leutgert and his wife
were seen in the alley in the rear Of |
the house a few minutes later They
were seen going through a gate which I.
led to no place except the factory.
The attorney for the State then de- f.
tailed the movements Of Luetgert in /
the factory. the turning on Of the steam /
to the vat, the sending Of Watchman |
Bialk shortly after 10 o'clock TO a |
drug store. and Bialk's subsequent er-
rand to the drug store. all of which /
kept him out of the factory for an
hour and a half He was away when
Mrs. Luetgert was last seen alive in
the alley.
The alleged motive and operating
reason which actuated Luetgert. ac-
eOrding to the theory Of the State. was
then described. Mr.. McEwen said
luetgert despised his wife. He had
'reated her with violence as the evil
lence for the State will show. He had
2 affection for her end lived alone
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