Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1897 — LUETGERT CASE ENDS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LUETGERT CASE ENDS

IS GIVEN TO THE JURY AFTER EIGHT WEEKS. Twelve Men Deliberate Through the Night and Day Without Reaching a Verdict-Instructions of Judge Tut-hill-Scenes in the Court Room. Fate with the Jury. The trial of Adolph L. Luetgert, the Chicago sausage manufacturer, charged with murdering his wife and dissolving her body in a vat containing caustic solution, ended Monday afternoon. The trial lasted for over eight weeks and was followed by court room spectators and newspaper readers with unabated interest. Where is Mrs. Luetgert, if not dead; and if dead, by whose hand was she killed? The State propounded these questions persistently and very skillfully arrayed circumstances to indicate her death, and her death by the murderous hand of her husband. Tl\e defense as stoutly insisted that a man must not be hanged because he cannot or will not answer questions propounded by the State. Not since the trial of the alleged murderers of Dr. Cronin was a verdict more anxiously awaited than that of the jury in the Luetgert case. There was, however, a notable difference; in the Cronin case public opinion, almost unanimously, was recorded not only in favor of the guilt of the persons accused, but in favor of the sufficiency of the evidence upon which

they were convicted by a jury of their peers. In the Luetgert case, while a preponderance of opinion was in favor of the guilt of the accused, there was a large volume of doubt as to the sufficiency of evidence to warrant conviction, with its inevitable result of hanging or of imprisonment for life. In the Cronin case a verdict of guilty confidently was anticipated. In the Luetgert case it was not. The charge of Judge Tuthill was perfect in its freedom from bias; the most careful reader could not find a line in it upon which to base an opinion as to the finding of the jury. The judge’s instructions were exhaustive, and went into the generalities of the case on both sides. The establishment of the corpus delicti, he said, must be absolute in the minds of the jurors before it could be accepted that the dead body of Mrs. Luetgert had existed. The jury must believe beyond a reasonable doubt that Mrs. Luetgert had been murdered; that her body had been disposed of; but if there was no means of knowing how she had been murdered, it would be legal to bring in a verdict finding she had come to her death in a manner unknown. The impeachment of witnesses was said to be a matter for the jurors to pass upon, and that the evidence and not the words of the lawyers told the story. The instructions concluded by drawing up three forms of verdicts, one finding him guilty and imposing the death penalty; one finding him guilty and fixing imprisonment, and one finding him not guilty and discharging the prisoner. While the instructions were being read Luetgert sat back in his chair. His hands were clasped in his lap, and he riveted his gaze upon the jurors. A pallor spread over his face, and it was evident that only by a great effort did he restrain evidence of emotion. Suspense in the court room was at an extreme tension and the audience listened to the loud tones of the judge tvith breathless interest. Decorum was relaxed and spectators were allowed to leave their seats and crowd close to the rail separating the lawyers’ inclosure from the main room. Those not fortunate enough togain coveted positions near the rail climbed on the backs of seats, where many women were held poised in expectant excitement. When Judge Tuthill concluded his charge Adolph Luetgert seemed the most relieved man in the court room. He hugged his little flaxen-haired son and kissed him, and seemed as if his life was not in the hands of the jury. He was taken back to his cell to await a verdict. All night long the jury discussed the question of guilt or innocence and was unable to reach an agreement. Two ballots were taken during the night. On the first the vote was: Conviction, 7; acquittal, 4; undecided, 1. The second ballot showed eight for conviction and four for acquittal. And there the jury stood throughout the night. The evidence was thoroughly discussed, but no change was made in the opinions of the talesmen. When at 7:30 in the morning the jurors, worn out by their long deliberation, sat down to their breakfast they were still as far from agreement as at sunrise. Judge Tuthill expected that after an all-night of deliberation a verdict would be ready in the morning, and announced, that he would be in court at 9:30. He was informed that no result had been reached at that hour, however, and did not appear. At 1 o’clock he sent word to the jury room asking if there was prospect of an agreement. The jurors answered that they did not believe any decision would be reached during the day.

ADOLPH L. LUETGERT.