The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-22
Proof to be Shown That His
Wife is Alive.
THE PROSECUTIONS INNING
MOTIVE FOR LUETGERT'S CRIME
OFFERED IN EVIDENCE.
Damaging Testimony to Prove That
the Sausage Makers Liason with
the Servant Girl Led Him to the
Commission of Murder-Defense
Confident of Acquittal.

Chicago, Sept. 21.-The direct evidence
in the Luetgert case is in and the state
has closed. Shortly after o'clock this
afternoon the last witness of the pros
ecution was heard. This witness was
Mrs. Louise Johnson. She came into
court supported by Captain Herman
Schuettler of the Sheffield avenue po-
lice station. Mrs. Johnson has been i'll
for several weeks and the prosecution
feared the woman would not be able to
appear to testify. Her evidence was
important, as showing Luetgert's atti-
tude towards his wife. a carriage was
sent to her home on the north side and
Mrs Johnson made the trip to the court
house attended by a friend. She was
quite exhausted when she reached the
criminal court building, and almost
tainted at the elevator leading to Judge
Tuthilrs court room. When sworn Mrs.
Johnson testified that upon one occa-
sion she saw Lletgert in a rage chase
his wife out of their house. The big
sausage maker, the witness said, was
armed with revolver. He called his
wife names and threatened to shoot,
but did not. EX-J- rge Vincent did not
examine this witness. When she
left the stand States Attorney Deenen
said:
If the court pleases, the state rests"
There was a general movement in the
crowded room, as the spectators
glanced toward Luetget and his coun-
sell. Luetgert leaned forward and
whispered TO ex-Judge Vincent. The
latter arose and made a formal motion
that the case be taken from the jury on
the ground that the state had failed to
make out case. Judge Tutliil
promptly overruled the motion without
argument. Then ex-Judge Vincent
stated that owing to the lateness of the
hour he would like to postpone his
opening address to the jury until to-
morrow morning. There was no objec-
ton to this and an adjournment was
taken.
It required Just 20 days for the pre-
sentation of the evidence of the prose-
cution. Ex-Judge Vincent said tonight
, the defense would present its side Of
the case in just half of that time.
MY address to the jury in opening
viii be short and directly to the point, -
he said. I'VE deny the murder-the
corpus deficit has not been proved as
the law requires. This fact cannot be
assumed nor inferred from such testi-
mony as has been presented here. We
VIII explain away all the evidence
brought out here by the police depart
ment after months Of investigation and
manipulation. 1 do not care to give out
in full cur defense until we get started.
| but I promise some startling develop
ments before we are through"
| The prosecution scored an i'm
( portant point in the Luetgert case
this morning. Judge Tuthill ruled
that the motive evidence of Frank
Bualk and Frank OrorafslSy, former en-
! ployees of the big sausage maker, was
! admissible as long as ii was direct. This
! was the matter taken under advisement
/ last Saturday. ifhe evidence of these
| two men is in relation TO the frequent
! visits TO Luetgerts sausage factory of
Mary Simmering, luetgert s servant. 1t
is the theory OF the state that Luetgert' S
! alleged attentions 10 other women was
the original cause for the trouble with
| his wife, and his persistence in open
/ flirtati0nS with other women eliminated
| in a continued warfare between husband
and wife Luetgert, 1T is believed by the
! prosecution, in order to pursue his course
undisturbed- conceived the idea of get
ting rid of his wife, and did so.
] Frank Bualk. the aged Waterman, who,
| besides watching the factory at night
| Kept fires burning in the furnaces, was
! the first witness to be called today 80
| show the motive. He said that Mary
| Simmering paid frequent visits to Luet-
CERT in the latfer's Office in the sausage
! factory at night. Luetgert because OF
| his unpleasant domestic affairs, had a
| bed placed in a small room just off his
office, and Slept there. The last time she
witness remembered seeing Mary Sim
nsoring there was one week before May