The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-21
LUETGERTS FATE
STILL UNDECIDED
No Prospects Of Hearing From the Jury
Before Morning,
EVEN SHOULD THEY AGREE
Various RumOrS as to the Status Of the
Jury.
HARLEY SEEMS TO BE THE BAR
Hope of Bringing Him Over to Verdict of
Guilty Is Very DoubtfuI-vandals Garry
Off Everything Portable From the
Scene of the Trial.

Criminal Court Building, Chicago, Oct.
from the office of States Attorney De-
neen that there would be no announce
ment of verdict in The Luetgert case
before the opening of the court tomor-
row morning.
Judge Tuthill went home early in the
evening leaving matters with States At
torney Deneen, who was to send him
word in case verdict should be reach
ed during the early part of the evening.
The attorneys for the defense also left
matters with Mr. Deneen and went home
to await any word that might come from
the jury room.
States Attorney Deneen, pale-faced
and red-eyad from long lack of sleep,
sat in his Office until 8:2O and then an
nounced that he would wait no longer
and gave orders that his office be closed.
"I shall wait no longer" he said, land
there is no need of anybody waiting
after leave agreed with Judge Tut
hill and with the attorneys for the de-
fense to remain here until $3.50 o'clock
to receive the announcement If a ver-
dict should be reached. In the event
of an agreement / was to send word to
the Judge and opposing counsel and they
would come ito the court for the pur-
s5oze of receivingthe vendict. 1t was un-
dsrstood that II the jury did not send
should be closed and everything should
go over until $50 tomorrow morning.
No word has come and If the jury does
arrive at a verdict it will not be heard
and no announcement of it being reach
ed VIII be sent out from the jury room.'
For time tonight it was rumored that
if the jury had not agreed by tomorrow
it would be discharged as soon as 1t
reports its inability to reach a verdict.
This. however, is not the case. 1t is the
firm determination of Judge Tuthill to
keep the jury until Saturday night or
late Saturday afternoon before lle per-
mlts them to go with disagreement.
He has announced that both state and
defendant have spent so much money
and time ard the case has been SO long
and difficult to try that he will not con-
sent to the discharge of the jury until
there is absolutely no hope whatever OF
a verdict being reached.
The jury stands about where 1t sbood
twenty-four hours ago. Reports vary
from nine for the death penalty to three
for acauittal to eleven for death and one
for acouittal. The one juror holding out
| for Luetg,srt is Harlev and 1t Is thought
that If he would change front uaere
would be little tin1e lost in arriving at
a verdict. Juror Holabird is also cred
tied with favoring the acquittal OF the
prisoner but it is thought he will come
around quickly If Harley could be IN
d,y-ed to vote for conviction.
The feeling among the jurors who are
in favor of the death penalty Is high
| AGAINST Harley, and they have done
some very plain talking to him. At one
time this morning they even sent for
Judge Tuthill to know among other
things if eleven men could compel one
man to vote with them, or If verdict
wauld be valid If eleven men signed 1t.
This is the incident that gave to the
state the idea that there was but one
man standing between Luetgert and
death sentence.
II Is rumored that Judge Tuthill this
morning opened three letters onering
bribes to the jury. This report cannot
be verified.
I The court room of Judge Tuthill is the
scene of vandalism that has no parallel
an the annals of sensational trials. Some
| of the spectators took advantage of the
absence of the bailiffs and Clerk Koch
| and seized on every portable article OF
stationery. Sections Of the improvised
desks used by the newspaper reporters
during the tedious trial were carried off
by the morbid crowd.
Judge Tuthill, in the course of his fire.
ouent communications with the court
! room by telephone, Inquired after his
gavel and inkstand. He said he was
particularly anxious to keep both as
rnementoes for his wife. When he was
told that all the small articles were gone
he expressed himself in vigorous Ian
guage. ....s ~, isS'