Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-09-30

Ex-Judge vincent's Opening State
ment In the Luetgert Trial.


Ex-Judge vincent's Opening State
naent In the Luetgert Trial.
Ex-Judge Vincent sprung surprise on
the prosecution In the Luetgert murder
trial at Chicago In his opening statement
by reference to man named Robert
Davey, who. he said, was the original
medium through which all Of Luetgert's
trouble arose aud whose actions resulted
In Luetgert's being arraigned before the
bar Of justice charged with murder.
"A little over year ago Satan in the
shape Of medium-sized, well-dressed
and educated Englishman named Robert
Davey came to Luetgert and was the
cause Of 'all his trouble" said ex-Judge
Vincent. This man came with forged
letters Of introduction representing him
self as man OF great means. Luetgert
has always carried his heart on his sleeve,
as you will see when he goes on the wit
ness stand"
This was the first official notice that
Luetgert would testify in his own behalf
and the announcement was received with
a show OF interest by the prosecution
and the spectators. ''Davey told Luct-
CERT he could be the sausage king of the
world" went on ex-Judge Vincent. "And
Luetgert believed him, for Davey was an
artist in painting glowing pictures Of
wealth and fame. He told Luetgert
he represented an English syndicate, and
that company would be organized with
n capital Of 100000 and bonds for an
additional 100000 would be issued. The
company would be known as the A. l..
Luetgert Sausage and Packing Company,
Davey said, and Luetgert would be given
100000 cash and 100000 worth Of
stock. Out Of the cash he could pay off
5000 OF indebtedness which was COW
cred by a mortgage on his factory.
Mrs. Luetgert was delighted over the
visions of wealth revealed by Dayey's
picture and Luetgert, uneducated, honest
and without suspicion, was pleased over
the prospect of ranking with the Ar
mours, the Swifts and Nelson Morris in
the meat world. Davey had expenses
during the time he was negotiating with
Luetgert, whom he had induced to close
his factory, preparatory to the change
which was to have taken place January 1,
1897. He called upon Luctgert for money
and got tin all about $4,000. Finally,
Davey told Luetgert the money and
bonds were in the custody of the Contin-
entail Bond Company Of New YORK.
Luetgert and Judge Goodrich, to whom
Luetgert had told his story, went to New
York. But none Of the bankers or bond
companies of that city had ever heard OF
Davey. Luetgert had been swindled.
The attorney told Of Luetgert's strug-
giles after this. How his business had
been injured by the closing of the fac
tory and in addition to the loss of $25,-
600 to Davey he lost by the failure OF
L. s. Dreyer & Co.'s bank. Then he
borrowed $4,000 from Foreman Bros,
bankers, placing another mortgage on his
factory. Finally the failure came and
the disaster drove Mrs. Luetgert 10 the
verge of insanity. Later the woman be-
came insane, the lawyer said, and wan
dered away.
The life Of Luetgert was briefly
sketched. He arrived in America thirty
two years ago without a dollar, counsel
said, and by industry and thrift had built
up an enormous business. He made
100000 pounds Of sausage year and
sold 1t all over the country and Europe.
Often there were 100000 pounds of meat
in the factory Mt one time and the
sales from the factory to local consum-
ers averaged $50 per day. Nineteen
years ago lLuetSeTl lhuiiiSu MISC NSO"iSS
Bickncse, the woman he is said to have
killed. She was his second wife. They
had four children-two boys and two
girls--the latter are now dead. Ex-Judge
Vincent denied that the couple lived un-
happily. He said their lives were not a
continuous honeymoon, but the couple
lived as happily as people in their station
usually do.
Attorney Vincent startled the prosecu-
ton by the magnitude of two of his
claims. That Mrs. Luetgert Is alive, he
said, he would prove by witnesses who
have seen her since May /, and he would
also prove that the bones found in the vat
were not human and were put there by
the police authorities. AS for the rings
claimed to be Mrs. Luetgerts, the attor-
ney said he would show that they were
not hers, and that she had never seen
them. The attorneys speech made an i'm
preston on those in the courtroom.