The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-10

ed the court room.
The news of a verdict had spread like
lightning to the streets, and in few min
utes the court room was jammed with
newspaper men, policemen, witnesses who
had given evidence in the trial, and Gu
rious spectators.
The rumor had been current since early
in the evening that the jury was unani-
nous for conviction and that the delay
in announcing a verdict was because of
inability to agree on the punishment that
should be meted out to Luetgert. The
general opinion among the crowd as it
waited for the coming of the big prisoner
was that the verdict would be against the
defense
AT ILLS o'clock Judge Gary entered the
room and the same instant Luetgert and
his guards entered through the door lead
ing from the Jail in the rear of the court
house.
The big prisoner was calm, to all ap-
pearances, and did not seem nervous in
any degree. He glanced quickly around 10
see il the jury was waiting for him. and
finding 1t was not sank easily into chair
to await its coming. He smiled at one or
two friends, but after the first glance
around the court. room contented himself
with watching the door through which the
jury must enter.
On minute they filed In, pressing to the
seats which they have occupied during the
seventy-two days of the trial. The spec
tators watched them eagerly, hoping TO
catch from their faces some idea of what
the verdict was to be. Not one of the ju-
rors glanced toward the prisoner, who tried
vainly to catch an eye Qf some one of the
men who had determined his fate. The
quiet air borne by the jurymen went far
TO strengthen the opinion prevalent in the
court room that the verdict was adverse
to Luetgert
Judge Gary wheeled sharply in his chair
as the jury entered and watched them
silently as they filed into their seats. Then
he spoke in his usual calm, even tone.
Gentlemen, have you agreed upon a
verdict?"
eve have" was the reply.
'NIr. Clerk, read the verdict" said Judge
Gary in the same tone,
Clerk Knopf stepped forward, took the
verdict and then read with a tremor of eX-
ctment in his voice: 1--WE, the jury, find
the defendant guilty as charged In the in
dictment and fix his punishment at inn
prisonment for life''
There was a hush and all eyes turned on
Luetgert to see how he would take it. He
laughed, and laughed in q manner that
showed plainly that he did not think the
verdict a serious matter comparatively
speaking.
States Attorney Deneen smiled quietly
as the verdict fell from the lips of Clerk
Knopf and Police Inspector Schaack and
Police Captain Schuettler, who have work
ed desperately in the case, gave sings of
satisfaction of the most unmixed variety.
The sound of Clerk Knopfs voice had
not died away when Attorney Harmon
was on his feet with a request that the
jury be polled. This was done, each juror
affirming the verdict.
Then Mr.. Harmon made motion for a
new trial, which was entered and viii be
argued within a few diys.
Luetgert was led back. to jail in appar-
ent good spirits glad of one thing. that
his long suspense was ended at last and
comforted by the assurances of his law
yers that he will get a new trial and that
the state will not be able to convict him
a second time.
The jury reached a verdict on the first
ballot They retired at 4:50 o'clock and
took their first ballot al $40. 1t was
unanimous for conviction. Some little
time was consumed in arriving at the
punishment, but this was settled at $50
and the jurors sat around in their room
until 10 o'clock, when they announced
their verdict.
After the prisoner was removed Judge
Gary expressed his thanks to the MEM
bers of the jury for the patience with
which they had endured their long con-
fnement and for the manner in which
they had performed their duty In closing
his remarks to the jury he said: 81 am
little short sighted, gentlemen, and If
should meet one of you on the street
might not recognize you. If you will only
mention your name, however, / will fall
on your neck.''
After the announcement of the verdict
and the polling of the jury Luetgert was
Immediately surrounded by reporters and
friends eager to hear his first words
Al first he refused to say anything. his
only answer to questions being: 81 won't
talk"
At length he said that the verdict was a
surprise to him. II do not see how the
evidence justifies such a verdict" he con-
tinued, but one thing Is sure, the Su-
preme Court will give me a new trial and
l shall be acquitted"
From the time when the prisoner was led
in TO receive the verdict until the bailiffs
conducted him back TO the cell, his face
showed not one tremor of any sort of
emotion. He smiled repeatedly even when
the verdict was read by the clerk and
shook hands with his attorneys and the
others gathered around him. After arr
irving at the Jail he retired as usual, APP
parently undisturbed by the adverse YER
dict.
The crime was committed on the night
of May J. 1897 and Luetgert was arrested
on May 8. The rings, which have played
such an important part in the trial, were
discovered In the vat on May IL. On May
19 and 20 habeas corpus proceedings TO Sc
cure the release of Luetgert were insti-
tuted, but failed Of their object He was
indicted on June and on the 18th and 10th
of the same month habeas corpus proceed
. ings were instituted a second time without
success.
Aug % the first trial begun before Judge
Tuthill and lasted sixty-one days, the jury
standing three for acquittal and nine for
conviction.
Nov. 26 the second trial began before
Judge Gary and has lasted seventy-two
days. During this trial 146 witnesses have
been examined 1856 objections to questions
were offered by Attorney Harmon for the
defense, Luetgert was on the stand eigh-
teen and half hours, and an
swered 1,T1 questions put by his
own lawyers, and 1898 by the state.
The record in the case consists of 4G2O
pages of typewriter manuscript of an
average of $50 words to the page.
SPREE ENDS IN DEATH.