Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-04

Big Sausage Maker is Alleged to
Have Boiled His Wife's Body
Into Soap-Several Women Who
Knew Mrs. Luetgert Will Declare
the Rings in Evidence Were the
Ones She Had Worn for Years.
A Novel Plan Adopted to Keep
Back the Crowd That Con stantly
Seeks Admission to the Trial.
Chicago, September 3.-The number
of persons striving to be present at the
Luetgert murder trial to-day was SO
great that a new method of handling
the crowds had to be adopted. The
third floor of the big grey stone build
ing in which the court house is sit
uated was abandoned as a stopping
place for the passenger elevators.
Stop swere made at the second and
fourth floors and the third or court
room floor turned back everybody who
was not in some way connected with
the case.
The discrimination of police cap
tain Schuttler was resumed where it
was left off yesterday. Attorney Vim
cent, for the defense, asked to have
stricken from the case the captain S
statement that he did not go to New
York to find out whether Mrs. Luet
CERT had been seen there alive, but to
look up the reputation of Grotty, the
man who said he had met her on
Broadway. Attorney Vincent said the
statement was prejudicial. The court
refused to sustain the motion and Capt.
Schuttler told of his trip to New York
and his investigation of Grottys rep
utation. He said the State wanted to
be prepared to prove he was a per-
jurer if he appeared in the case as a
witness for the defense. Capt. Schultz
Ter was asked about the visit of attor-
ney Vincent to the East Chicago avenue
police station on the day of Luetgert's
arrest, but the State put in an objec-
ton. Mr.. Vincent stated to the court
that he expected to prove by Luetgert
that when he was arrested Inspector
Setback refused to permit any person
to see him until the next day. The
attorney said he was not allowed to see
him and was compelled to begin habeas
corpus proceedings. Judge Tuthill
refused to admit any evidence regard
ing the matter. Inspector Setback is
not on trial here" said the court.
Capt. Schuetter was excused and Police
Lieutenant George Hutchinson was call
ed This witness corroborated the tes-
t1mony of Capt Schuettler as to the visit
made by him and Schuettler on May to
Leutgert at the latters home to secure
from him statement regarding the dis
appearance of his wife. He said Leutgert
stated he had hired no detectices to look
Tor MS wife, though he had previously told
Blcknese that he had engaged two pri-
vate detectives. Officer Walter S. Dean.
of the Sheffield station, introduced the
subject of the rings found in the vat in
y
who found the two gold rings in the mid
ole vat in which it is charged Mrs Lieut.
gert's body was dissolved in caustic not
ASH The officer told of the examination
OF the vat and the discovery of the trim
kets IN the same manner it had been re-
lated by other witnesses
He was followed by Mrs. Ida Harris.
who was the first of a series of witnesses
who identified the rings as having been
worn by Mrs. Leutgert. Mrs Harris said
she had known Mrs. Leutgert for seven
years and had often visited her at her
home. She was positive that the large
sold band with the initials Il. LIZ and
the mark '1Sk'' on the inside was Mrs.
Leutgerts wedding ring. About five years
ago, she said, while sitting with Mrs.
Leutgert in her kitchen, the sausage max
ers wife took off her rings and showed
them TO her. The smaller ring was worn
as a guard to keep the wedding ring on
the finger. The guard ring had milled
edges, but the milling was more distinct
five years ago than it is now. The wit
ness could not tell when she had last seen
the rings on the hand of Mrs. I,eutgert
On cross examination, Mrs Harris
sald that when shown the rings at the
East Chicago avenue police station. af-
ter the arrest of Luetgert, she remem-
Dered the initials 81. L." were in the
wedding ring in German script. She
SAID she had never seen a large ring
with a cameo on Mrs. Luetgert's hand.
She was asked if Mrs. Luetgert did not
wear large gold ring with chain and
heart attached, but she said she had
never seen it.
Mrs. Sophie Touhy was another ring
witness. She identified the rings. which
she said, Mrs. Luetgert had worn for
years. From her own finger she took
small guard ring somewhat resemb-
ling that found in the vat and said she
had bought it of jeweler on Larabee
street, near North avenue.
She bought this ring, she said. on the
advice of Mrs. Luetgert, who recon-
mended her to the jeweler. Attorney
Vincent objected to this testimony.
and the objection was sustained by the
court
Mrs. Tuohy said she had a CONVEX
sation with Luetgert on May regard
ing the disappearance of his wife. He
told her he had paid $40 to two private
detectives, and had told them there was
more money for them if they needed it.
Luetgert said his wife did not have
much love for her children. He also
said her brother, Bickenese, was angry
because the disappearance was not re-
ported to the police, but Bickenese I'D
wrong in getting angry.