The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-23
SAW MRS. LUETGERT.
A Witness Swears He Saw the Miss
ing Woman Nav g.


Chicago, Sept. 23.-The Luetgert trial
today opened with a sensational inti-
nation by Judge Vincent that the police
We're 1ntimida ting the witnesses for the
DEFENSE Ex-Judge Vincent soon after
court opened asked that the jury be e5z-
GUIDED while he made a statement to the
court. After the jury retired, ex-Judge
Vincent, with indignation in his tones
and force in his declarations, said:
IF the court please there is a strong
reason to believe that the police are in
terfering with witnesses for the defense
and trying to intimidate them. 1 do
not say absolutely that this is true, but
the indications point almost directly to
that conclusion. 1 desire an order of
court prohibiting such action on the
part of the police, or the prosecution"
Why not make the Injunction cover
both sides?" suggested States Attorney
Deenan
1.-The court does not require instruc-
tions from any of the attorneys en-
gaged,' sharply responded Judge Tut
hill
II will make the charge that witness
es for the defense have been interfered
with and harassed by the police" said
Attorney Phalen of the defense.
IF that is true, there should be an in
Vestigation,'' remarked States AttOr-
ney Deenan. IF any witness for the
defense has been intimidated, it has
been without knowledge of the state,
and we do not approve of it,
II will say now for the benefit of the
police" said Judge Tuthill, that if
hear of any interference with witnesses
on either side in this case, will deal
with the offender, and my dealing will
not be gentle. This defendant has
rights here. and they will be protected,
why not order an investigat tton =
queried States Attorney Deenan.
''Mr. Deenan, this court will make the
order it deems proper. That will do.
When the jury was recalled, Rosa
Gleich was placed on the witness stand
for rosS-eXamination.
This witness was called to- impeach
the evidence of Emma Schimpke, given
on the direct examination by the pros
ecution. She stated that she was with
Emma SchimplSe on the night of May
1 until II O'Clock, and remained with
the Schimpke girl until the latter en-
tered her home She denied en-
phatically that either of them had seen
Luetgert and his wife leave the latters
residence and go to the sausage factory
as described. She denied also that Cot
lieba SchimDke, who testified that she
also saw Luetgert and his wife. was
with Emma and herself that nIght.F Fur-
thermore the witness said that Emma
Schimpke, since she had teStlned IN tne
case, had admitted to the witness IN
the presence of others, that she lied
According to the witness. Emma
Schimpke said she lied because Got
ieba her weak-minded sister, had got
her into the Luetgert case, and she
would not testify on Luetgerts 5 SIDE
The witness also stated that Emma
Schimpke tried to get heT 10 tel ttie
same story Emma had told to save the
latters reputation.
State Attorney Deenen went at this
witness with one of the most reInaTh
able cross-examinations ever heard IN
the criminal court. His questions were
fired at her with the rapidity or a re-
peating rifle worked to the limit OF its
speed The witness was quick Wltted
and replied promptly for aWhlle, pnt
she was not as resourceful as the law
yer and after half an hour she became
confused and her face blazed with eA-
element Then she began to contra
dict herself as to important particu-
lars and made corrections which weak
ened her evidence.
The crowd at the court house TO-DAY
was larger than usual and the struggle
to secure admission to the court room
partook of the nature of a riot. Hun
dreds were turned away and the officers
on duty at the door had several en-
counters with unruly visitors.
Harry Fielder cOrrobOrated Rosa
Gleichs story and asserted that the
mother of the Schimpke girl compelled
the latter to tell the story she did.
George Shalley a bartender at the
Maple house in Kenosha, Wis. testified
that he saw Mrs. Luetgert on May j.
He said she came into his saloon weary
and with bedra ggled skirts as if she
had walked far. She Inquired the di-
rection to the house of a farmer named
Mueller The following day Shalley
said, he saw the woman again at
Spring Bluff a suburb of Kenosha-
Shalley was not acquainted with Mrs:
Luetgert, but from the description of
her he was positive the woman he saw
was she.