Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-08

Chicago, September 1.-Two points
were scored by the prosecution in the
Luetgert trial to-day and unless the
defense is able to impeach the testi-
mony of the witnesses. their evidence
is likely to have considerable weight
with the jury.
The two witnesses were Nicholas
Faber, who testified that on the night
of May /, he saw Luetgert and his wife
enter the sausage factory. and Charles
Hengst, who swore that on the night of
May 1, he passed the factory and heard
a cry from within as though some one
was in pain At the hearing before
the police justice by whom Luetgert
was held to wait the action of the
grand jury, Hengst said that he could
not tell whether the cry was that of
human being or an animal. To-day he
said, however, that he was confident
that the cry came from a human being.
The defense relies greatlyAon the state
ment he made before the trial to i'm
peach 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 Luet-
CERT and his wife enter the factory on
the night of May 1, but he stuck stout
ly to his story that he had seen the
two people enter the factory shortly
after 10 o'clock on the night of May LIST.
The reading of the love letters which
had been written by Leutgert to Mrs.
Feldt was great fun for the crowd in the
court room, and it was very embarrassing
for the defendant, as in several of them
he had spoken in a sighting manner of
the lawyers who are now conducting his
defense, saying that they were greedy
and mot able to handle a trial of such
importance"
He laid particular stress on the incom-
potency of Judge Vincent who is now the
leading counsel for the defense. When
these portions of the letters were read the
lawyers laughed and nobody enjoyed them
more than Judge Vincent, but it was not
pleasant for Leutgert, who twisted
around in his chair mopped his face with
his handkerchief and seemed to be I'M
comfortable generally.
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 in
English. This the court also overruled
and the letters went before the jury as the
translator made them out, he, however,
swearing that the translation was entirely
correct.
While Assistant States Attorney Nc
Evan read the epistles the jury lis
tened carefully. The reader was care
full to place due emphasis or each en-
dearing word or phrase and to fully
emphasize all reference to the fact that
the big sausage manufacturer was
anxious for the time to come when he
would be free to wed the object of his
directions. When those portions of
the letters containing reference to
Luetgert's trouble in engaging an at
torney were read aloud, it evidently
embarrassed the prisoner. Luetgert's
leading attorney, ex-Judge Vincent,
smiled, and the prisoner visibly WINGED
when the sentence was read in which
Attorney Vincent was termed greedy"
The letter continued to state that Luet-
CERT intended to release Attorney Vim
cent. as he did not consider him able
to handle so important a case. In an
other letter Luetgert wrote to the eff
feet that on the first day of the trial
there was to be a great surprise for the
police and the State 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. Luetgert
continued, was to supercede Attorney
Vincent, and then the case would be
properly conducted.
Attorney Vincent shook with silent
laughter several times during the
above and similar references. He
seemed to regard the matter as a huge
joke. Luetgert, whose chances for life
were SO considerably reduced by the
Introduction of the letters as evidence.
rocked to and FIRE in his chair and oc-
caSionally forced a sickly smile dur
ing the endearing passages in the let
tiers. He evidently did not enjoy the
public exposition Of his amatory cor
reSpondence.
AItcI tue lelteTS we're all read the
recipient, Mrs. Christine Feldt. a mid
dle-aged widow, was called to the wit
ness chair for the purpose of finishing
her testimony for the State.
When Mrs. Feldt was called to the
stand 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 consul
tation was held. Meanwhile Assistant
States Attorney McEwen proceeded
with the direct examination. which
dealt largely with the financial rela-
lions between Luetgert and Mrs. FeIdt.
The latter 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 times footed up
$4,000. the entire amount which she
had received She asserted her igno-j
rance of how this money was used by(
the prisoner. but admitted that portiona
of it had been retained by her on hiz
order for the care of his children. Sh&
al a. Tod W