The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-06
LUETGERT'S TESTIMONY ALL IN
THE DEFENSE RESTED ITS CASE
TODAY.
Luetgert Did Not Take the Witness
Stand Witness Denies Rings
Found In Vat Belonged to Mrs.
Luetgert- Has Eighty
Witnesses In RebuGtaI.

today after two witnesses had testi-
fed. Luetgert did not so on the Wit
ness stand in his own defense Soon
after court convened ex-Judge Vincent
and Attorney Phalan gained perrnis-
sion 70 consult with their client pri-
rately. Ex-Judse Vincent vigorously
opposed the suggestion, saying:
You cannot add to it anything that
VIII benefit you. If you 60 upon the
witness stand you VIII be subjected 70
a examination lasting days and
covering the entire period Of your hfe
You wiz get excited and you WIN say
things which VIII injure your case. Niy
advice TO you is keep mum"
Attorney Phalen was inclined 10 IA
yor Luetgert's desire to go upon the
witness stand, claiming he thought ne
might De able 10 explain some things
more satisfactorily than other Wit
DesSas had and that his absence from
the witness stand might prejudice him
in the eyes Of the jury. But Attorney
Hhalen VAS willing TO admit the logic
of eX-Judge NiRceut's proposition and
Luetgert said he would abide by his
counseI's advice.
LUETGERT DIDN'T TESTIFY.
When tha lawyers and Luetgert re-
turned from their consultation, Luet-
SCI = EVlAit II anu lffsiE me ~ hisSSittAi
of martyr The greatest disappoint-
ment OF the trial lo hun was appar-
entity the fact that he was not to be
permitted TO testify in his own behalf
aud address the Jury as he said he
would
The first witness called today was
Henry }. Cox, Of the United States
night of May /. 1887. was cloudy in Chi
eagO and vicinity. This was brought
ont by the defense to counteracu The
testimony Of witnesses who had sworn
that they stood across the street at II
o'clock the night OF May l and saw
Luetgert and his wife walking toward
the sausage factory.
The first witness called after the con-
sultation of Luetgert and his attorneys
was Mrs. Mary Charles, wife of Will
lam Charles, Luetgerts business part
ner. Mrs. Charles said that upon sew
er2l occasions Mrs. Luetgert had said
10 her: I am going away. My nus
band has failed in business aud peopi0
viii now point their finger at me and
say: She is the wife Of the sausage
maker who failed. cannot stand
that. On May ! the witness said, she
saw Mrs. Luetgert the last time.
dramatic scene followed. 1t has
been agreed that Luetgert has offered
an explanation of the evidence Of the
prosecution except the rings found in
the vat in which the body Of Mrs. Luet-
CERT is alleged TO have been disinteg-
rafed. The rings were stuck together
according TO the story of Policeman
Swan. who found them. Experts who
examined them said the rings were
glued together by human flesh. In one
OF these rings were engraved the let
ters L l. the initials OF Mrs. Louise
Luetgsrt. The theory of the prosecu-
ton VAS that they had dropped from
the dissolved finger Of Mrs. Luetgert
in the vat and had been glued together
by flesh tissues.
NOT MRS. LUETGERTS RINGS.
Did you ever see Mrs. Luetgert wear
finger rings?" asked Attorney Phalen
after Mrs. Charles had finished telling
about the missing woman's threats TO
leave home
i have replied the witness.
Glow maDy?'
She wore two"
Were they gold rings"
''They we're"
"You saw them often?"
Yes. very often"
Describe theTn--can you?"
Both we're plain gold rings. nearly
equal in size, as TO the width l mean.
of them I am sure-perhaps both-con-
tanned Mrs. Luetsert's initials"
Did you ever see TINS ring ] now
hand your"
it was one Of the rings found in the
vat. People in the court room stood
up and craned their necks With breath
less interest while the witness exam
ined the ring. The court room was
hushed as the crowd of spectators
strained their ears to catch the reply
Of AIRS. Charles.
mo, sir; I never saw that ring be-
fore" she finally answered. 1T is mar
rover than eaher Of those Mrs. Luet-
CERT wore"
The other ring was handed to her
and the witness gazed at it for some
time.
This ring is about the size of one
Of the rings she t ore said Mrs.
Charles finally. but I cannot tell do
not think IL IS one Of them.
States Attorney Deenen cross-eXarl-
ined the witness sharply. He asked her
why she did not tel this story To the
police or 10 Justice Kersten long ago
She replied that she had told it TO Luet-
gerts attorneys and was not asked TO
tell it again
The unexpected cessation of the evil
dence Of the defense found the uroSa-
cution unprepare,5 10 so on with las
renutIal Court was adjourned until
tomorrow morning. States Attorney
Eeenen said today he would nut so
witnesses in reDuttai and ten of them
would be from Kenosha Wis, where,
il is said by witnesses. Mrs. Luetgert
was seen May >, ] and J.