The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-12
BONES OF A HUMAN BEING
GRUESOME EXHIBIT AT THE TRIAL
OF ADOLPH LUETGERT.
Bones Found in the Sausage Factory
Examined by Experts and Identi-
fed as Those of a Woman.

CHICAGO, Sept. 1.-THE state put in it's
time to-day proving that the bones taken
from the vat in the sausage factory were
those of a human being and the evidence
which was produced was strongly against
the prisoner. Prof. George w. Bailey oste-
ologist of the Field Columbian Museum
testified positively that of the bones shown
him in the court, one was from the hand
of human being one from the foot one
was a part of a human rib and one was
fragment of the humerus of the forearm.
The witness did not qualify his evidence
In any degree, but stated his conclusion in
the most positive manner, driving his tes-
timony home with the assertion, 'They are
bones from the skeleton of small person,
very probably a woman" After Professor
Bailey came Dr. Robert Howe, who has
for many years been connected with the
leading hospitals of the city, and he gave
the same evidence as Professor Bailey, also
saying the bones were from the frame of a
small person, probably a woman" Por-
tons Of a skeleton were brought into court
and the witness showed the jury just where
the fragments of bones were to be found
in the human body. After the conclusion
of the expert testimony Police Inspector
Setback took the stand and identified the
bones that had been shown as those that
were taken from the vat in his presence
by the officers working under his direction.
1t is now likely that the state will rest its
case on Monday if the defense does not
prolong the crOsS-examination of the three
men who testified to-day.
Prof. George Vincent Bailey, whose direct
examination was begun yesterday after
noon, was placed on the stand as the first
witness to-day. Prof. Bailey occupies the
position of osteologist for the Field Column
bian Museum, and is the expert witness for
a small bone as q portion of the hand of
a woman. He then took portion of a
mounted skeleton and indicated thereon the
exact position of the bone in the hand.
The particle was then passed among the
jury for inspection. Later the witness said
that the bone was from a small skeleton,
probably that of a woman Other particles
of bone were identified as different portions
of the skeleton of a human being. The ex-
hibits were submitted and the second joint
of the fourth toe of the right foot piece
of the upper end of the bone of the fore
hand were identified. In each case the wit
ness asserted that both were from the ske-
eton of a very small human being. The
cross-examination of the witness will be
finished Monday.
The second witness was Robert A.
Halves professor of osteology in the Col
iege Of Physicians and Surgeons and the
Chicago Medical College. He very positive
ly stated his ability to distinguish between
animal. He identified the seven pieces of
bone, previously identified by Prof. Bailey
as being portions of skeleton of small HUI
man being. The crOSs-eXamination was
postponed until Monday.
Then came the event which has been ex-
pected since the beginning of the trial, the
hearing of Inspector Setback. The inspec-
tor told of his first visit to the factory in
company with Waterman Frank Bialk on
May Is, and his inspection of the vat and
the finding of the bones, flesh and rings. He
also testified as to having received the
blood-stained knife from the hands of Mrs
Christine Feldt. At the conclusion of his
testimony a recess until Monday was
taken.
To demonstrate the fallacy of the fidenti-
ficaton as human bones introduced by the
prosecution in the Luetgert murder trial
DR.. w. II. Airport acting for the defense to-
day killed dog and extracted from one of
it's feet a sesamoid bone. This bone to all
appearance, the defense claims, is like that
introduced by the prosecution yesterday
and it was subjected to the action of boil
ing solution of crude potash. 1t is little
larger than a bean and was carefully laid
away. 1t will without doubt be used in the
effort to clear Luetgert In connection with
this line of defense it transpired to-day that
the defense will claim that the bones and
decomposed flesh which the police took
from the factory yard were the remains of
a Great Dane dog which had been buried
there three months before. Witnesses will
be sworn who will testify to this effect