The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-26
Mary siemmerinE Says Her Relations
with the Sausage Maker Were Not
of nm Improper Character.
MRS. LUETGERTS MIND WEAK
ACTED QUEERLY, THE GIRL SAYS,
BEFORE HER DISAPPEARANCE.
The Witness Badly Confused Under n
STAGES Attorney Deenen.

CHICAGO. Sept. 25.-The strongest wit
ness for the defense who has yet appeared
in the Luetgert trial was on the stand to-
day. The witness was Mary Siemmering
the domestic in Luetgert's household, for
love of whom. it is charged by the state
that the prisoner murdered his wife There
was no mistaking the feeling Of the girl
toward Lu9tgert. She was there TO do him
all the good in her power, and she stood
by him stoutly. She had made statements
before the grand jury and to the states at
torney before the trial began, and when her
assertions on the stand to-day differed from
the statements she is said to have made at
the time she had not the slightest hesita-
ton in regulating anything that she might
have said when not under oath. The states
attorney subjected her to rigid cross ex-
animation, and, although he succeeded at
times in confusing her, she was game and
full of nerve to the last. She contradicted
herself several times, but was quick to
catch herself, and the last statement that
she made in any part her testimony was
always in favor of the prisoner. She denied
in the most positive manner that she had
been disturbing element between Luetgert
and his wife, and said that neither by night
nor by day, alone or in company, had she
ever visited Luetgert in his factory or else
where in an improper manner. She insisted
that the prisoner had always been good to
his wife. and that in her opinion the latter
was out Of her mind and had been so for
some time prior to her disappearance. Her
cross examination was not concluded to-
day, and will be taken up again Monday.
There was a general craning of necks
and many of the people in the crowded
courtroom arose to get better glimpse of
the young woman as she assembled TO the
witness stand at the opening of court this
morning. Her face was flushed as she
held up her right hand TO be sworn by the
court clerk. She was evidently under sup
pressed excitement. The young woman was
neatly attired in brown costume, and wore
a small chip hat of the same color.
THE WOMAN'S STORY.
Attorney Phalen conducted the direct ex-
animation. Under his guidance the witness
related what she said was the whole truth
about her experience with the Luetgert
family. She had lived with the Luetgerts
for seven or eight years as domestic Dur
ing all that time witness said Luetgert had
treated his wife kindly, and there was none
of the quarreling or pickering the prosecu-
tion charged. Coming down to May l. the
date of Mrs. Luetgerts disappearance the
witness said that on the afternoon of that
day Mrs. Luetgert said TO her: Mary, l
am going to leave. My husbands money is
all gone, and am going too AT o'clock
Saturday evening, May l, the witness SAID
that Mrs. Luetgert took from a closet a
cloak, and, looking at it, remarked, with
considerable impatience, that moths had
eaten the cloth. The witness said she went
~ har r,1,1 To Ial e.E,,. o
o'clock that night. The following morning
Mrs Luetgert was missing. The little bank
Of one of the children was broken open and
the small sum of money it had contained
was gone. The witness said that Mrs. Luet-
CERT had acted queerly for some time prior
to May and had often whipped her Chi
dren.
With some show of feeling the witness
said she was arrested on May 10 ard taken 10
the last Chicago-avenue station, where she
was kept two, days She SAID the officer VINO
arrested her called her a liar when she said
she did not know where Mrs. LuetgerL was,
and at the station the matron took all her
clothing from her. While ut the station liz
spector Setback and Assistant States At
torney McEWen questioned her sharply,
cusing her of improper relations with Luet-
CERT, which she denied. Inspector Setback
said to me: THE old man (meaning Luet-
gert) will never see the light OF day again.
and If you don't tell the truth I'll punish
you. Well lynch you and Luetgert to-
SGIner,' Sdlu the Witness, ana ne nGlu I'D
his hands and showed me how it would be
DONE"
The witness, with a show of spirit denied
that she ever visited Luetgert in his factory
at night, except in the evening occasion
ally when others were present. Even then
she said she did not go to see him particu-
larly, but just to take a walk from the
house She denied emphatically that she
ever went into the factory through VIM
dow, or that Luetgert was IN the habit of
kissing her when she was in his office. She
declared that Mrs Feldt was a Dusybody,
and that her story was untrue.
States Attorney Deenen went at Mary
Siemmering on cross-eXaminatiOn in lively
manner. The rapidity of the states at
1orney's questions seemed to stun the wit
ness. She soon became confused, and made
damaging admissions despite the appeals of
counsel for the defense that she take her
time to consider her reply to each question.
The young woman was so badly confused
that She paid no attention TO the admonition
of the counsel for the defense not to answer
until the latter had an opportunity TO make
objections and the court had passed upon
them. The witness admitted that Luetgert
and his wife quarreled occasionally, but she
persisted in her denial that she had in any
way been guilty of improper conduct with
Luetgert.
STOOD THE TEST WE'LL
The cross examination of the woman con-
tinued during the afternoon and up to the
moment of adjournment, but she did not
break down. She chung to the more impor-
tant elements OF her story contradicting
herself upon points of little material value.
States Attorney Deneen, whose mode of
cross examining is Of the electrical order.
remarked tonight that Mary Siemmering
passed through the ordeal well. She is
q remarkably self-possessed young woman
for a person of her station of iife" said
the states attorney. But we are not
through with her yet"
Mary Siemmering reiterated her story in
cross examination to the effect that Luet-
CERT and his wife lived together happily
She declared positively that the stories of
frequent domestic brawls were exaggerated.
She also said that she and Mrs. Luetgert
We're on friendly terms, and Mrs. Luetgert
often paid her extra wages because she
was pleased with her work. The witness
said that Mrs. Luetgert told her to say
nothing to Luetgert about the extra pay.
Last January, the witness stated she made
up her mind to leave the Luetgert house
hold. but Mrs Luetgert objected to her
leaving, and she reeonsidered her deter
mination and remained She told of
Christmas present of S. Mr. Luetgert gave
her last Christmas and said he gave Mrs
Luetgert a watch and chain. The witness
was somewhat bitter il her narrative of