Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-08-03

Chicago, July 2S.-Frank Pratt, a
member of the Chicago bar, said last
night that Adolph Luetgert confessed
to him in February, SO, that he had
killed his wife. He told me that he
had killed her." said Pratt. He started
to tell me some of the details, but fell
to cursing about the affair and | was
| unable to lead him back to unfolding
the steps in the crime. 1t was in Febru-
airy, '9S, | became acquainted with
Luetgert. | was connected with the
Christian Merry defense and in my Wis
its to my client | became acquainted
with the sausagemaker. He was told
by one of the iailers I was palm
reader and one day as | was passing
his cell he asked me to read his hand.
| did SO. | found the lines of fatality
or predestination very strong, and |
told him there were influences that
he could not resist that
led him on. l told him from his hand
l could readily see he was not respon-
sible for his actions in self restraint.
He then said: Yes, that is so; | did
kill my wife. | was possessed of the
devil and killed her because | was in
love with another woman. He then
started to tell me about the vat and
said his wife attempted to make a dy-
ing statement to him when the dogs
began to growl and he put an end to
her. 1t was then that he switched eff
to cursing. AS l considered the con-
ference a professional one, | respected
1t until death has now placed him be-
yond further human pursuit"
Death of Luetgert.
Joliet, H., July 2S.-Adolph Luet-
CERT, the wealthy Chicago sausage
maker who was serving a life sentence
in the penitentiary here for the murder
of his wife, was found dead in his cell
yesterday. The authorities were I'M
able to ascertain the cause of his death
and an inquest will be held to determ-
inc whether he killed himself or died
of heart disease.
The trial of Luetgert in Chicago At
tracted wide attention and was one OF
he most sensational in the history OF
the state. Luetgert was charged with
having murdered his wife in the base
ment of his factory and cooked the
body to pieces in a vat The prosecu-
ton had but a few small bones and two
rings as evidence that their theory
was correct, but secured conviction and
a life sentence. Luetgert was twice
tried for murder. The first trial was
the most bitterly fought OF
any case in the criminal courts here
except the anarchists trial and The
murderers of DR.. Cronin. The trial
lasted several weeks and the jury fin
ally disagreed. The most expert wit
nesses were placed on the stand to
show that the bones found in the vat
were not human bones. A score or
more experts on bones testified, and
most of them said that the bones
found were human. States Attorney
Deneen conducted the prosecution and
Attorney Forrest was the chief counsel
for Luetgert. The jury finally disa-
greed, the (rial costing the city of Chi
cago thousands of dollars.
The sausagemaker was then indicted
again and all the tiresome testimony OF
the former trial was gone over. 1t was
charged by the defense that the police
department OF Chicago had made the
case. and it was on its evidence that
Luetgert was convicted. The trial was
watched closely throughout the coun-
sides received letters almost daily
stating that Mrs. Luetgert had been
seen at various places in Wisconsin,
Illinois and even in Cnicago. Luetgert
ever protested his innocence and was
always expecting to have new trial
and be set free.