The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-02-12
LUETGERT FOUND GUILTY.

His Punishment Fixed at Life Imprison-
ment-Laughed When He Heard the
Verdict Thinks the Evidence Does Not
Justify the Finding, that the Supreme
Court will Grant a New Trial and Ac-
quittal will Follow.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1O.-Adolph L. Luet-
CERT was last night convicted of the
murder of his wife and sentenced to i'm
~prisonment in the penitentiary for the
term of his natural life. Luetgert re-
ceived the verdict with a laugh.
1t was 1920 o'clock when word was
sent to the court room by the jury that
they had agreed upon a verdict and
were waiting to bring it into court.
Judge Gary. whose home is within a
few blocks of the criminal court build
ing, informed the jury as it passed out
hat he would await their pleasure,
and any time during the night that
they agreed upon a verdict he would re-
turn to the court room to receive it, IN
order that the long Imprisonment
which the members of the jury hav"
undergone might be terminated at as
early Il moment as possible.
Quickly as possible after the jury had
sent word OF an agreement. Judge Gary
FASTENED to the court room. The news
nf Il verdict spread like lightning to
the street. and in a few minutes the
court room was jammed with news
paper men. policemen and witnesses
who had given evidence at the trial,
and curious spectators.
The rumor had been current since
early in the evening that the jury was
unanimous for conviction. but would
delay in announcing Il verdict because
of inability to agree to the punishment
that should be meted out to Luetgert.
The general opinion among the crowd
as it waited for the coming of the Judge.
jury and prisoner was that the verdict
would be against the defendant.
At 11:15 Judge Gary entered the o
and at the same instant Luetgert and
his guards entered.
The big prisoner was calm to all APP
pearances and did not seem nervous in
any degree. He glanced quickly around
to see if the jury was waiting on him,
and finding it was not. sank easily into
d chair to await its coming. He smiled
at one or two friends, but after the
first glance round the court room con-
tented himself with watching the door
through which the jury must enter.
They filed in. passing to the seats
they nave occupied during the - days
of the trial. The spectators watched
them eagerly hoping to catch from
their faces some idea of what the YER
diet was to be. Not one of the jurors
glanced toward the prisoner who
tried vainly to catch an eye of some
one of the men who had determined his
fate. The quiet air borne by the jury
men went far to strengthen the opinion
prevalent in the court room that the
verdict was adverse to Luctgeft.
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. yer tone.
Gentlemen, have you agreed upon a
verdict"
I'VE have" was the reply.
MIR. Clerk. read the verdict" said
Judge Gary in the same tone.
Clerk Knopf stepped forward. took
the verdict anG then read with a ire
NOR of excitement in his voice:
We. the jury, find the defendant
guilty as charged in the Indictment,
and fix his punishment at imprison'
mont for life