The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-01-28
THE LUETGERT TRIAL
The Defendant Coos Upon IA.
Witness Stand.
STORY of Ills Financial Failures rh,a...
feet Upon His Married Lii. s.,eA.'
m"ss Witness who's. Tears il....,
When His Wife Was Mentl.n,d

CHICAGO, Jan. 81. -Adolph /. I,.,
CERT went on the witness stand M,
told the jury the story of the doin..
In his sausage factory the ni,p,
OF May |. 1927. lie cndeayored !
explain the mystery surrounds
the disappearance Of his wife. Il,
whose murder he is being tried g.
Immense crowd gathered around M
criminal court building long before n.
case was called. but, warned bv exn.r'
ence, the police allowed only tbo.. -
enter who had tickets.
After relating the story of the v,,
Gus financial deals in which he ,yas II
terested. Luetgert was asked III. durip,
the time he was first engaged ia bu.'
ness, he was married. 70 this Iu.,.
CERT replied in the affirmative.
II was married To Miss pauii,.
Euellse in 1871" said the defendant
Attorney Harmon, OF counsel for The
defense, then went into Luetgert.
financial affairs at the time III NJ.
Louisa Luetgerts disappearanrc aa5
drew ont the statement that I.uet...r,
was worth about so. 900. exclusive ~
real estate.
The defendant told Of the vario,.
places he aud his wife had lived and u,
his going into business at his latest io-
cation in 1879. The court at this po;p,
took recess.
Nothing important transpirel dur.
ing the afternoon session and the ex.
animation of the witness by his al.
torney, Mr.. Harmon, was SO slow tba,
when court adjourned nothing per.
tanning to the alleged murder OF Mrs.
Luetgert had been brought out.
The court reconvened at two O'Clock
and, in few minutes, an objection 10
some questions put by Mr.. Harmon az
being trivial. brought from the cour,
the stateme Mt that an hour and twenty
minutes had been consumed in arriy.
ing at the resgesta, but he supposed il
would be best to let the defense alone.
as objections appeared only to cause
further delays.
Mr.. Harmon made some haste at this
point and Mr.. Lnetgert explained
several passages between himself and
his wife as testified to by state viii.
nesses.
Luetgert told of his offer to sell his
entire plant for 100000. The option
of VIM. Charles, the coming of Robert
Davy into the deal and the greatest
abundance OF details marked
the further recitation. After the
deal was closed Luetgert said
he received telegram from
Dr. John Phillips. of New Haven.
Conn. saving that Davy was threat.
ened with rheumatic fever. Luetrert
consulted with Attorney Goodrich and
then left for New York to find nayy.
IL possible. He was not at the hotel
he had given as his address. Then
Luetgert went to New Haven He
found DIR. Phillips TO he an old man.
who had not practiced in ID years.
The doctor said he did not know Dasy,
and had not sent the telegram saving
he was i'll. "A search of the New Ila-
ven hospital failed to locate the man.
The last passage was an to the effect
the news of his failure to find Davg
had upon his marital happiness. The
question proved too much for tie de-
fendant. His face colored. he ncr-
vously drummed with his pencil and
he sank low in his chair and slouched
forward as he explained why he hesi-
tated to tell his wife the result % bis
trip. saying she disliked the location
of their home and wanted 10 move.
and that he had agreed to settle SjJ. wv
upon hor and keep only 500. 0oo him
self when the deal went through.
WHAT was the effect of the news
when you did tell her?' asked Mr.
Harmon. and every body knew what
was coming.
MIR. Luetgert looked down. then
glanced up. bit his lips and swallowed
lie leaned back in his seat and
drummed audibly with the pencil.
Finally he reached back for his pocket
handkerchief.
Judge Gary was watching him close
ly. At this point he said the defend
ant had been on the stand nearly three
hours and the court would adjourn I'M
til tomorrow.
Luetgert proved to be very lachry-
nose witness, his tears coming fire.
quently and in considerable volume
whenever the name of his wife was
brought into the case.