The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-01
Smoke From the Fire Alleged
to Have Boiled Mrs. Luetgert
Was Seen by Mrs. TOsch, Wife
Of a Saloon Keeper
THREATENED SUICIDE.
She Says the Sausage Maker
Talked of Killing Himself.
Luetgert Asked Her Not to
Mention the Smoke.

Luetgert murder trial was unabated to-
day. A majority of the spectators were
women, who had come early. Outside
the court, hundreds waited in line, un-
aoIe TO enter. The big sausage maker,
the central figure in the trial was ap-
parently in the best of spirits, betraying
no outward effects of the strain of the
trial. He commented, not in bitter
terms, on the testimony of his old en-
ploye, Bialk the watchman, who he
said, was simple honest man. HE is
an ignorant man." said Luetgert. "And
like an elephant or bear can be trained.
He has been well trained by the police"
Bialk, who is a German, 81 years old
was trusted employe of the defend
ant for whom he worked several years.
HIS testimony, which he gave in Ger
man, bore directly on the movements of
the defendant during the night of May
l. He also related how two barrels,
which 1t is alleged contained caustic
potash, were stored ON one of the upper
floors of the factory and were shortly,
before May 1, taken to the basement,
where the barrels were efnptied into the
vat and dissolve by steam. Other wit
nesses were Charles P. Melander
photographer, who identified several
views of the Luetgert factory. and Mrs.
Agatha Tosch, the wife of a saloon
keeper. Mrs. TOsch was frequently in
charge of her husbands saloon and had
several conversations with Luetgert
OuEluS the disappearance or MS W1f6.
She had been regarded as one of the
states strongest witnesses, being one
of the few who saw smoke issuing from
the factory the night Mrs. Luetgert dis
appeared. She swore that Luetgert had
urged her not to say anything about the
smoke as it might get him in trouble.
Witness detailed how Luetgert had re-
cited his domestic unhappineSS and had
told her of the contempt with which he
had regarded his WIFE He had she
said, told her that his feelings against
his wife were so bitter that he could
crush her. Witness also told of how
pale Luetgert was on May 2, and on one
occasion had told her that he felt like
killing himself and would do so if it
were not for leaving his children.
Attorneys for the defense asked the
court to compel the state to set forth
by what means, according to the theory
of the prosecution, the life of Mrs. Luet-
gert was taken before her body was
placed in the vat. The Indictment con-
tanned IL counts but did not state the
manner of Mrs. Luetgert's death. The
court decided that the Indictment was
not bound to- state the means of death.
Watchman BiaIk said there was
steam under one of the two boilers in
the factory at 6 p. m, May 1. Luet-
CERT turned the steam into the vat in
the basement and instructed him to
keep up steam during the night, as he
would need it in the basement At
quarter past nine Luetgert sent him to
a drug store to purchase a patent nerve
hour and gave the bottle to Luetgert
through the gate to the sausage makers
office, which was locked. After ten
O'Clock, he was again sent to the same
drug store, but the second trip con-
sumed more time. He returned with a
bottle of mineral water, which Luet-
gert had directed him to purchase. He
did not see Iuetgert again that night,
The sausage maker was in the base
ment where the vat was and the door
between him and the boiler room, where
the witness was, remained locked A bout
J O'Clock in the morning the steam to
the vat was turned off. Bialk left the
factory at o'clock Sunday morning
and before leaving went to the office,
where he saw Luetgert sitting with his
feet on a table. He did not know
whether Luetgert was asleep or not
The next evening when he returned
to work he found the vat running over.
A hose was pouring cold water into it,
Beside the vat on the floor was a Shiny
substance. Near the vat was a chair
from the office. The witness said three
large doors which had been removed
from the smoke house were beside the
vat though they had been used to
cover the vat while its contents were
boiling. Bialk said that after the fac
tory was seized by the sheriff and he
learned that Mrs. Luetgert was missing
he was afraid to remain there. He said
that on Sunday evening at 9 o'clock, he
saw Luetgert in his office and asked
him if he wanted the steam turned into
the vat that night. Luetgert, he said,
turned pale and sank down. At this
statement of the witness Luetgert
laughed heartily.
Bialk told of his visit to the factory
with police officers. officer Dean dis
covered two rings in the vat and the
witness said officers carried away with
them bones found in the vat and smoke
house. The witness said that since
May he has lived part of the time with
Officer KHnger, and a part of the time
at his own home. On May 16, Officer
Klinger was concealed under a bed in
the house of the witness when Luetgert
came to see Bialk. Luetgert asked the
witness what the officers found in the
factory, and Bia1k said they had discoV-
cred nothing. THAT is good,'' said Iil-
etgert The latter advised him to not
tell the police anything and said that in
a short time he would start the factory
and give the witness and his son en-
ployment.
Attorney Vincent began the cross
examination of Bialk by putting to him
questions regarding his connection with
the police since May 16. Mr.. McEwan
objected, but Attorney Vincent declar-
ed it would be shown that Bialk had
not been out of the sight of a policeman
for five minutes since the arrest of
Luetgert and the defense had not been
able to get a minutes conversation
with him. The cross-examination pro-
ceeded and Bialk testified that since
May 16 he had been with Officer Kiln
ger. living at the latter'S house and
paying no board. He had done no work
but Inspector Setback had provided
means for his wife to live and pay rent
In the cross examination of Bialx Mr.
Vincent brought out the fact that pre-
vious to May l, the watchman had met
Luetgert in different parts of the fac
| tory at all times of the night. Some