The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-09
A BLOODY KNIFE.
The Prosecution in the Luet-
CERT Murder Trial
Puts Stained and Rusted
Knife in Evidence.
BELONGED TOACCUSED
Will Try to Prove That the
Stains Are Those Of Blood
And That It Is the Weapon
Used in the Murder.

Chicago, Sept. 9.-The defense in the
trial of Adolph L. Luetgert, for wife
murder, was surprised by the move of
the state.
When Mrs. Christiana Feldt, Luet-
gert's one time sweetheart, was called
to the stand by the state for the third
time, Assistant States Attorney Nc
Evan handed her an ugly appearing
pocket knife, the blades of which were
stained and rusted. and asked her if she
had ever seen it before.
She testified that the sausage manu-
facturer had given her the knife for
safe keeping on the day of his arrest.
The prosecution asserts that it was
with this knife Luetgert murdered his
wife before placing her body in the
boiling potash, where it was diSsolV-
ed.
The ugly looking object was passed
around for the inspection of the attor-
neys and was handed to Luetgert, who
opened and closed the blades, gazing
curiouSly at the weapon and Scraping
the blade with his finger so as to feel
the stains that covered the blade. He
evinced no emotion, though he knew
that every person in the court room,
including court, jury and spectators,
was closely watching and taking note
of his every action. In talking with his
attorneys he admitted the knife was
his property.
Carl Klein, Jr., who is employed by a
dentist, described a set of false teeth
which he had sold Mrs Luetgert. Klein
seemed to be burdened with a sense of
his own Importance in the case, and in
the cross examination by Attorney Vim
cent, chief counsel for the defense, he
continually objected to the questions
asked and refused to answer the sew
eral questions until the court ordered
him to do so.
His conduct on the stand caused con-
among LAWYERS
and spectators.
Emma Schimpke, sister to Gottlieb
Schimpke, who testified to having seen
Luetgart and his wife enter the factory
stand to corrobOrate the testimony of
her younger sister. She was a very fall
tering witness and suffered under the
Scathing crOSS-eXaminat1on to which
she was subjected.
Emma Schimpke was apparently inn
bued with the idea that she must teSti-
fy only to those matters which hurt the
cause of the defense. Judge Tuthin
administered a kindly but firm lecture
to the trembling girl. From her the de-
fense secured the admission that she
was not sure she saw Luetgert and his
wife enter the factory and the defense
also forced her to admit that she could
not remember anything that happened
on any other particular night than May
l. When asked the day of the week up
on which May 1 fell, she heSitated, and
said, Saturday, wasn't it? The defense
felt that their cause had gained per-
ceptibly from her testimony.
Police Sergeant Spangler, who was
active in procuring evidence for the
prosecution testified to having secured,
either from officers, or from the Factory
and vicinity. corset steels, a celIulo1d
hairpin a half tooth, particles or
bone scrapings from both the interior
and exterior of the vat in which 1t IS
alleged Mrs. Luetgert was dissolved
and slime from the sluice leading from
the vat.
Vickerick Bicknese, brother of Mrs.
Luetgert, identified two photographs as
likenesses of his sister. The pictures
were passed around among the attor-
neys and Luetgert attentively compar-
ed the two and consulted about them
with his attorneys.
Prof Charles Gibson, to whom the
newspaper men gave the fluid they got
from the vat, was examined and testl-
fed to the finding of organic matter IN
the pinkish brown fluid, which he sub
jected to a chemical analysis. His an
swers were delivered slowly and delib-
erately, and were couched in technical
terms 1t required much time to queS-
ton the witness so that BIS testimony
could be made clear to Hhe jury. The
witness asserted as his opinion that the
dissolution of the f1eshT portions or the
and manner alleged by the state, but
denied that the condition of the bones
were materially affected The defense
considered that a point was scored IN
their favor when the witness asserted
that the hair would be the first portion
of a body to dissolve in the caustic mix
ture Attorney Vincent will request the
ju>- - reconcile this ~ of testimony
with the alleged finding of hair in the
vat
The son of Watchman Bialk testi-
fed to having enticed Luetgert to
his fathers room under pretense of the
latter's illness. A detective was con-
cealed under the bed at the time and
the testimony was intended to be mere
H. 1afNy-a IF
imony of the officer who listened to the
conversation between Luetgert and his
old employe.
Iuetgert's unconcerned demeanor con-
tinues and the most damaging evidence
seems TO effect him but little.
Resigned by Request.
Harrisburg, Pa, Sept 9.-General