The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-23
SAUSAGE MAKERS ODD STORY.
HE CLAIMS HE LAST SAW HIS WIFE
AT HOME.

CERT Also Aflirms That His Wife's
Mind Had Been Affected Since the
Long Illness of Her BOy-The Sus-
piciOus Barrel of Potash Bought
for the Purpose of Making Soft
Soap.
Chicago, Jan. 22-The crowd in attend
ance at the Luetgert murder trial to-day
was greater even than the day before,
and long lines of people stood outside
waiting for an opportunity to pass the
guards at the entrance of Judge Gary's
room. When Luetgert took the stand to-
day he was apparently much more COM
posed and answered the questions pro-
pounded him by his counsel in a firm
voice. The defendant was inclined to so
into details more than his attorney, Mr..
Harmon, desired.
When asked to pay less attention to
detail. Luetgert with some show on an
ger, said he would tell his history thor
oughly or not at all. The most import
ant feature of Luetgert's trial to-day was
the admission of the existence of the pot
ash in his factory. He said it had been
in his place for nearly two months be-
fore the day of his wifes disappearance,
that it was not concealed and that he
was to make soft soap of it. The"pris-
oner told of his sleeping in the factory.
which he explained was necessary because
there were many things he had to attend
to at night.
The question was asked by Luetgert's
counsel regarding Mrs Field, but this sub
saying merely that sometimes Christine
visited the house. He said his wifes
health for some time previous to his dis
appearance was bad and she was fire.
Quently troubled with headaches. His
own health, too, was bad partly on ac-"
count of his irregular hours.
When Luetgert finally reached that part
of his story concerning the happenings on
May /, the date of his wife's disappear
ance, the audience and jury paid the clos
est attention. The witness told of the
buried bones he had in the factory base
ment and of fat he had intended to con-
vert into sausage. He also told of a small
meat market he conducted.
you purchased a barrel of potash early
in March?" asked Mr.. Harmon. For
what purpose?"
ITO make soft soap. One day Charles
Sohmes said there was a chance to sell
the factory. He told me to keep the place
very clean, as these people did not know
anything about the business and what we
would call clean they would call dirty. l
secured a recipe for making soap from
Engel Bros, and the potash was to be
used for that purpose"
Inspector Setback, who sat alongside
the jury, smiled as Leutgert told of his
experience in the line of making soft soap.
when did you first see this barrel of
potash?" asked Mr.. Harmon.
1.-The next day"
where did it stand?"
ut was between the office and the meat
market where everybody who came could
not help seeing it."
Did you give any orders about the
| barrel?'
Yes; I told Smokehouse Frank about
it, and told him it was bad stuff and that
it would burn him and to cover his face
so he would not get hurt"
Now, will you tell me why you delayed
from March to May before making the
| soap?'
1.-The men came too soon, they came be-
fore the factory was cleaned"
"W hat time, Saturday; May l, did you
return home?" asked Mr.. Harmon.
ooh, 1 cannot tell the exact hour. 1t was
late in the afternoon"
What was said in the conversation be-
per that night?'
Luetgert here hesitated for some min
utes before speaking.
We'll my wife made some remarks I do
not like to repeat" finally answered the
witness.
"Tell us all about that conversation"
said Mr. Harmon.
Mr. Harmon" replied Luetgert, 81 will
not repeat what my wife said that night
unless l am forced to-"
MT Luetgert," said his senior counsel
you will not be forced to tell anything
you do not wish to. but as counsel want
you to tell every word that was said be-
tween your wife and you"
MY wife asked me about the manner of
foreclosing mortgages, and when l told
her, she said them we will lose everything
1 told her we would. Then this is all we
get for our twenty years hard work since
we came to America? l told her 1t could
not be helped, that 1 was not afraid to
work and would face the worst afresh ana
work hard for living, if necessary"
AS he told of the loss of his fortune and
his Willingness to begin all over again
Luetgert seemed to be greatly affected
tears came to his eyes, his chin trembled
and Jumps arose in his throat.
MY wife said she was not afraid. but
that could work and earn a living" con-
tinued Luetgert, but what will people
say? They will laugh at u.s. she said. 1
told her to let them laugh; that their
laugh would not take away my work. ebe
said that il it should come she did not want
to live She wished the children were
dead About this time Louis came In and
asked for money to go to the circus, and
his mother told him we had no money for
circuses. l gave the boy 10 cents"
what happened next?" asked Mr.. Har-
mon.
''She said if the sheriff should come he
would not find her here. / told her that
it was foolish to talk that way. She said
that It was not foolish that there ives
nothing for us but trouble If things Kept
ON as they did for the past two months
7 would not see her there any more. I
laughed. and said she had better stay with
her children She said I always laughed
at her. l did not pay much attention to
her remarks, for she had been talking like
that for several months"
twas Mrs Luetgert's mind affected by
the long sickness of your little boy, Elmer
the winter before?" asked Mr. Harmon.
cit affected her a great DEAL and she
often made the remark that she would
rather see the children dead than alive.
She made these remarks in the presence
of both children"
I.uetgert then told of his going home. He
said: "At home, saw my wife sitting in