The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-08
Charles Hengst Says that While Pass
ing the Sausage Mixers Factory
Somebody Cried as if in Pain.
LUETGERT AND HIS WIFE
SEEN ENTERING THE PLACE ON THE
Hateful NIGHT OF MAY L.
Testimony of Nicholas Faber, the
Prisoners Ex-Fireman-LOVe Let
tiers Written to Mrs. Feldt.

were scored by the prosecution in the Luet-
CERT trial to-day. and unless the defense is
able to impeach the testimony of the wit
nesses their evidence is likely to have con-
siderable weight with the jury. The two
witnesses were Nicholas Faber. who testI-
fled that on the night of May 1 he saw
Luetgert and his wife enter the sausage
factory, and Charles Hengst, who swore
that on the night of May l he passed the
factory and heard a cry from within as
though some one was in pain. At the hear
ing before the police justice by whom Luer-
CERT was held to await the action of the
grand jury Hengst said that he could not
tell whether the cry was that of human
being or of an animal To-day he said,
however, that he was confident that the
cry came from human being. The defense
relies greatly on the statement he made
before the trial to impeach his testimony.
Faber grew confused somewhat on cross
examination and could not tell whether the
moon shone or whether it was a cloudy
night when he saw Luetgert and his vile
enter the factory on the night of May !,
but he stuck stoutly to his story that he
had seen the two people enter the factory
shortly afer 10 o'clock on the night of May l.
The reading of the love letters which had
been written by Luetgert to Mrs. Feidt was
great fun for the crowd in the courtroom
and it was very embarrassing for the de-
PENDANT as in several of them he hac
spoken in sighting manner of the lawyers
who are now conducting his defense say
ing that they were greedy" and mot able
to handle a trial of such Importance" lie
laid particular stress on the incompetence
of Judge Vincent who Is now the leading
counsel for the defense. When these por-
lions of the letters We're read the lawyers
laughed and nobody enjoyed them more
than Judge Vincent, but it was not pleas
ant for Luetgert, who twisted around in his
chair, mopped his face with his handker-
chief and seemed TO be uncomfortable gen.
orally. The defense made a strong fight
against the introduction of the letters, and
when the court decided that they were
proper evidence the defense asked that they
be read in German, as they might lose some
OF their original meaning by being read III
English. This the court also overruled, ana
the letters went before the jury as the
translator made them out, he, however,
swearing that the translation was entirely
correct.
POINTS FROM THE LETTERS.
When Luetgert entered Judge Tuthilrs
courtroom this morning he smiled and nod
NSNi ct tAO Jul y, UuI ldlleu 10 extend the
sweep of his smile to the crowd. The first
business taken up was the reading of trans
lations of the letters written by the de-
PENDANT to Mrs Christine Feldt The read
ing of the fond missives sent by Luetgert
to the widow occupied much time several
being very lengthy. While Assistant States
Attorney McEwan read the epistles the jury
listened carefully. The reader was careful
to place due emphasis on each endearing
word or phrase and to fully emphasize all
reference to the fact that the big sausage
manufactures was anxious for the time to
come when he would be free to wed the
object of his affections. When those por-
tons of the letters containing reference to
Luetgert's trouble in engaging an attorney
were read aloud it evidently embarrassed
the prisoner. LuetgertS leading attorney.
ex-Judge Vincent, smiled and the prisoner
visibly WINGED when the sentence was heard
in which Attorney Vincent was termed
greedy" The letter continued to state
that Luetgert intended to release Attorney
Vincent, as he did not consider him able
to handle so important a case.
In another letter Luetgert wrote that on
the first day of the trial there was to be
An attorney of worldwide fame was to be
engaged, and when the dogs of the police
saw who it was they would quail with fear.
This as yet unknown lawyer, Iuetgert con-
tinued, was to supersede Attorney Vincent,
and then the case would be properly con-
Quoted. Attorney Vincent shook with ST.
lent laughter several times during the
above and similar references. He seemed
to regard the matter as huge joke. Luet-
CERT, whose chances for life were so con-
sderably reduced by the introduction of the
letters as evidence, rocked to and fro in his
chair, and occasionally forced a sckly
smile during the endearing passages of the
letters. He evidently did not enjoy the
public exposition of his amatory CORE
spondence
After the letters were all read the re-
cipient Mrs. Christine Feldt, a middle-aged
woman, was called to the witness chair
for the purpose of finishing her testimony
for the state. AS she came forward her
former lover to whose case she had done
so much damage, refused to glance in her
direction. He twisted uneasily in his chair,
and then leaned over to Attorney Vincent,
and a consultation was held. Meanwhile,
Assistant States Attorney McEwan pro-
eeeded with the direct examination, which
dealt largely with the financial relations
between Luetgert and Mrs. Feldt The lat
ter admitted having received funds from
Luetgert prior to his~arrest and said she
had Withdrawn the money at his demand
from a safety deposit vault for his use.
The sums she had withdrawn at different
which she had received. She asserted her
ignorance of how this money was used by
the prisoner, but admitted that portions
of ii had been retained by her on order for
the care of his children. She also testified
as to the substance of the letters, and as
serted that she had refused TO lend Luet-;
CERT her money on the requests which she
had received from him in the letters. She
testified to having received in all eight let
ters from the big sausage manufacturer.
The state regards Mrs. Feldt one of its
NEST important witnesses, as through her
testimony it expects to establish the fact
of Luetgerts motive in the alleged murder
of his wife.
NICHOLAS FABERS TESTIMONY.
Nicholas Faber, an eX-employe of Luet-
CERT. was next put the stand. He test-
fed TO having seen Leutgert and his wife
enter the factory on the evening of May /.
Under cross examination Faber was forced
to admit that he did not know anything
that happened on any other particular date
near May He was also unable to tell
whether it was a moonlight night or cloudy.
He simply stuck to the fact that he haG
seen the woman and heard the two talk.
The defense expects to controvert many
minor points of Faber's testimony.
An incident occurred during Fabers tes-
timony that showed that Luetgert was pos
sessed of a high temper when aroused.
Bailiff Reid the colOred officer in whose
custody the prisoner is placed. attempted
to restrain his charge from crossing TO the
witness stand with his attorneys for the
purpose of watching Faber designate on
the map the location where he asserted ms
saw Mrs Luetgert enter the factory. Luet-
CERT would not brook the restraint and
turned on the bailim with his face flushed
with anger and denounced the attempt TO
deprive him of what he considered his rights
in the trial. Attorney Vincent appealed to
the court and Judge Tuthill permitted the
big defendant TO examine the maps in COM
pany with the attorneys. After Faber left
the stand the court took recess.
Charles Hengst, who was the first wit
at fhr al "A n honest