Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-10
LuETcER7 IS CONVICTED.
On the First Ballot Jury Finds Him Guilty Of
Murder.
He Receives the Verdict with n laugh
Punishment Fixed Mt Life linz
paisonment.

Chicago Feb. 9.--Adolph L. Luetgert
was tonight convicted of the murder of
his wife and sentenced to imprisonment
in the penitentiary for the term of his
natural life. Luetgert received the
verdict with a laugh
1t was 1850 o'clock when word was
sent into the court room by the jury
that they had agreed upon n verdict
and were waiting to bring 1t into court
Judge Gary. whose home Is within a
few blocks of the criminal court build
ing, informed the jury as it passed out
that he would await their pleasure,
and at any time during the night that
they agreed upon verdict he would
return to the court room to receive 1t.
As quickly as possible, after the jury
had sent word of an agreement, Judge
Gary hastened to the court room. me
news of Il verdict had spread IKE
lightning to the street and in rev
minutes the court room was jainmed
with newspapermen, policemen ana
witnesses who had given evidence ut
the trial and curious spectators. AT
II 10 Judge Gary entered the room.nnu
at the same instant Luetgert ana his
guards entered through the door lead
ing from the jail. The big prisoner
was calm, to all appearances, and did
not seem nervous in any degree. 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 en-
ter. They filed in. passing to the seats
they have occupied during-seventy-two
days of the trial. Not one Of the jurors
looked toward the prisoner, who tried
vainly to catch an eye of some one or
the men who had determined his fate.
Clerk Knopf stepped forward, took
the verdict and then read, with n ire
NOR of excitement in his voice: I'VE.
the Jury find the defendant guilty as
charged in the Indictment. and fix his
punishment at life Imprisonment"
There was a hush and all eyes turned
! on Luetgert to see how he would take
it. He laughed, and laughed in man
ner that showed plainly that he did not
| think the verdict a serious matter COM
| paratively speaking.
The sound of the clerks 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 he
made a motion for a new trial, which
was entered and will be argued in a
few days. Luetgert was led back to
the Jail in apparently good spirits. COM
| forted by the assurances of his lawyers
/
the state will not be able to convict
| him n second time.
Luetgert said that the verdict was n
| surprise to him. 81 don't see how the
evidence justified such n verdict. but
| one thing is sure, the supreme court
will give me new trial and shall be
acquitted"
From the time when the prisoner was
led in to receive the verdict until the
bailiffs conducted him back to his cell
his face showed not one tremor Of any
sort of fear He smiled repeatedly
even when the verdict was read by the
clerk, and shook hands with his attor-
ney and others who gathered around
him. After arriving Mt Jail, he re-
tired ms usual, apparently undisturbed
| by the verdict.
The Jury reached verdict on the
first ballot. They retired at 4:5o and
took their first ballot Mt $50. 1t was
unanimous for conviction. Some little
time was consumed in arriving Mt ths
punishment to be inflicted. but this was
settled by $3.50 and the the Jurors sal
| around in their room until 10 o'clock
when they announced their verdict.