The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-17
VINCENT'S LAST APPEAL
CLOSE OF THE ARGUMENT IN BE-
HALF OF ADOLPH LUETGERT.
Jurors Asked Not to Take the Life of a
His Liberty and His Wife.

CHICAGO. Oct. 1.-THE last word in de-
Tense of Adolph Luetgert has been spoken.
Former Judge Vincent, chief counsel for
the defense in the great murder trial,
closed his address to the jury this after
noon AS he bowed to the jury and took
his seat an outburst of applause shook the
courtroom. The jurymen stood up and the
court bailiffs shouted in vain for order.
Several hysterical ladies were escorted from
the room Judge Tuthill ordered the jury
to its room and delivered himself very
forcibly on what he called a disgraceful
scene
This was the last day of the eight weeks
during which the trial has been in prog
ress. and Attorney Vincent, after again
reviewing the evidence of the bone experts
and severely arraigning the witnesses for
the state some of whom he styled me
chanics, referred in touching manner to
the associations formed during the trial.
"And now, gentlemen of the jury" he said,
in conclusion, "the ever-moving hands upon
the dial of yonder clock warn me that the
usual hour Of adjournment has arrived. 1
must cease pleading and leave the case in
your hands 1 have fought the fight and
kept the faith to the very best of my abil-
ity What / have done has been done with
an abiding conviction that it was right.
For two months we have been closely as
ISOLATED in the trial of one of the greatest
cases of the day. Soon we must separate
to go our several ways and again take up
our different lines of duty. But before l
leave you / desire to thank you, on behalf
of my client, my associate and myself, for
the close attention you have paid to this
trial. And now, gentlemen, after all that
has been said against Luetgert, and which
has been swept away by the clear sunlight
of truth, would it not be like shooting an
old messmate in the back to find verdict
of guilty against him?
A hush fell over the courtroom at these
words. Turning again to the jury, Judge
Vincent concluded: He has lost his liberty,
ne has lost his name, he has lost his for
tune, he has lost his wife. Will he lose his
afe?''
One of the incidents of the session this
morning was the appearance at the Mich
igan-street entrance of the courtroom
of a woman who wore a mans straw
hat and goggles guard who asked her
! name understood the woman to reply that
she was Mrs. Luetgert. In five minutes the
report that Mrs. Luetgert had returned and
was in the Criminal Court building circu-
lated throughout the big building. People
Deputy sheriffs rushed to the Michigan
street entrance of the building, and great
excitement prevailed for few minutes. 1t
developed later that the woman was
teacher of German, who Is instructing the
daughters of Judge Tuthill. When his
Honor arrived at the building he took the
teacher of German to his courtroom with
him. Judge Tuthill also took party of
twenty, principally women, into court with
him. The visitors had been waiting in one
of the corridors of the Criminal Court
building for over an hour for the appear
ance of his Honor. and they formed into
line and tripped in after the judge in mill
tary style and secured the best seats, much
TO the disgust of the less favored, who
stood in line before the courtroom while an
other crowd lined up on the pavement in
front of the Michigan-street entrance to
the building.
Luetgert was unusually jolly this morn
ing The argument of his counsel pleases
him. Vincent is all right, ard he is Civ
ing them the right kind of a talk" said
Luetgert this morning. HE is reasoning
with the jury; that is better than trying to
tell them what they must do according to
the law"
Ex-Judge Vincent resumed his argument
at the opening of court and at once began
to ridicule bone experts. This man Ser
geant Spangler deserves promotion" said
Luetgerts chief counsel as he waved his
hand in the direction of the police officer
referred to- He is a much smarter man
than Chief of Police Ripley. 1t was no
trick at all for him to step over to the
Luetgert sausage factory after all the bone
experts had depicted their bones and find a
femur-the only femur of a woman-just
the kind of a bone that was wanted. Then
there is Professor Dorsey, nice, fresh,