The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-04
A Chemist Who Had Been EN-
plOyed at the Factory
KNEW THE PROCESS
Employed in the Manufacture
Of the Sausage.
CauStic Potash Was Never at
Any Time Required.
More Witnesses Identify the
Rings as Mrs. Luetgert's.

Chicago, Sept. 4.-Curiosity seekers,
who attempted to gain admission today
to Judge Tuthili's court where the Luet-
CERT murder trial is being held, found
themselves intercepted at the main en-
trance to the criminal court building on
Michigan avenue. There a Gordon of
officers had been established and only
those known to have business in the
building were permitted to enter Hun
dreds were turned away and the crowd
in the court room was kept within
bounds SUCCESSFULLY
Carl Voelker, chemist who had been
at one time engaged with Luetgert
when he manufactured permangan-
ate of potash. and who was at one time.
shlpp1ng clerk in the factory, testified
that he was familiar with all of Luet-
CERT process for the making of sausage
ana that he had never had any occasion
70 use cauStic potash around the place
The defendant could not he said have
secured 1T for the purpose of using in
the making of the sausage. During all
of the time that Voelker was around the
factory, he said, the VatS were never
used.
Voell1er told the jury that on one oc-
caslon he,Luetgert, used violence toward
his wife. She and another woman came
into the office in the factory one after
noon and Luetgert appeared to be in a
rage. The witness was not in the office
her companion out of the door of the
office. Mrs. Luetgert and the lady with
her were much excited and he heard
Mrs Luetgert say: ''He has revolver
and will kill u.s.
The witness said he did not see the
revolver.
Additional witnesses appeared to iden-
THY the rings found in the vat. Luet-
Sert consulted frequently with his coun-
sci and once rose up in his place and
carefully examined the ring with the
initials L. L." in the inside, and which,
according to the witnesses for the state,
We're Mrs. Luetgert's wedding rings
FT1eda Mueller, niece of Mrs Il1et-
gert, testified that the rings were the
ones winch Mrs. Luetgert wore habit
ually. Mrs. ChriStini Pearce of 656 CIV
bourn avenue followed. She said she
had known Mrs. Luetgert since she.
the witness was a small girl Mrs In
etgert before her marriage to the san
sage maker lived at the house of wit
ness mother. She said that at a picnic
a year ago which Mrs. Luetgert attend
ed, the wedding ring was the subject of
a conversat ton in which it was remark
ed that Mrs. Iuetgert wore no other
JeWelry except her wedding ring On
crosS-examinatiOn the witness said she
had never seen the wedding ring off
Mrs. Luetgert's hand, knew nothing of
the initials in it, but identified it from
its size and general appearance.
Mrs. Anna Geiser of Chicago Heights
was a servant in the Luetgert house
hold up to the fall of 1889. She identi-
fed the wedding ring and the small
guard ring worn with it positively. The
witness produced a photograph of her
self taken in 1885, when she wore the
two rings. Mrs. Luetgert, she said, Of
fered her the rings to have her picture
taken in.
There was a sensation when Mrs
Christine Feldt of ISL Clybourn avenue
was called as a. witness for the state
Mrs. Feldt is the widow whose name
has been SO often mentioned in connec-
ton with the case. 1t was believed she
would be one of the main witnesses for
the defense, but she had not been before
the jury two minutes when it became
apparent she had gone over to the pros
ecution.
She produced bundle of letters writ
ten to her by Luetgert in his cell in the
Jail and carried to her home by Luet-
gerts son Arnold. The letters were
filed with endearing terms. They be-
gan: Beloved Dear Christine" or
Beloved Christine" and in them Luet-
CERT told of sufferings he was enduring
as an innocent prisoner in Jail
Inspector Schaak and his officers were
referred to as the sang that was af-
ter him, and the police were frequently
referred to as dogs" Luetgert over
and over again assured his correspond
ent that he would overcome the police
and "be with her again, free man.
Mrs. FeIdt testified that Luetgert told
her months ago that he cared more for
Mary Simmering, the servant, than he
did for his wife. She said she visited
mering where Mrs. Luetgert was. Mary
replied that she had gone down town
and would be back shortly. The wit
ness then asked Luetgert about it, and
he told her Mary had lied to her and
that his wife had disappeared. Luetgert
said his wife had on former occasions
left him for several days without any
explanation, and he did not know where
she had gone. He then made the state
ment that he cared more for Mary than
he did for his wife. The witness told
of a visit to Luetgert at the Jail. The
prisoner sent her a request through
Judge Vincent, his attorney, to come
to the Jail. Luetgert then endeavored
to persuade her to loan him money to
pay for his defense. He asked her. she
said, to put a, mortgage on her house
in order to raise the money.
Mrs. Feldt said she told Luetgert to
apply to other friends for money and
he told her he had been unable to find
anyone who would help him.
''If you go back on me- he said, ST
will take my life
The witness said he ought to be
ashamed to talk that way on account
of his children. and he replied that even
his children did not care for his life.
She said she then left him.
Mrs. Feldt was not oss-examined
for the reason that translationS of the
letter had not been verified and the let
once They will be given to the jury
called for cross-examination. The let
quests for money interspoSed with pro-
of af J,