Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-20

Two Letters Received Offering 81 1000 for
an Acquittal or Disagreement - Hoax.
Observation-Disclosures Pipe on the Jury
Room from Ncichborinc Roof. with Tel
e>coPes-Jury Let Out Into che Court
Room to >iumbcr.
Chicago. Oct. 20.-Another night Of
suspense was ahead Of the defendant In
the LueiSert case when ut O'Clock last
night the jury had gone to bed on cots
which were placed in the court room.
ard II was arcounced by Judge TuthlIl
that even though by one chance In a
million the Jurors should wake UP and
agree upon a verdict there would Ire no
announcement. and the court room
would under no circumstances beopen,d
until 10 O'Clock this morning. a few min
utes after S o'clock Judge Tuthill ap-
peared at the criminal court building,
and being admitted alone by the baiiifrs
at the entrance he passed quickly up
stars, giving positive orders that no
body should be admitted to the build
Ing under any circumstances.
Learning that the Jurors were weary
end that there was no prospect of a YER
cict IL they stayed awake the Judge or
dered cots put in the court room and let
Inc jury out Of their cramped quarters
INTO that room to sleep. The judge then
EFT the building and went hons.
Looks Like Disagreement.
After the judge left the room the
Jurors proceeded to make themselves
comfortable. \ bountiful dinner was
served soon after and then the cigars
which Judge Tuthin had ordered to the
jury We're passed around. Soon the biz,
court room was filled with a hagy at
mesphere fragrant or otherwise with the
fumes of burning tobacco. The states
attorney said: 1t looks to me at present
as though a disagreement would be the
final result. Inspector Setback and As
sistant States Attorney McEwen are in
clined to place more Importance upon
those two Nettcrs Offering the foreman a
bribe than / am. They seem to think
there is big plot behind 1t all. Person.
ally j believe the letters were either
written by crank or they are n hoax
perpetrated by some newspaper ran.
The proposition is too bold and the per-
son making it offers to expose himself t.
the clutches Of the law too readily for II
to be genuine
Eumors - TO How the jury Stands.
There were TUmors of all kinds afloat
during the evening, all CT them being to
the eject that the friends Of Luetgcrt on
the jury were weakening. 1t was known
during the day that the vote stood eight
to four, and last night the runners were
that it was ten FOR the death penalty and
two for acquittal a later story was that
II stood eleven fer hanging and one for
aequittal. Juror Harley Is admitted 20
be the stout friend ~ Luetgert on the
jury. and Il Is he who 81 leading the
fight for an acquit;al Over i'm the 1a;i
LuetSert was during the evening anx-
lousy awaiting word from the Jury
room. IF they don't agree" he said, II
get ban ard will he out Of this. I car
give bail for S1.000,00e II they want that
much. My wife is living somewhere.
but / admit she is having q 1T Of fun
with me at present. There Is one thinc.
sure the prisoner said. there will lie
no conviction in this case. IT viii 10
either an acquittal or n disagreement"
Took a Ballot Before Stepping.
Just before retiring for the night the
Jury took another ballot. the vote stand
ing nine for conviction and three for
acquittal. The four Jurors who have
been standing out for acquittal are
Behmiller. Barber Holabird and Har-
ley. The two latter are stili for acpult-
tai. but either Behmiller or Barber has
come over to the state. There is much
feeling against Harley among the Jurors
who favor the death penalty. They say
he viii not agree in any way. but sticks
sclidly for LuetEert.