The Indianapolis journal., 1897-09-22
STATE RESTS ITS CASE
TESTIMONY IN BEHALF OF LUET-
CERT WILL NOW BE HEARD.
The Sausage Makers Alleged Reason
for killing His Wife-His ReIa-
tiOns with Servant Girl.

CHICAGO, Sept. 21.-The direct evidence
in the Luetgert case is in and the state
has rested. Shortly after o'clock this aft
ernoon the last witness of the prosecution
was heard. This witness was Mrs. Louise
Miller Johnson. She came into court sup
ported by Captain Herman Schuettler, of
the Sheffield-avenue police 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 evil
dence was important as showing Luetgert' S
attitude toward his wife. A carriage was
sent to her home the North Side and
Mrs. Johnson made the trip to the court
house attended by friend. She was quite
exhausted when she reached the Criminal
Court building and almost tainted at the
elevator leading to Judge Tuthills court
room. When sworn, Mrs. Johnson testified
that on one occasion she saw Luetgert in
a rage chase his wife out of their house.
The big sausage maker, the witness said,
was armed with a revolver. He called his
wife names and threatened to Shoot but did
not. Ex-Judge Vincent did not cross ex-
anime this witness at length.
When Mrs. Johnson left the stand State
Attorney Deneen said: If the court please,
the state rests. There was a general
movement in the crowded room as the
spectators glanced toward Luetgert and his
counsel. Luetgert leaned forward and
whispered TO ex-Judge Vincent. The latter
arose and made formal motion that the
case be taken from the jury on the ground
that the state had failed to make out a
case. Judge Tuthill 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 tomorrow
morning. There was no objection to this
and an adjournment was taken.
1t required just twenty days for the pre-
sentation of the evidence of the prosecution
Ex-Judge Vincent said tonight the de-
Tense would present it's side of the case in
just half that time. My address to the
jury in opening will be short and directly
to the point" he said. I'VE deny the muir
der-the corpus deleci has not been proved
as the law requires. This fact cannot be
assumed nor inferred from such testimony
as has been presented here We will ex-
plain away all the evidence brought out
here by the police department after months
of investigation and manipulation. / do not
care to give out in full our defense until
we get started, but l promise some start
ing developments before We are through"
The prosecution scored an important point
this morning. Judge Tuthill ruled that the
motive evidence Of Frank Bialk and Frank
Odorofsky, former employees of the big
sausage maker was admissible as long as
1T was direct This was tie matter taken
under advsement last Saturday. The evil
dence of these two men was in relation to
the frequent visits to Luete artS factory of
Mary Siemmering, LuetgerC's servant 1t
was the theory Of the state that Luetgert's
alleged attentions to other women was the
Of the 20
and his persistency in open f1irtations with
other women eliminated in a continued
warfare between husband and wife. Luet-
gert, it is believed by the prosecution, in
order to pursue his course undisturbed con-
celved the idea of getting rid of his wife
Frank Bialk, the aged watchman at the
Luetgert sausage factory who, besides
watching the premises at night, kept fires
burning IN the furnaces, was the first wit
ness called this morning to show the mo-
tive. He said that Mary Siemmering paid
offlee in the sausage factory. LUetgert, be-
cause of his unpleasant domestic affairs
had bed placed in a small room just off
his office and slept there. The last time
the witness remembered Mary Siemmering
there was one week before May l, the date
of the disappearance of Mrs Luetgert. 1t
was $3.50 o'clock in the evening. Luetgert
and the young woman retired TO the bed
room and closed the door The witness said
that Mary Siemnering visited Luetgert on
an average of three nights each week for
months before Mrs. Luetgert disappeared
This had been going on for three or four
years before May ! of the present year
Upon one occasion. the witness said Luet-
CERT called him about 10 oclock at night
and told him to go and get Mary. Luetgert
said he was i'll. Bialk said ne went to
Mary's bedroom window and tapped upon
II with a stick When she appeared he told
her Luetgert wanted her. She soon ap-
peared at the sausage factory an entered
through a window and went to Luetgert's
bedroom.
Attorney Vincent sharply cross-ques-
toned Bialk. He asked him If he had not
been constantly with Detective Klinger
since a month before the trial opened The
witness said he had. Then the LAWYER
wanted to know if he was not telling a
story which had been prepared for him by
head slowly and replied: mo. / am telling
the Gods truth" Frank Ddorofsky testi@
fled TO substantially the same story.