The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-05
LUH4GHR1 STANDS PAT.
The Sausage Maker Prevented
BY His Counsel From
Hanging Himself.


its case today, after two witnesses had
testified.
Luetgert did not go on the witness
stand in his own defence.
The big sausage manufacturer yielded
to the advice of his attorneys. but the
disappointment to him was great. He
has declared for months that he must
tell his story to the jury.
Luetgert's counsel feared to put him on
the stand, and he accepted the situation
with a frown.
Soon after court convened, ex-Judge
Vincent and Attorney Phalon asked per-
mission to consult with their client pri-
vately.
Judge TuthiIl said they might do SO
and Luetgert and his lawyers retired to
a private room.
1t was known that the matter under
deliberation was whether or not Luetgert
should go upon the witness stand.
Ex-Judge Vincent vigorously opposed
the suggestion. He pointed out to Luet-
partner. had told practically the story
Luetgert> would tell.
You cannot add to it anything that
will benefit you," said Judge Vincent. If
you go upon the witness stand you will
be subjected to cross-examination last
ing days and covering the entire period
of your life. You will get excited and
you will say things which will injure
your case. My advice to you is keep
mum z
Attorney Phalen was inclined to favor
Luetgert's desire to go upon the witness
stand.
He thought he might be able to ex-
plain some things more satisfactorily
than other witnesses had. He also be-
lieved that the absence from the witness
stand of the principal actor in the great
tragedy might prejudice him in the eyes
of the jury.
But Attorney Phalen was willing to ad-
nit the logic of ex-Judge Vincent's posi-
tion, and Luetgert, said he would abide
by his counsel's advice.
When the lawyers and Luetgert re-
turned from their consultation Luetgert
sat down with grim smile upon his
face.
His countenance bore the expression of
a martyr. The greatest disappointment
of the trial to him was apparently the
fact that he was not to be permitted to
testify in his own behalf and address the
jury, as ne had said dozens OF times he
would. But he accepted the situation with
as good grace as his.rough nature would
permit.
The first witness called today was
Henry j. Cox, of the United States
Weather Bureau Witness Cox came with
charts and records to prove that the night
of May /, 1897, was cloudy in Chicago and
vicinity. This evidence was brought out
by the defense to counteract the testi-
mony of witnesses who had sworn that
they stood across the street at eleven
o'clock the night of May and saw Luet-
CERT and his wife walking towards the
sausage factory.
The first witness called after the con-
sultation of Luetgert and his lawyers was
Mrs Mary Charles, wife of William
Charles, Luetgert's business partner. Mrs.
Mrs. Luetgert had said to her:-I am go
ing away. My husband has failed in busi-
ness and people will now point their fin
gers at me and. say, .'She is the wife of
the sausage maker who failed. L cannot
stand that
On May l, the witness said she saw
Mrs. Luetgert for the last time. 1t was
about II o'clock in the morning. Mrs.
and repated that she could not stand the
disgrace the failure had brought upon
her family.
''She turned away, and I never saw her
again." concluded the Witness
A dramatic scene followed.
1t has been agreed that Luetgert has
of the prosecution except the rings found
in the middle vat in which the body OF
Mrs. Luetgert is alleged to have been
a fopether l wben 1oiie We
cording to the story of Policeman Doan.
who found them. Experts who examined
them said the rings were glued together
by human flesh. In one of these rings
were engraved the letters IL. L." the
initials of Mrs Louise Luetgert. The
theory of the prosecution was that they
had dropped from the dissolved finger of
Mrs. Luetgert in the vat and had been
glued together by flesh tissues. The. de-
fense put off an explanation of these rings
until the last moment. 1t was the Climax
of the sausage makers story.
did you ever see Mrs. Luetgert wear
finger rings? asked Attorney Phalen, al
ter Mrs. Charles had finished telling about
the missing woman's threats to leave
4 have replied the witness.
Then how many?'
'tShe wore two.
Were they gold rings 2"
s'They were.
ssYou saw them often?"
Eyes, very often.
Describe them, can you?''
Both were plain gold rings, nearly
equal in size as to the width I mean.
One of them, perhaps both, contained
Mrs Luetgert's initials"
did you ever see this ring l now hand
you?''
1t was one of the rings found in the vat.
People in the court room stood up and
craned their necks with breathless inter-
est While the witness examined the ring
The big court room was huShed as the.
crowd of spectators strained their ears
to catch the reply of Mrs. Charles.
'.No, sir; | never saw that ring be-
fore" she finally answered.
1T is narrower than either of those
Mrs Luetgert wore. The other ring was
handed to her and the witness gazed at
it for some time. This ring is about the
size of one of the rings she wore, said
Mrs Charles finally, but | cannot tell
do not think it is one of them
States Attorney Deneen questioned the
witness sharply. He asked her why she
did not tell this story to the police or to
Justice Kersten long ago. She replied
that she had told it to Luetgert's attor-
news and was not asked to tell 1t again.
Fred Miller, nephew of Luetgert, who
had worked for the latter IN the grocery
department of his sausage factory. testi-
fed that he had the watch of Mrs. Luet-
CERT He produced it upon the witness
stand The witness said that Mrs. Luet-
CERT gave It 10 him to carry. saving. she
feared Luetgert would take 1t away from
her as he scolded about her having so
much jewelry when, as a mater of fact,
her watch and rings were all the jewelry
she had
The unexpected cessation of the evil
dence of the defence found the prosecu-
ton unprepared to go on with its re-
buttal Court was adjourned until to-
morrow morning. States Attorney De-
neen said today he would put on eighty