The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-31
The Chicago Sausage, Maker Ae-
cused Of Wife Marder
FACES A JURY WHICHIS TO DEClpE
UPON HIS INNOCENCE OR GUILT.
Beginning of the Evidence in One OF tho
Most Sensational Murder Trials E'er
Known in This Country-Attorney 1or
the Defense Claims to Bave MADE
Great Dfscoyary

the defense Claims to baVe "i"u0 =
Great Discovery.
Chicago, August 3O.-The trial OF
Adolph L. Luetgert for the murder OF MS
wife began in earnest today, the prellml-
nary work of securing jury having been
completed. Five minutes after the doors
were opened, the room was packed TO
suffocation.
Contrary to the expectation OF the state
the jury will be asked by the defense 70
witness an experiment in the vat in the
basement of the sausage factory. This is
to be the result of an experiment. con-
Quoted by Luetgert's attorney Saturday,
and yesterday by which they claim TO
have proven the prosecution's theory OF
disentegration of the body of the victim
impossible.
Whom the afternoon session began the
first witness called was Diedrich Bick-
mere, brother of Mrs. Luetgart. He told
the jury of his visit to the house of LuetT
gert, May 4th, to see his sister. Ghere he
met the sausage maker and talked with
him for some time before he was informed
that Mrs. Luetgert had disappeared.
Bicknere said Leutgert told him he did
not know what had become of his wife.
He had last seen her at s o'clock the Sat
urday evening previous. Luetgert said he
did not believe she had gone away with
some other man, but thought she had
wandered away. The witness said he
asked the prisoner what he had done to
find his wife and was informed that he
had not told the police of her disappear
ance. Instead, he said, he had paid two
detectives five dolls rs each and they would
do more than the police would accom-
plish The witness said Luetgert told
him he had not looked to see If his wife
had taken any clothing with her except
the dress she had on when he last saw
her. He had not visited any place or
made any inquiries. Bicknere told his
story in simple, straightforward way
that made him an impressive witness.
Louis Luetgert, son OF the accused, who
is a remarkably bright lad, for his age,
caused something of a sensation in con-
cluding his testimony, and 1t is believed,
made the counsel for the prosecution re-
gret having placed him on the stand. The
boy has already been examined twice as
to his knowledge of his mothers disap-
perance and in neither case did he refer
to having heard his mother about the
house after he had been sent to bed. To.
day he recounted how he had gone to a
circus on the evening of his mothers dis.
appearance. He returned home about
1870 and found his mother, to whom he
described what he had seen at the circus.
While engaged in this conversation he
said, his father entered the room and Or
dered him to bed. Later he said he heard
his father descending the rear stairs in
the direction of the sausage factory. This
portion of his testimony was identical
with that given at the preliminary hear
ings. But today he continued ~ saying
that after he had been asleep for long
time he was suddenly awakened by hear
ing a rustling of skirts in his bed room.
He called out: SIS that you father?'
But his mothers voice replled: ''No, 1t
is me.
The lad declared that he was sure it
was his mothers voice which replied to
bis query and he soon went to sleep. The
states attorney asked Louis why he had
not told this part of his testimony before
and he replied that no one had asked him
if he had seen his mother after retiring.
Court adjourned for the day, the de-
fense refusing to cross examine the boy.
/. Charged with attempting to intimidate
witnesses for the state in the Luetgert
case, Charles Withers Of $50 Orleans
street. was arrested by Detective Criebo
this afternoon and locked up. Withers
across the street from the sausage factory.
Mrs. Tosch, owner of the saloon, is one
of the most important witnesses to be
called by the state. Withers went into
the saloon and entered into conversation
with Mrs. Tosch. He then took paper
from his pocket and holding 1t SO Mrs.
Tosch and Mrs. Schaffer, neighbor,
could see it said: 81 have the names of
four witnesses who have testified against
Luetgert knowing that 1t was not the
truth and if any one will say anything
against Mr.. LuetgeFt that Is not true, he
will be arrested and punished. a
He then put the paper in his pocket and
left the saloon. When he reached the
sidewalk he was arrested. 1t is asserted
that he was in the court room during the
day attempting to talk with the witnesses
for the state.