The herald., 1897-05-19
The Jury Decided From
Natural Causes
SEARCH OF THE DETECTIVES
FAILS TO REVEAL EVIDENCE OF
CRIME
The Chicago Sausage Makers Arrest
Revives Interest in q Murder
Committed Years Ago
.ssociated Press Special Wire.

|
CHICAGO, May 1S-Adolph L. Luet-
gert well known sausage manufac-
turer, was arrested yesterday on the
charge of having murdered his wife.
days ago and about the same time Mrs.
Luetgert disappeared. 1t was at first
supposed she had committed suicide as
result of her husbands failure. The
river was dragged. but with no result.
and for several days detectives have
been working on the murder theory.
The police claim to have direct evidence
that Luetgert killed his wife in the base
ment of his sausage factory. 1t is said
by persons connected with the case that
| the dead body was placed in vat ard
burned by the use Of chemicals. 1t is
said that several bones are all that have
been found and that these were taken
from the vicinity of the vat. Two finger
rings belonging to the woman were
found in the vat.
The arrest of Adolph L. Luetgert has
recalled and may lead to the inveetiga-
tion of a murder which took place Is
years ago. At that time Luetgert was a
saloon keeper and had place of busl-
ness at Clayburn and Webster avenues.
The victim was Hugh MCGOWAN, whose
only son, James MCGOWAN. now resides
at 5S Lewis street.
The story. as told by the latter, Is as
follows:
On the night of September g. 1879 Hugh
MCGOWAN was missing from his home.
which was then at the corner of and
Dominick streets. He was 64 years old
and a millwright. Though sometimes
given to drink, it was contrary to all his
habits to stay away from his family at
night.
A search was Immediately instituted,
but no trace of him was discovered until
the next day. Then he was found in
Luetgert's barn. with his head cut open
and an immense plug of tobacco showed
down his throat. The body was propped
up in sitting posture. Every circum-
stance attending the mans death indi
Gated violence. Suspicion fell upon Luet-
CERT. A coroner's jury, made up of the
men who had lived near him for years,
cleared him of the charge and declared
that the deceased had come to his death
from apoplexy."
Not satisfied with his verdict, James
MCGOWAN, who was then youth of II
years, demanded post-mortem exami-
nation. He chose physician to repre-
sent him at the examination and went
with him to the morgue. When he ar
rived. however. he found that the exam
ination already had been made. His pro-
tests were unavailing. and later the body
of his father was given to him for in
terment.
When James MCGOWAN learned Of
Luetgert's arrest he went to the police
and told the story of his fathers plur-
der.
Additional developments in the murder
mystery surrounding the death of Mrs.
Luetgert have led to the belief that If
Luegert killed her he did SO without any
help. There will be no attempt to find
any accomplices or make any further
arrests. Another witness was found to-
day, who is said to have told the Off
GERS that he heard screams from the
sausage factory the night she is believed
to have been killed. Work is going on
in the big factory building and the sur
rounding lot to find any traces of the
crime that Is believed to have occurred.
The police have put several detectives
at work in the basement and on the first
floor of the structure, whers-the watts
are situated in one Of which Mrs. Luet-
gerts body is body is supposed to have
been destroyed
AS result of their search today the
police claim to have discovered a blood
stained chisel in Lutegert's sleeping
room in the factory, and stains having
every appearance of blood on the wall
of his office in the factory.
Luetgert was arraigned in court to-
day. AT the request of the states at
torney, a continuance was granted for
five days, to give the police time in which
to finish their quest for evidence of the
murder.
The court refused to release Luetgert
on bail, and he was taken to the county
Jail.