The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-28
He Tells Plausible Stories About the
the Barricading of a Door.
SOFT SOAP MADE IN THE VAT
WHERE MRS. LUETGERT'S BODY is
ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN BOILED.
Mary Siemmering Again on the Wit
ness Stand-Frantic Demand for
Seats in the Court Room.

of the day in the trial of A. l.. Luetgert
for wife murder was the evidence of Will
liam Charles, Luetgerts business partner.
He explained why, as he claimed, the caus-
tic potash in which the body OF Mrs Louise
Luetgert is alleged by the prosecution 70
have been dissolved was bought. According
to CharleS's story, the potash was pur-
chased as the principal ingredient of
quantity of soft soap to be used in cleaning
up the big factory preparatory to its sale
to an English syndicate. The witness said
he suggested this method of putting the
factory in shape himself and that Luetgert,
acting on the suggestion, ordered barrel
of caustic potash weighing 375 pounds sent
to the factory in March last. This was
about the time the prosecution claims the
negotiations were pending between Luet-
gert and Davey the mysterious English
man. who is said to have represented the
syndicate and who borrowed something
like S25, 900 from Luetgert.
Charles also offered an explanation of the
apparently barricaded door to the basement
stairway by telling about chase for rats
in which small dog was an active partici-
pant. He said that the factory had been in
tested by rats for some time, and that an
effort was being made to get rid of them.
The evening of April 80 he and Luetgert,
with others, were in the basement when a
terrier which belonged to the witness got
aft a rat Charles Luetgert and the
others moved boxes, barrels and other OBJ
stacles to aid the dog in his chase, and the
boxes and barrels We're hurled in a pile
against the door. The barrica5e of the door
was unintentional, he said. It just hap
pened that the articles were thrown there
without thought OF the door at ALL
Charles says, besides the caustic potash,
two or three barrels of tallow, a quantity
of grease and some Clipped bone, which
was to be used in making the soft soap,
was delivered at the factory He said that
he aided Odorofski and Levandowski two
laborers employed in the factory, to
place some of the stuff in the middle vat.
He also saw Frank Bialk in the factory at
the time. The caustic potash was put in the
vat, and Luetgert said he would see to
turning on the steam and boiling the stuff.
Charles said he met Luetgert In a saloon
opposite the factory on the evening of the
night Mrs. Luetgert disappeared, and Luet-
CERT said he was going over to the factory
ana turn on the steam. AT O'Clock the
same night Charles said he went to the
basement of the factory and found Llet-
CERT there and the setam turned on. The
mixture boiled over once or twice and
splaShed on the floor, he said The follow
ing day he visited the factory basement and
SAW lle mixture LII the vat. IHe tdlIOW
was in one portion of the vat and the
grease or lard had collected in another part
of the vat by itself. Luetgert again turned
on steam in the mixture, the witness said.
On crOss-eXamination by States Attorney
Deneen, Charles denied he had 'dOctored'
the books of the concern so as to show a
yearly profit of $4,000. This line of cross
examination was objected to by the de-
Tense but the court permitted it for time,
the result being a complete denial by
Charles. He acknowledged that it was he
who introduced Promoter Davey to Luet-
CERT but he said he was deceived by the
man as well as Luetgert
CRUSH OF PEOPLE.
The crush around the Criminal Court
building to-day was something fearful. A
number Of extra policemen had been placed
on duty to assist the court baillffs in keep
ing back the throng that clamored for ad-
mission, and they had their hands full. 1t
was only with the greatest difficulty that
those having business in the courtroom
could gain admission, and many people who
had tickets emitting them to enter the
courtroom were compelled to turn away be-
cause of inability to force their way
through the crowd This morning the pres
sure on the states attorney for tickets of
admission was SO great that he and his as
sistant, Mr.. McEWen were compelled TO
hide in the private office of the states at
torney in order to transact their work prior
TO the opening of court
chicago.
the Anarchist trial not excepted has there
been more widespread interest than has
been aroused by the Luetgert trial. All
classes of people have been attracted In
cluding politicians, ministers, actors, jurists
and men and women of prominence in other
walks Of life to say nothing about the
thousands of morbidly curious people whose
frantic efforts to gain admission to the
courtroom daily inject almost the only
comedy element in the whole CHASTITY affair
During the progress of the trial a United
States senator. several ministers of national
reputation, visiting judges from other
States and attorneys of high repute have
been among the interested listeners to the
evidence
Among those who gained admission to the
courtroom to-day was a full-blooded Es-
kimo He is d Klondiker, his home being
at Auvik, on the Yukon river. The man,
who was attired in his native garb of furs,
is Simon kacik He came to Chicago re-
Gently with Captain j. p. Light with a pack
of Eskimo dogs, which are now at Lincoln
Park iii this city Kacik could not under
stand anything concerning, the trial but he
wanted to see Luetgert, the big meat man
kila wife," as he expressed it,
Physical Improvement, due TO Sunday rest
and massage treatment, was noticeable in
Iuetgert S appearance as he entered the
courtroom to-day. The big sausage maker
still used his crutch, but he did not suffer
the pain he experienced on occasions last
week. Luetgert came into court smoking a
cigar, and greeted his attorneys and his
son Arnold pleasantly The alleged wife
murderer seemed to be in an exceptionally
pleasant frame of mind, and joked and
laughed with his son and William Charles,
his business partner. till Judge Tuthill ap-
peared upon the bench
NOT RATIFIED THIS TIME.
Mary Siemmering, the servant girl whose
cross-examination was in progress Saturday
when court adjourned, was recalled. Around
this witness, according to the theory Of the
prosecution, the motive for the alleged mur-
der of Mrs. Louise Luetgert centers. Luet-
gert's infatuation for his pretty servant
girl is claimed by the prosecution to have
been the melting motive to this celebrated
case When she went on the witness stand
to-day to again endure, as she supposed, the
cross-examination Of States Attorney
Deenen, which is electric in it's rapidity
Mary Siemmering appeared composed and
defiant. Her cheeks were flushed, which
indicated apparently some mental excite
ment, but the young woman, it was evident.
had made up her mind TO control her feel
ings and not permit the states attorney TO
apparent relief. Assistant States Attorney
McFwen asked the questions. and did not
keep her on the stand long. His cross-eX-
animation was not severe.
Did you not say before the grand jury
that Mrs. Luefg CERT was a good and kind
mother" asked Mr. McEwen.
II did" confessed the witness.
Now. you say she beat her children and
was cross with them?"
when 1 went to the grand jury room to