The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-26

C"oIn
Statement From Luetgert
Chicago, October 21.-The gray light
of a cool autumn morning struggled
through the big windows of Judge Tut
hills court today as Adolph L. Luet-
CERT, the man who has been on trial
on the charge of numbering his wife
and burning her body in a vat, heard
from the foreman of the twelve men
who have been considering his case for
the past s~ixty-six hours the words:
I'VE are unable to agree upon a YER
dict" Imperturbable as ever, evincing
nOjoy at the words, the wonderful nerve
of the Northsider was with him to the
end. He stood up, and with only a good
natured smile on his swarthy face,
shook hands with his son Arnold his
counsel, and business partner, William
Charles. In less than five minutes he
was led back to Jail, the jury dismissed
and the great trial was over.
The twelve men were divided as fol-
lows: For conviction and the death
penalty-Heickhold, Boyd, Bibby, Ma
honey, Bemiller, HOsmer, Shaw, Fran
Zon and Fowler; for acquittal, Harley,
Holabird and Barber. Immediately af-
Ter tDcy we're dlSCIdi 6tu, TIE july IG-
quested to be allowed to return to the
room which has been the scene of their
discussion for so long. This was grant
ed. Twenty minutes later, the jurors
filed back into court and Foreman
Heickhold handed the following to Clerk
NOch who by order Of the court read
it aloud:
We the jurors in the case of the peo-
pie of the state of Illinois versus
Luetgert, tender to the presiding judge,
the bic Richard S. Tuthill, and
the brilliant states attorney Charles
S. Deneen and his no less brilliant as
sistant Mr.. w. M. McEwen as we'll as
the attorneys for the defense, our most
heartfelt hanks for the kline treatment
we have re received at their hands and
we do not hesitate to state that were it
not for the way in which they have at
tended to our personal comfort, as well
as to our sanitary condition., the hard
ship would nave been very great. AS
to the trial We wish to state hat while
the evidence was such that we were
unable to agree upon a verdict, one
thing we did agree about and that is
that the circumstances were such that
the police had ample reason to prose-
cute on the showing without hearing
the defense and we commend them for
having lone their duty in the case.
FOREMAN HEICKHOLD,
And balance of the jury"
Yes sir, we will try him again."
said States Attorney Deneen, when
asked as to the probability of Luetgert
being brought before the court a second
time. when we shall get at it. how
ever is something / cannot tell you now.
The case stands with US as though
there had never been a trial. But the
second trial has no bearing whatever
on the case just closed"
AT O'clock this 9ftprnOOn counsel
for Luetgert gave the states attorney
notice that they would tomorrow morn
ing at 10 o'clock make formal applica-
ton before Judge Tuthill for the ad-
mission of the prisoner to bail. Judge
Tuthin will be asked to fix the amount
of bail at SIS, 900 but Luetgert will enter
court prepared to furnish bonds Of $780,
900 if necessary. States Attorney De-
neen was not prepared to say
whether or not the application would
be resisted.
1t was admitted by several members
of the jury hat the disagreement was
brought about by a wide difference of
opinion regarding the rings found in
the vat, the testimony of Emma and
Gottliebe Scmike and the testimony of
Kenoshans who positively testified that
they saw Mrs. Louise Luetgert alive in
the Wisconsin town on May 3rd, 4th
and 5th.
juror Harley ulu HUI UelISNe Tic IlIlSS
found in the middle vat Of Luet-
gert's factory were Mrs. Luetgert's
rings. Holabird was inclined to believe
the story of the KenOSha witnesses de-
spite the ~impeaching evidence intro
duced and Barber would not believe
the strong evidence given by the
Schmike sisters. These were consid-
cred the strong features Of the trial by
these jurors.
The Associated Press tonight OBJ
tanned the one great feature missing in
the famous Luetgert trial-the sworn
testimony OF the defendant himself,
Adolph L. Luetgert. Luetgert made
under oath tonight a statement for the
Associated Press concerning the fearful
crime charged against him, the first
sworn statement yet made by him.
The affair was put in writing in due
legal form and is certified to by a
notary. Ex-Judge William "A. Vincent,
the leading counsel for the defendant
gave consent to the affiavit being made.
The ~aSsidavit explicitly declares
Luetgert's innocence. The document
in full is as follows:
To the Public:
The result of my trial, ending today,
is a victory for me, because Of the dis
agreement of the jury, but ] am very
much disappointed and veTy much
surprised that the jury did not bring
in a verdict OF not guilty. l did not
Kill my wife and do not know where
she is, but 1 am sslre that it b only a
question of time until she comes home.
1 did no go upon the witness stand be-
cause my lawyer, Judge Vincent, was
bitterly opposed to my doing 81 and
because he advised me it was not nee
.eSsary. 1 am grateful for the trennen-
dous change in public Sentimelrt, in
my favor, and time will demonstrate
that / am not, only al innocent, bst a
very grievously wronged man.
ISigned.l .ADOLPH l.. LUETGERT.
Subscribed and sworn to before me-.
this 21st, day of October A. D., 1897.
tSigaad] 81. SULLIVAN,
Notary Public.
J. c.. Berry, one OF the best known