The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-23
LUETGERT'S DEFENSE
Three Weeks Will be Occupied In The Ex-
animation Of Witnesses.
DEFENDANT WILL 60 ON THE STAND
Attorney Vincent Outlines tho Course
Oftho Dcfenso-wiIl Try 10 Prove
Tint Mrs. Luotgort Is Aliya ana
Has Been Soon Since tho Alleged
Murder.
Chicago, September %, 1897.

S"iSoSot N'SptellIDCl 1870.
The first witnesses for the de-
fense In the Luctgert trial were
called to-day. and there will be
three weeks OF evidence tending to
prove the sausage makers innocence be-
fore the attorneys In the case commence
their final arguments.
Attorney Vincent, for the defense,
made the opening statement for Luet-
CERT, and, according to him, the defense
will be simple. 1t will consist of a gen.
eral denial of all the expert evidence
submitted by the State. prove that the
caustic potash used In the vat was pur-
chased by Luetgert for the purpose OF
| making soap and evidence tending to
show that Mrs. LuetgerI is alive and in
all probability In Germany.
Concerning the rings found in the vat,
! Attorney Vincent said that they were
not those of Mrs. Luetgert, and that he
would prove that she had never seen
them, much less worn them. He also
declared that he would bring witnesses
| to show that many Of the bones identi-
| fled by the experts for the prosecution Ar
| human bones are in reality those OF the
| lower animals. He will also show, he
| said, that Mrs. LuetEert has been seen
alive and we'll, save for her mental trou-
bles, since May ]. the night on which 1t
IS claimed that she was murdered. He
| also asserted that Luetgert will go on
the stand in his own defense.
| a warm legal fight arose in the course
of the opening statement of Attorney
Vincent. In outlining the defense he
said that he would prove that Mrs.
Luetgert, nervous and discouraged by
the business revcraes Of her husband.
had told several OF the neighbors that
she intended to run away from home.
The State protested against the ad-
mission of such evidence, and the court
after listening to the arguments OF the
lawyers, said that he did not think he
could permit such testimony to go in
The defense felt this badly, as Attorney
Vincent, In the heat Of his statement,
had said that without such evidence as
he had just alluded to his client might
be hung. He fought with desperate
energy for the admission of the testl-
mony, and finally Judge Tuthil said
that he would permit the introduction
OF evidence relating to conversations
with Mrs. Luetgert held a. week prior
to her disappearance, hut he said thnt
the testimony must be absolutely direct
and unquestioncd.
The public report OF evidence to-day
was that Luetgert reported the diap-
pcarance of his wife to his lawyer, and
was greatly disturbed by the fact, and
that he had purchased large quantities
of ma tcrials for the purpose of making
soap. One witness testified that to-
ward the close of April he was at the
Luetgcrt factory and saw Mrs. Luet-
gert, who seemed to be depressed. She
| remarked during a conversation that
nearly everything was gone, and she
thought she would go too pretty soon
and work on q farm where no one knew
her.
Rosa Glcch, Of 1859 North Paulina
| street, Lake View, was called on 10
impcach the evidence of Emma
SchImpke, who testified for the prosec,i-
ton and said that she saw Luetgert
and his wife going from the Luetgert
| residence into the sausage factory
about 10 o'clock on the night of May l..
Gottleiba Schimpke, q younger sister of
Emma. also testified to this fact, but
as the child afterward admitted she did
not know what State or county she was
living in her evidence was of little
value Rosa Glcich said that she was
with the Schimpkc girl on the night OF
May /. They had all been 20 4 dance.
She declared positively that neither of
the Schlmpke girls had seen either Luet-
CERT or his wife that night, and that
since she had testified Emma SchimpSc
had admitted to the witness that she
had sworn falsely. and trS.d to get her
to do the same thing, telling her she
must not be on Luetgcrt's side
Emma 'Schimpkc :aid to me that it
was the pr'a;tle of her sister that got
her into the Gaze" said the witners. "and
she testified 10 suit the eide thnt called
her.