Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-08
LATE NEWS BY WIRE
Prosecution Springs Surprises in the
Luetgert Trial at Chicago Today.
CORSET SrEELS IN EVIDENCE
Manufacturer Identifies Them as
Product Of His Factory.
PRISONERS KNIFE FOUND

CHICAGO. September S.-The alleged
wife murderer Luetgert seemed pleased at
the comments of the papers today regard
ing his entrance into the court room yes
teriay. Accordingly, when this morning
he stepped into Judge TuthiIrs court room
for the thirteenth day of his trial. he re-
peated his smiling salute to the jury and
ignored the spectators. VINO evidenced their
disappointment at the slight. The pris-
cner attempted to catch the eye Of the pre-
siding judge. but the latter dignitary COM
pletely ignored the attempt of the big
sausage manufacturer to bid him good
corning. Luetgert held a familiar con-
versation of a few minutes length with
tie newspaper reporter near his seat, and
then settled down to consultation with
his attorneys. He seemed TO be in I'M
usually good spirits, despite the damaging
evidence heard during yesterdays ses-
sions.
The spectators continue to be mostly of
the fair sex, and the crowds are growing
larger daily. A greater crowd than ever
before congregated today at the huge stone
entrance of the criniina! court building, ard
a score of bailiffs and many of Inspector
Shaacks officers were required to keep
open passageway.
acpOftef as n w 1tncSS.
The first witness called was Eugene b.
Palmer. a reporter for the Chicago Jour
nal. Palmer testified to having held a
small bottle under the stream of pinkish
matter which flowed from the sluiceway of
the vat when the police opened the valve.
Palmer was followed by w. H. Stewart,
also a Journal reporter, who corroborated
the testimony of his conferee, and also
testified to having delivered this same bot
tie OF pinkish slime into the hands of an
expert, who will be called later in the case
Policeman Bernard Preuss was called and
identified two bits of steel as the pieces he
found In the ashes where the supposed
residue OF bones and other material which
vas scooped from the vat was dumped
Policeman Fred Talworwitz testified to
having found hairpin in the same pile of
refuse, and the hairpin was produced as
evidence, after an objection by Attorney
Vincent to the effect that it was improper
10 introduce as evidence any and every OBJ
5ect which. owing to it's similarity to OBJ
1ects worn Dy any and every woman, could
never be Identified as having been the
property of Mrs. Luetgert
Sensation of the Day.
Then came the sensation of the day. ].
II. Odenbrett and W. G. Cady corset
makers, were placed on the stand in sue
eession and positively identified the two
alleged corset steels as having been the
product OF their factory Certain marks on
the TWO bits Of metal were shown to cor
respond with similar marks on new steeIs
which were produced in court. The wit
nesseS each testified positively as TO the
similarity and also to the fact that the
new steels were of the pattern usually
sold by their factory. 1t was considered by
the state to be great blow to the defense
and was unexpected by the latter. who
hoped he fxun pia
were scale bands.
Carl Klein. jr-, who is employed by a
dentist, described a set of false teeth which
he had sold to Mrs. Luetgert Klein seem--
ed to be burjened with sense Of his own
importance in the case. and in the CROSS
examination by Attorney Vincent chief
counsel for the defense, he continually OBJ
1ected TO the questions asked and refused
10 answer several questions until the court
ordered him to do SO. His conduct on the
stand caused considerable merriment among
the lawyers and spectators.
Emma Schimpke, sister to Guttliebe
Schimpke, who testified to having seen
Luetgert and his wife enter the factory on
the fated evening, was placed on the stand
to corroborate the testimony of her young
er sister. She was a very faltering wit
ness and suffered under the scathing cross
examination to which she was subjected
Emma Schimpke was apparently imbued
With the idea that she must testify only
TO those matters which hurt the cause of
a
kindly but firm lecture to the trembling
girl.
From her the defense secured the admis-
sion that she was not sure she saw Luet-
CERT 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 1. When asked the day of the
week upon which May fell, she hesitated,
and then said: acknowledgements it?''
the defense felt that their cause had
gained perceptibly from her testimony.
Sergeant spangIcr's Finds.
Police Sergeant Spankler, who was &C
tive in procuring evidence for the prose-
cution. testified to having secured either
from officers or from the factory and vi
cinity. corset steels, a celluloid hairpin,
half a tooth. particles of bones, scrapings
from both the interior and exterior of the
vat in which. it Is alleged, Mrs. Luetgert
was dissolved, and slime from the sluice
leading from the vat
Vickerick Bicknese, brother of Mrs.
LUetgert. identified two photographs
passed around among the attorneys and
Luetgert attentively compared the two
ard consulted about them with his at
torneys.
Mrs. Christine Feldt was again called to
the stand. The witness Identified an ugly
app caring knife, which she said Luetgert
handed to her for safe-keeping on the day
of his arrest. According to Inspector
Shack. Luetgert used this knife as the
means whereby he killed his wife. The
evidence was complete surprise to the
defense. and the prisoner craned forward
to see the weapon. The knife was passed
around among the attorneys. ana Luet-
CERT examined 1t. He smiled as he han
died it, and talked with his attorneys about
it, admitting that 1t had been his property.
CUSTOMS EXAMINER SUSPENDED
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w. H. Ayres Mixed Up in a Charge Of
False Entries. y
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