The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-10-05
LUETGERT'S SIDE RESTS.
Sausage Maker is Induced Not to Go
on the Stand.

on the Stand
Chicago, oct 5.-The defense in the
Luetgert murder trial rested its case
today after two witnesses had testified
Luetgert did not go on the witness
stand in his own defense.
The big sausage manufacturer
yielded to the advice of his attorneys,
but the disappointment to him was
great. He has declared for months
that ne must tell his story to the jury.
Iuetgert'S counsel feared to put him on
the stand and he accepted the situation
with a frOWn.
The first witness called today was
Henry J. Cox, of the United States
weather bureau service. Witness Cox
came with charts and data to prove
that the night of May 1, 1897 was cloudy
in Chicago and vicinity.
This evidence was brought out by
the defense to counterfeit the testimony
of witnesses who had sworn that they
had stood across the street at IL O'Clock
the night of May l. and saw Luetgert
and his wife walking toward the sau-
sage factory.
The first witness called after the
consultation of Luetgert and his attor-
neys was Mrs. Mary Charles. wife OF
VIM. Charles, Luetgert's business part
ner. Mrs Charles said that upon sew
eral occasions, Mrs. Luetgert had said
to her; 7 am going away. My hus-
band has failed in business and people
VIII now point their fingers at me and
say She is the wife the sausage maker
who failed ] cannot stand that
On May 1 the witness said she saw
Mrs. Luetgert for the last time. It
was about IL o'clock in the morning
Mrs. Luetgert again said she was going
away and. repeated that she could not
stand the disgrace the failure had
brought upon her family. "She turned
away and I never saw her again., con-
Guided the witness.
A dramatic scene followed. 1t has been
agreed that Luetgert has offered an ex-
a1r04 fr1r7
prosecution except the rings found in
the middle vat in which the body of
Mrs Luetgert is alleged to have been
dislntegrated. The rings found in the
vat were stuck together when discOv-
cred, according to the story of Police
man Dean who found them. Experts
who examined them said the rings
were glued together by human flesh. In
one of these rings were engraved the
letters L. 1.-The initials of Mrs
Louise Luetgert. The theory of the
prosecution was that they had dropped
from the dissolved finger of Mrs I4uet-
CERT in the vat and had been glued to-
gether by flesh tissues. The defense
put off an explanation of these rings
until the last moment. 1t was the eli
max of the sausage makers story
Did you ever see Mrs. Luetgert
wear finger rings?' asked Attorney
Phalen. after Mrs. Charles had finish
ed telling about the missing wOmans
threats to leave home. Il have re
piled the witness.
How many
"She wore two
Were they gold rings %
"They were"
you saw them Often?''
Yes. very Often
Describe them-can yOu?"
Both were plain gold rings nearly
equal in size, as to the width 1 mean
One of them I am sure-perhaps both
coma ned Mrs LCetgert's initials
Did you see this ring L now hand
of a ri K
in the vat. People in the court room
stood up and craned their necks with
breathless interest VIII le the witness
examined the ring. The big court room
was hushed as the crowd of specta-
tors strained their ears to catch the
reply of Mrs. Charles.
No sir. I never saw that ring be
fore" she finally answered. 1t is
narrower than those Mrs. Luetgert
worn The other ring was handed to
her ad the witness gazed at it for some
time. This ring is about the size Of
one of the rings she wore" said Mrs.
Charles finally. but I cannot tell do
not think it is one Of them
States Acknowledgement questioned the
witness sharply. He asked her why
she did not tell this story to the police
or TO Justice Kernsten long ago. She
replied that she had told it to Luet-
gert's attorneys and was not asked to
tell it again.
Fred MfIler,a nephew of Luetgert, VINO
had worked for the latter in the gro
Gerry business department of his Sau-
sage factory, testified that he had the
watch Of0Irs. Luetgert. He produced tuD-
on the witness stand. The witness said
that Mrs. Luetgert gave it to him to
carry, saying she feared Luetgert
would take it away from her as he
scolded about her having so much jew
cry when as matter of fact her
watch and rings was all the jeweIry
She had.
The unexpected cessation of the evil
dence of the defense found the prosecu-
ton unprepared TO go on with it's re-
buttal- Court was adjourned until to-
morrow morning. States Attorney
Deneen said today he would put on so
witnesses in rebuttal and that ten of
i them would be from Kenosha, Wis,
where it was said by witnesses. Mrs.
Luetgert was seen May 3, 4 and 5.