Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-10-30
HISTORY OF THE CASE.
Arrest and Trial of LuetEert on
Charge of Murder.

The case in which Adolph L. Luetgert
has figured as defendant is one of the most
remarkable in the history of criminal juris-
prudence.
Mrs. Louise Luetgert, who was formerly
Miss Bicknese, disappeared from her home
on the evening of Saturday, May /, some
time after eight o'clock. She was last
seen, according to the evidence, sitting in
a back room off the kitchen of her home
on Hermitage avenue about the hour men
toned. partially dressed, as If preparing
to retire for the night, and reading news
paper. She did not come down to break
fast next morning, but this was not con-
sidered remarkable, as she often slept late
and had breakfast alone. That Sunday
morning the big sausage manufacturer, his
children and Mary Siemering, the servant
of the family, took breakfast together, and
not a word was spoken or reference made
to Mrs. Luetgert. Her husband was busy
that day. II seems, about the factory. and
spent very little of the time at home. He
came in for dinner at midday and was
Joined at the meal by his partner, William
Charles, and money-lender named
Arnold, from whom, as the story goes, he
was trying to obtain help in his financial
difficulties The day passed with the usual
Sunday routine OF circumstances at tn
Luetgert home. except that Mrs. Luetgert
was not there. No fuss was made about
her absence, and no effort to find her.
Thus days went on, and Adolph L. Luet-
from bankruptcy, but said never a word to
the police about his missing wife. on May
6, Dietrich Bicknese, the woman's brother,
who had been apprised of her disappear
ance, notified the police, and q search was
begun. Inspector Setback and Capt.
Schuettler had officers scour the neighbor-
hood for days. searching every nook and
Granny, seeing friends of the woman hnal-
ly dragging the river, thinking she had
suffered the fate of many others in SIM
liar cases.
Inquiries about the Luetgert factory ano
among the sausage makers employees re-
vealed some circumstances occurring or
| the night of May which threw suspicion
on the husband of the missing woman
and he was arrested May II at one o'cloch
| In the afternoon by Officers Dean and
| Qualey. 1t was discovered that Luetger'
was alone in the basement that night, and
the steam was turned full on the middle
vat, in which quantity of crude potash
| had been placed the day before. The pn'
lice in their search found in the debris
| taken from the vat a number of bones
which they thought were human, and two
gold rings with the initials IL L." on on'
! of them, also a false tooth and other arti
cles, which leo them to believe that a mur
der had been committed.
Luetgert was placed on trial before Jus
tice Kersten May IS. and a continuance
was taken to the 22d. On May 20 he wal
I held to the criminal court. An indictmen
was returned against him by the granC
jury on June 5. On habeas corpus pro
ceeding before Judge Gibbons, June II, tn
court denied bail.
The trial before JudgeTuthill began Au
gust 49, The presentation of the state
evidence occupied a month. Two week
was taken by the defense in trying to prov
an alibi and overcome the expert testimony
week was spent in rebuttal. and tn
remaining two weeks In surrebuttal and tn
| arguments of the counsel.