The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-02
BATTLE OF THE BONES
ANOTHER DAY OF THE EUETGERT
TRIAL OCCUPIED BY EXPERTS.
Lecture by DIR. Airport on sesamoids,
TcmpOrals and 1anges-Witness
Trapped by the Prosecution.

CHICAGO, Oct. 1.-The monotony of the
scientific and painfully technical proceed
ings of the Luetgert murder trial to-day
was relieved by a hearty laugh at the ex-
pense of DR.. Airport, the chief astrological
expert of the Defense during the afternoon
session. Dr. Airport had identified a piece
of bone as the temporal of a human being
He observed that the bone would indicate
that the person had been large and strong
Yes. I suppose he was" observed AS
sistant States Attorney McEwen He
was a gorilla"
This announcement rather staggered
DIR. Airport, but he joined in the general
laugh among lawyers experts and spec
tators. There was warm tilt between the
witness and Assistant States Attorney Nc
Even during the afternoon. After answer
ing a question Dr. Airport proceeded to give
little explanatory lecture, DEPRESSING
somewhat from the subject under consider
alton. When he paused Assistant States
Attorney McEwen gazed at the witness a
moment ana remarked: "You are little
too fresh"
Ex-Judge Vincent was on his feet in
moment appealing for protection for the
witness.
"A little rebuke like that is good for some
people," remarked Assistant States Attor-
ney McEwen "One small head does not
contain all there is to know about bones"
Ex-Judge Vincent continued to demand
that his chief aIlatomist be protected by
the court
Judge Tuthill put a stop to the dispute
by leaning over his desk and remarking:
"Gentlemen, proceed with the trial of this
case"
DR.. Airport never worked harder while de-
livering lecture on descriptive and COM
parative ana tony before a class in the
Northwestern University than he did in his
descriptive talk before the jury in the Luet-
CERT case to-day. He drew diagrams and
pictures Of bones including sesamoids,
temporals, phalanges and others, and de-
scribed them. Then he drew more pictures
of the same bones in the lower animals and
compared them, pointing out the difference.
Few in the crowded courtroom appreciated
the remarks of the demonstrator. 1t was
Greek to nearly all except the attorneys
and the experts. The jurors followed the
descriptive talk dreamily. The severe cross
examination took a considerable degree of
poSitiveness out of the witness. The ques-
tions put to him by Assistant States At
torney McEwen, but framed by Prof. Dor
sey tested his knowledge of bones severely.
After falling into several cleverly laid pit
falls DR.. Airport became wary. His answers
were not so prompt, decisive and terse as
at first He hesitated and explained, and
when the ordeal was over the witness was
much pleased.
The battle of the bones will continue to-
morrow Prof Eckley is to be called to
tell the jury what he knows about bones,
both human and lower animal The experts
are not expected to finish before the MD
die of next week. When they get through
Luetgert is expected to go on the stand.
Already States Attorney Deneen Is receiV,
fr,vr m ".
The prosecution Is planning the delivery
of a crushing blow to the defense IN the
Luetgert murder trial When TINS oloW
reaches the solar plexus of the case all
sesamoid phalang5S. temporals and other
anatomical exhibits will, 1t Is claimed, be
knocked out of consideration for the time
being 1t is now asserted that the prose-
cution will produce upon the witness stand
three of the women whom witnesses nave
identified as Mrs. Luetgert. one or these
is the woman who was seen by half a dozen
persons in Kneosha, Wis, on May ana o.
She is now in Chicago ana Is pelhg Watcneo
constantly by detective. ms is the Wom-
an who left one of her slippers IN the Keno
sha police station. She was described by
several witnesses who saw her at the
Northwestern station at Kenosha, and at
two of the leading hotels of the town, and
identified by means OF a photograph OF mrs
Luetgert. This woman Will be put on the
witness stand. She will relate all converse
tions she had with the police officials and
others in Kenosha, it Is said. She is said
districts of Chicago. Detective Decelle has
traced the woman met on the country road
near Kenosha May by Fred Schebe and
identified as Mrs. Luetgert to Joliet, where
she is now said to be located. She Will be
called to the witness stand, it is said, and
will testify that she is a local evangelist
and was in the vicinity of Kenosha on the
day mentioned in the interest of some re-
ligious work.
Chicago detectives are now in the vicinity
of Elgin H., running down the story of
Peddler Opdyke, who positively identified
one of the two women who slept in grove
near his wagon at Lake Urich. near Elgin,
on the night of June 4, as Mrs. Luetgert
1t has been discovered. it is said, that these
women We're gypsies who belonged to a
band of nomads seen in the vicinity of Elg n
during the first two weeks of June. If this
testimony is introduced and Well supported
1t will have the effect of arousing a doubt
as to the identifcatlons of witnesses who
believe they saw Mrs. Luetgert soon after
her disappearance. The production of the
women who have been identified as Mrs
Luetgert will follow the closing of the evil
dence of the defense, and will be in the
nature of rebuttal evidence.
Juror Fowler. whose illness some time
ago caused a recess of two days in the
trial is i'll again. having been attacked
with a severe chin. 1t is not thought his
illness will prove serious
Male Stenographers I'm Request.