Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-10-30
DEFENDANT LUE1cERr
ISSUES A STATEMENT
Makes Under Oath a Statement In
Relation to the Charges
Against Him.
DECLARES THAT HE IS INNOCENT
surprised That the Jury Did Not
Bring Ia Verdict of Not
Guiity--Time Will DO
Him Justice.

Chicago, Oct. 23.-The Associated
fress last night obtained the n great
feature missing in the famous Luet-
CERT trial. the sworn testimony of the
defendant himself, Adolph J.. Luet-
CERT.
Standing last night in the gloomy
jail adjoining h grim looking grey
stone court building in which his re
markable trial had at last been
brought 10 a finish, the burly sausage
manufactures capped the climax of
The extraordinary series Of events
which began with his sensational
bankruptcy and the alleged diabolism
of boiling his wife 10 death at mid
night in a vat in his ~facotry cellar.
Closely following the final result Of
the trial which has attracted world
wide attention, Iuetgert made under
oath n statement for the Associated
Press concerning the fearful crime
charged against him. the first sworn
statement yet made by him, and the
first statement of such a kind ever
known in newspaper annals. The af-
tidavit was put in writing in due legal
form, and is certified 10 by a notary.
EN-Judge VIM. A. Vincent, the lead
,ng counsel for the defendant in this
celebrated case, the man 10 whose
brains and skill and energy Luetgert
beyond all doubt owes his great legal
victory, gave consent TO the affidavit
being made.
The scene in the Jail when Luetgert
took the oath was as dramatic as the
circumstances were unique. In the
dimly lighted Jail corridor Luetgert,
standing erect and grasping the iron
bars that still kept him from liberty,
lifted his right hand and solemnly as
scented as the notary administered The
binding form. The gruesome sur
roundings were a reminder in some de
gree of the midnight occurrences in
the factory cellar that have become
familiar 10 the hundreds of thousands
who have followed the details of the
great trial.
Few, il any. Of the curious prisoners
and turkeys who were spectators had
any inkling of what was taking place.
Iuetgert. The notary and a represent.
tative of the Associated Press confer
red together for q few minutes and
then Luetgert. without hesitation.
made the affidavit and signed il in ink
with the hand that is alleged to have
committed one of the most fiendish
crimes on record.
L~uetgert's sworn Statement.
The affidavit explicitly declares
Luetgert's innocence. The document
in full is as follows:
ITO the public: The result of. my
trial, ending today, is a victory for me
because of the disagreement of the
jury, but am very much disappointed
and very much surprised that the jury
did not bring in n verdict OF not gull
ty.
| did not kill my wife and do not
know where she is, but | am sure that
it is only a question Of time until she
ONE home.
my Sea>sS sr = -Sre xia.sns ssaa
ss~sa.=~ ts.sso~As-s sa@~s. ~~asaot nee
eSsary.
/ am grateful for the tremendous
change in public sentiment in my IA
vor, and time will demonstrate that |
am not only an innocent, but a very
previously wronged man.
Adolph l.. Luetgert,
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 21st day of October. \. ID. 1897.
NJ. T.. Sullivan. Notary public