The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-10-13
TRACING LINKS
In The CHAIN
Lawyer McEWan Dilates
on Evidence Against
Luetgert.
Circumstances That Plainly
indicate the Guilt of the
Sausage Maker.
Dramatic Language of the Prose-
cutor, Who Demands the Life
Of the Accused.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL.

CHICAGO. ILL, Oct. 12-Assist TIA n t
States Attorney McEwan finished his
argument in the Luetgert trial to-day, and
Attorney Phalen will make the opening
address for the defense tomorrow. Mr..
McEwan consumed the entire day with
his argument and went over the case care
fully, connecting the details of evidence
for the jury and showing how one circum-
stance fitted into another, and how the
whole mass of evidence submitted by the
State furnished, in his opinion, full and
complete circumstantial chain, proving
that Luetgert had murdered his wife in
order that his relations with his servant
girl. Mary Sismmering, might remain IN
disturbed.
Throughout the entire argument Luet-
CERT listened to the attorney who was
asking for his life with the greatest at
tention. He never took his eyes off Mr..
McEwan for more than an instant, and
the heavy scowl that is ha bitual with him
deepened as the Assistant States Attor-
ney pointed out circumstance after cir
cumstance that weighed against his inno-
cence. 1t is now practically certain that
all OF the arguments will be finished SO
that the case will be given to the jury by
Saturday night at the latest.
McEwan took up the subject of sesa-
mods, and this soon brought him to a
consideration of the evidence OF DR.. ".
H. Airport, chief astrological expert for
the defense. Rarely is witness handled
with the biting sarcasm and scornful de-
nunciation that were heaped upon this
celebrated expert.
"He came upon the witness stand with
all the arrogance and self-assurance of a
bully" shouted the attorney, land left it
as Eeek and lowly as any being who ever
entered the building. He exposed to the
medical profession in open court his
ignorance and made himself the laugh g
stock of experts the world over"
The mistakes DR.. Airport is LEGGED TO
have made in Identifying different bones
were enumerated, discussed and ridiculed
in the most cutting manner at the
speakers command. land this is the
man whom the defense asks you to be-
lieve with reference to the Identification
of the bones placed before you in evid ence
in this case" observed McEwan.
During the afternoon session of court
McEwan devoted a considerable portion
of his time to the gold rings found in the
middle vat III Leutgert's factory. This
he styled ''the indestructible and shining
evidence of guilt"
The purest metal known to man, he
said, had come forth from that vat unfair
nished 10 fastea upon the guilty person
the responsi bility for one of the most
heinous and cruel crimes modern times
has produced.
Then the attorney shifted TO the evidence
of the bone experts and dissected it care
fully, pointing out what he considered the
weaknesses aud inconsistencies in the sto-
ries and identifications made by each.
Then he reviewed the circumstances in
the case from the date of Mrs. Luetgert's
disappearance up to the present date.
Each development was recalled and fitted
together in a logical manner.
The speaker suddenly reached the de-
scriptive climax by exclaiming: There,
gentlemen OF the jury, you have the COM
plete foundation and structure of this
case. The chain of facts is connected.
The links naturally coil around this de-
PENDANT and fix his guilt as plainly and
as lndisputably as it is possible 10 fix
guilt"