The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-22
SAYS He IS INNOCENT
LUETGERT swEARs HE DID NOT
KILL HIS MISSING WIFE,
And Asserts He Is Sure that 1t Is Only
Question of Time Until the
Woman Returns Home.
JURORS UNABLE TO AGREE
JUDGE TUTHILL QUESTIONS EACH
ONE SEPARATELY IN COURT,
And Then Reluctantly Releases Them
from Further Consideration of the
Celebrated Murder Case.
NINE WERE FOR CONVICTION,
>-
WHILE HARLEY, HOLABIRD AND
BARBER FAVORED ACQUITTAL.
A
And Then Reluctantly Releases Them
from Further Consideration of the
Celebrated Murder Case.
NINE WERE FOR CONVICTION,
WHILE HARLEY, HOLABIRD AND
BARBER FAVORED ACQUITTAL.
How the Prisoner Received the News
will Ask for Release on Bail-An-
other Trial Probable.

CHICAGO, Oct. 21.-The Associated Press
tonight obtained the one great feature miss
ing in the famous LuAtgert trial-the sworn
testimony of the defendant himself, Adolph
L. Luetgert. Standing tonight in the gloomy
jail adjoining the grim-looking gray stone
court building in which his remarkable trial
had at last been brought to a finish, the
burly sausage manufacturer capped the
climax of the extraordinary series of events
which began with his sensational bankrupt
cy and the alleged frightful diabolism of
boiling his wife to death at midnight in a
vat in his factory cellar.
Tonight closely following the final result
of the trial, which has attracted worldwide
attention, Luetgert made, under oath.
statement for the Associated Press concern
ing the fearful crime charged against him,
the first sworn statement yet made by him,
and the first statement Of such a kind ever
known in newspaper annals. The affidavit
was put in writing, in due legal form. and is
certified to by notary. Ex-Judge VIM. A.
Vincent, the leading counsel for the defendant
in this celebrated case. the man to whose
brains and skill and energy Luetgert, beyond
all doubt, owes his great legal victory gave
consent to the affidavit being made.
The scene in the Jail when Luetgert took
the oath was as dramatic as the circum-
stances were unique. In the dimly lighted
Jail corridor Luetgert, standing erect and
grasping the iron bars that still kept him
from liberty, lifted his right hand and sol
emnly assented assthe notary administered
the binding form. The gruesome surround
ings were reminder ia some degree Of the
midnight occurrences in the factory cellar
that have become familiar to the hundreds
of thousands who have followed the details
of the great trial Few If any, of the curious
prisoners and turnkeys who were spectators
had any inkling of what was taking place.
Luetgert, the notary and representative
of the Associated Press conferred together
for few moments, and then Luetgert, with
out hesitation, made the affidavit and signed
it in ink with the hand that is alleged to
have committed one Of the most fiendish
crimes on record. The affidavit explicitly
declares Luetgerts innocence. 1t follows:
ITO the Public-The result Of my trial
ending to-day, is a victory for me because
of the disagreement of the jury, but L am
very much disappointed and very much sur
prised that the jury did not bring in ver-
dict of not guilty.
Il did not kill my wife, and do not know
where she is, but 1 sure that it is only a
question of time until she comes home
Il did not go on the witness stand because
my lawyer, Judge Vincent, was bitterly op-
posed to my doing SO, and because he ad-
viSed me it was not necessary.
Il am grateful for the tremendous change
in public sentiment in my favor, and time
will demonstrate that l am not only an in
nocent, but a very grievously wronged man.
"ADOLPH l.. LUETGERT.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this
2lst day of October, A. D., 1887.
M. L. SULLIVAN, Notary Public"