Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-27
Mary Siemering Contradicts Her
self on Cross-Examination.
INTEREST IN CASE UNABATED

and court bailiffs On duty at the doors had
much difficulty in handling the crowd and
admitting those with tickets. The states
attorneys Office was overrun by people,
Who importuned assistant states attorneys
for passes. States Attorney Deneen anc
Assistant States Attorney McEwen avoid
ed the solicitations only by locking them
selves in the states attorneys private Of
! flee, where they consulted for half an hour
with Police Inspector Setback and Police
Captain Schuettler.
Unusual Interest I'm the Case.
Never before at criminal trials in Chi
eago, the anarchist trial not excepted, has
there been more widespread interest than
has been aroused by the Luetgert trial. Ak
classes of people have been attracted, in
Guiding politicians, ministers, actors, ju.
rists and men and women of prominence in
other walks of life, to say nothing about
the thousands of the morbidly curious peo-
pie, whose frantic efforts to gain admis-
sion to the court room daily inject aim ost'
the only comedy element of this CHASTITY
affair. During the progress of the trial
United States senator, several ministers of
national reputation, visiting judges from
other states and attorneys of high repute
| have been among the interested listeners
to the evidence.
Among those who gained admission to
the court room today was a full-b;ooded
ESKIMO he Is q hlOEQlkef, MS nome DflnS
at Auv1k, on the Yukon river. The man
who was attired in his native garb OF furs,
is Simon Kacik He came to Chicago re-
Gently with Capt. J. P. Light, with pack
of Eskimo dogs. which are now located at
Lincoln Park, in this city. Kacik could not
understand anything concerning the trial,
but he wanted to see Luetgert, tine big
meat man killa wife," as he expressed it.
VIII Last Three Weeks Longer.
States Attorney Deneen expressed the
belief today that at least three and pos
sibly four weeks more would be required
to complete the presentation of the case.
Physical improvement, due to Sunday
rest and massage treatment, was notice
able in Luetgert's appearance as he enter
ed the court room today. He still used his
crutch, but said he did not suffer the pain
he experienced on occasions last week.
Luetgert came into court smoking a cigar
and greeted his attorneys and his son
Arnold pleasantly. The alleged wife muir
derer seemed to be in an exceptionally
pleasant frame Of mind and joked and
laughed with his son and William Charles.
his business partner, until Judge TutEill
appeared upon the bench
Mary Siemering, the servant girl, who Sc
croSs-examination was III progress Satur-
day when court adjourned, was recalled.
Around this witness, according to the the
alleged murder of Mrs. Louise Luetgert
centers. Luetgert's infatuation for his
pretty servant girl is claimed by the prose-
cution to have been the melting motive to
this celebrated crime.
Witness COntradicts Herself
When she went on the witness stand to-
day to again endure. as she supposed, The
| cross-examination of States Attorney De-
neen. which is electric in its rapidly she
appeared composed and defiant. Her checks
were flushed, which indicated apparently
toll
woman, 1t was evident, had made up her
mind to control her feelings and not per-
NIT the states attorney to confuse Eer.
Greatly to her surprise and apparent re-
| lief. Assistant States Attorney McEwen
asked the questions and did not keep her
on the witness stand long. His cross-ex-
animation was not severe.
Did you not say before the grand jury
that Mrs. Luetgert was good and kind
mother?" asked Mr.. McEwen.
Il did," confessed the witness.
Now you say she beat her children and
was cross with them?'
When l went to the grand jury room
to testify, Inspector Shack was there. He
told me if l did not say what 1 did he
would punish me- said the witness.
The photographs, which were identified
by witness from Kenosha, were handed to
the witness, and she identified them. The
picture, which included Mrs. Luetgert and
her two children, was taken two years ago,
the witness said.
Several questions of an impeaching char
acter were asked, and Mary Siemering
was excused. She left the witness stand
with a smile and took seat within the
Enclosure and remained to listen to the
other witnesses.
Another Who Saw Mrs. Luetgcrt.
Jacob Melber of Wheaton, ILL.,, testified
that on May he saw a woman at the de-
pot in Wheaton at o'clock in the morning
whose description resembled that of Mrs.
Luetgert. She inquired the way to Elm
hurst. Melber is a butcher. He said he
saw Mrs. Luetgert once last March. When
asked, upon cross-examination, to describe
the missing woman, he could not do SO,
and was excused.
Chas. Boehnke. who had worked for
Luetgert for sixteen years. testified that
on April % he mad brief conversation
with Mrs. Luetgert, and she seemed much
depressed, and remarked that things were
going bad in the house." She said, accord
ing to the witness. that she would go to
the country and go to work servant.
Would Go and Work Out.
I'VE are about ruined, and I will go to
| the country and work out. I cannot stay
| here" the witness said were the words of
the apparently distressed woman. II told
| her that times were hard in the coun-
| try as they were in the city," said Boehn-
Ike, land advised her not to CO."
When Mrs. Augusta Koch, a neighbor Of
the Luetgerts, who knew Mrs. Luetger.
| well. was called to the witness stand,
Juror William Harler was called upon to
act as interpreter.
This was the second time since the trial
began that Juror Harler had been similarly
| called upon, despite the fact of the. dis
covery that he was indicted ten years ago
In connection with the Cook county COM
| missioners Doodle scandal. States Attor-
hey Deneen has the utmost faith in Juror
Herler's honesty. and today gave out for
publication a letter from ex-State's Attor-
ney Longnecker concerning the Indictment
/ of Harler. Ex-State's Attorney Longneck-
| er declared that Harler should never have
been indicted. After thorough inves.iga-
| ton of the case. he says. he entered a
nolle prossequi of the case, and Harler was
never arraigned for trial.
Mrs. Koch said she had known Mrs. Luet-
CERT for eleven years, and had lived near
her most of this time. She saw and talked
with Mrs. Luetgert the last week in April.
Mrs. Luetgert was depressed and talked
about going away. She told the witness,
according to the statement of the latter
| that Luetgert had been swindled by man
who had promised to pay him a big sum
| for an interest in the sausage factory
| Luetgert had let the man have large
amount of money and hte man had run
| away. This evidence was in support Of the