St. Louis Post-Dispatch
August 8, 1897

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\ : Want Advertisements that Bring the Best Results Are Printed in the Paper That Is Read by the Largest Num- ber of Persons, and That Pa- per Is the Post-Dispatch. THIRTY-SIX PAGES. . Se i Found in Every Home Is the Best . Advertising Medium. No Paper Can Be Found in VOL. 48, NO. 364. SUNDAY MORNING—ST. LOUIS—AUGUST 8, 1897. PRICE FIVE CENTS. More Homes or Better Homes Than the Post-Dispatch. HUMAN BODY TUANED TO FLUID, [A Test Case in Chicago Made to | Assist in Convicting Luetgert. ACCUSED OF WIFE. MURDER. ‘A Corpse Dissolved in a Vat Filled With Potash and Hot Water. IN TWO HOURS. IT MELTED Leaving Scarcely a Single Trace of Bone or Tissue—Ex- periment Made by Attorneys. Bpecial to the Post-Dispatch. CHICAGO, Aug. 7.—Under the direction of the State’s Attorney a body was to-day dissolved in a fluid composition similar to that which Adolph Luetgert is alleged to have used to make away with the remains of his wife. Professors Haines and De Lafontaine of Rush Medical College made the test and in two hours and a half nothing was left but half a dozen pieces of bone. Crude potash, Such as Luetgert purchased in large quan- tities, dissolved in water and heated to the boiling point, utterly destroyed every ves- tige of flesh and tissue. Even the fragments of bone were reduced to a chalk, easily crumbl'ng substance, and mMearly all the mineral substance had been separated. The test was made in order to meet the assertion of the defense that a body could not be dissolved in such a rapid time by the process. Experts have been willing to swear that the materials proved to have been ueed in the sausage-maker’s vat could not have been made destroy the woman's body. The jury might become clouded on that point. So the State's Attorney resolved to estab- lish beyond doubt the possibilities ‘in this matter. They employed the professors to secure the same kind of materials, to sub- ject them to a treatment similar to what he was supposed to have done, to select a body. one as nearly resistful in its com- position, considering age and quantity of flesh, to put tt through the same process as by the theory of the State was visited ‘on the body of the unfortunate wife of Luetgert. At 8 o’clock the chem'sts began their work in the basement of the eollege laboratory. A big tin bo!ler was placed on supports-within two inches of the floor. The crude potash was shoveled into the boiler and then water was poured on until the mass was covered. Into the liquid a body was placed. It had been dismembered go that every portion could be submerged. The cover was placed on the boiler and et 9 o'clock half a dozen gas burners unde the boller were lighted. In ten minutes the liquid was boiling and the work of destruc- tion had commenced. At 9:30 the flesh had left the bones. At 9:45 the skeleton was clean and the solution in the bo'ler was smooth. At 10 o'clock the bones began to crumble and in half an hour only the skull and thigh bones remained. At 11 o'clock very little substance was left. At noon the body was still more reduced tn size, still more chalky and liable to crumble, but it refused to entirely disappear. Some frag- Ments of bones were in the vats at Luet- gert’s factory along with Mrs. Lwuetgert's ring. A witness testified that steam had Deen turned in those vats of potash for somewhat more than three hours. At 12 o'clock Prof. Haines found in his boiler nothing but a dark fluid somewhat thicker than water. From a vessel discharg- ing at the bottom every vestige of that body gould have been flushed away, barring the meager handful! of bones. During the time of the experiment the room was occupied by half a dozen men. The fumes from the boller were not espe- clally offensive. The men managing the test were authorized by the State’s Attorney to conduct it, and they did so in a manner as nearly like that supposed to have prevailed in the Luetgert case as was possible. And they have proved that a human body can, under certain circumstances, be entirely and quickly destroyed. BLIND TOM STILL PLAYS. More Than Half His Time Spent at the Piano. Special to the Post-Dispatch NEW YORK, Aug. 7.—"Blind Tom" Wie- @ins, the once world-famed piano piayer, is mow forgotten by many who marveled at his wonderful performance. The old negro occupies @ cottage in the Navesink hills on the Jersey shore of the lower New York Bay, and is spending his days in luxurious comfort. He lives with Mrs. Lerche and her husband. The old negro ts never called in the morning, and |s allows d to rise when. ever he chooses. Each day, accompanied by hide male nurse, he takes a stro! through the woods. More than half his time is epent et the piano. For hours he plays the eweetest music, suddenly changing into a series of grand chords, then into a quick. Step, and #0 through the hours. Sometimes ‘when pleased with an es, ecial effort, he will Nee from his sto! and clap his hands in applause. When alone in the reception room he ofteh imagines that full of guests. To them he talks for per- haps ® full hour on music, fashions. or Whatever may occu: to his clouded mind. His best friend is his plano, but there is moO Treason to belivve that he will ever again a All Visliors are received thie announcement: are the room ia MURDER AND SUICIDE CAUSED BY EXTREME HEAT. Result of Investigations Made Bureau Officials at Wash- ington. by the Weather CHIEF MOORE'S RECENT OBSERVATIONS. There Were Eight Hundred More Murders in Three Sum- mer Months Than in a Correspond- ing Cold Period. Attention Is Now Devoted to Ascertaining the Effect of At- mospheric Conditions on Cer- tain Diseases. in the hot months. é6uperficial cold winters than during mild winters. 2099990006-0-00-06-046 ogist. O0A > Je J Se Ae pe be J phe pes fe pj be on how far a dark and murky day will help to drive a man to crime or foster deadly ba- cilli in his eystem. WHERE IS ORRA HAVILL? Warrant for the Ex-Official, but He Is Missing. Special to the Post-Dispatch. CHESTER, Ill., Aug. 7.—A warrant for the arrest of Orra Havill, late chief clerk of the Chester Penitentiary, was issued yesterday by County Judge Taylor, charg- ing him with embezzlement. The complaint was filed by Warden Tanner and- alleges that a recent Investigation of the books and accounts of ex-Clerk Havill disclosed a shortage in several funds of the institution amounting in the aggregate to $8,048.91. The warrant was placed in the hands of As- sistant Deptitty Warden Ryan, from whom a telegram was received te-day stating that Havill left his home at Lawrenceville a week ago and that his whereabouts cannot be ascertained, NEGRO PUT TO DEAT — — The Assailant of Two White Girls Hanged in Texas. ANOTHER BRUTE IN DANGER. The Sheriff Has Spirited Him Away, but a Mob Is, -in Pursuit. HOUSTON, Tex., Aug. 7.—A ynob of 500 ‘men broke into the jail at Nacogdoches at 10 o’clock to-night, secured Esseck White and hanged him on an improvised scaffold made of scantling piled tepee shape. He admitted he was implicated in the attempt to assault two young white girls last Wednesday night. All day the jail had been guarded to prevent the lynch- ing of White. Arnas Phillips, who was implicated in the same crime, has been hidden in the woods by the Sheriff. The Governor ordered out the Stone Fort Reserves, but neither they nor the Sheriff could do anything to either overawe or dis- suade the men, who were bent on hanging White. A threat to fire the jail was made, but if it had been carried out a very bloody conflict would have ensued. Phillips will be lynched as soon as his hiding place is discovered. PRESIDENT M KINLEY. He Is Undecided About Visiting the St. Louis Fair. Special to the Post-Dispatch. HOTEL CHAMPLAIN, CLINTON COUN- TY, N. Y., Aug. 7.—The President received an invitation to-night to attend the St.Louls Fair. After his dinner to Mr. Whitelaw Reid he was asked if he would accept. He ‘I should like very much to visit the Fair, but do not believe that I can ar- range my plans to do so. If it is possible I shall be present. I cannot at this time either accept or decline the invitation sent me to- day.”’ said: KILLED HIS WIFE. The Infuriated Man Also ‘Wounded a Visitor. SPRINGVILLE, N. Y., Aug. 7.—Mrs. War- ren Windring was shot and killed by her husband last night in her home, while talk- Ing to a visitor. He wounded Miss Ware, the visitor. The husband and wife had not been on good terms. » DODDODDOODDOS DRINCE OF Oa a a ee a a ~e~3@ OOD vented the first automobile carriage. would fight Orleans. in Italy. his battle, so he challenged the Prince himeelf. Special Cable te the Post-Dispatch. Copyright by the Press Publishing Company, 1897. PARIS, Aug. 6.—Count de Dion, one of the eeconds in soon come off, and which is agitating Eu- ropean society, is a son of the widow of Pierre McCarthy of Virginia. Gen. Albertone, however, would not consent ~ ‘" on ~@ ~ ~ % * * Se. ‘ s “A een , ¢ AQ, * . ‘ gs rey | é q tf} ‘5 . ! cet —: ? | WZ ’ ee $ hea “?¢ Z, v4 7 [A | ALBERTONE. aT Oy ~* <(@@» @w HOOOS wet @ Oe Og GEN. the Prince of Orleans He in- The officers taken prisoners by King Menelik at Adowa drew lots to see who The cho'ce fell on Pini, a brother of the most famous fencer to have an inferior fight Pini has not withdrawn the < challenge, but will insist on fighting after the other duel if the Prince still Nves. Lieut. Boppa, the only surviving officer of the Fourteenth Battalion of Gen. Delbarmida’s brigade of the unfortunate Italian expedition against Abyssinia, has challenged Prince Henry of Orleans in consequence of the latter's strictures upon the conduct of Ital'an soldiers in Africa. Thies is the third challenge received by the Prince for the same cause. Gen. Albertone and Lieut. Pini have precedence over Lieut. Boppa in the mat- ter. Gen. Delbarmida was one of the Italian officers killed in the battle of Adowa, when some 10,00 Italian troops, under Gen. Baratieril, were k'lled. Gen. Al- bertone also commanded a brigade in that engagement, which was fought in the latter part of April, 18%, and aroused 60 much bitter feeling throughout that for a time it was believed the throne was in danger. Italy It ts further stated that King Humbert of Italy has intrusted hie eldest nephew, Prince Emanuele F'liber- so, Duke of Aosta, and husband of the Princess Helena of Orleans, daughter of the late Count of Paris, with a mission to the Orleans family, the object being to ago. The first announcement central figure. prevent the duel between Prince Henry and Gen. Albertone. Prince Henry's name has been constantly in the mouths of the Paris public since he started on his journey (0 the home of the Negus, some e'ght months of his proposed from the Italians. who chose to believe that he was lending a'd to their enemies. There were a number of minor quarrels, in aW of The affair culminated when'a letter written by the Prince was (rip aroused a storm of abuse Which Prince Henry wae the published, July 4, by the Paris Figaro, and which caused the challenges to a duel. In this letter the Prince said many very severe things about the Italian of- ficers. | missioners: INMATES PAY FOR FAVORS IN THE ST. LOUIS JAIL of Commissioners able Story That a Former Prisoner Will Tell the Board of City Charit- Institutions. INVESTIGATION 10 BEGIN TO-MOKKOW. Gambling, Drinking and Many Special Privileges Allowed Those Who Have the Money to Pay the Willing Guards. How the Barber Shop Is Made vors to Prisone for a Cloak for Extending Fa- and a Good Thing ittendants. City Jail. thorough investigation into the internal government of the jail. board proposes to have the testimony of | of collection. witnesses. The story of Charles Taylor, related In detail, contains sufficient verisimilitude to enliven the Charity Board and entertain Jailer Wagner for a week. | It was told Saturday to a Post-Dispateh reporter. | Taylor has two small notebooks filled with names and dates, and in relating his experiences he referred to them frequently. He says he has no complaint whatever on his own account against either the jailer or the guards, for, to use his own expression, “I got whatever I wanted because I had the money to pay for it.”” This declaration alone opens up a vista of bristling informa- tion that forms the groundwork of his story. Taylor is a barber, about 35 years” old, more than ordinarily intelligent and of considerable education. He served a term in the city jail from September 8, 1896, to June 2, 1897, upon charges of larceny. This is what he will tell the Charity Com- “Being of .an observant mind and a still tongue I looked carefully about me when I entered the city jail, in order that I might render my confinement tolerable. ~ “In a few weeks I had learned the ropes, and having a smal] amount of ready money was soon where I had a number of special privileges. . A RULE OF MONEY. “The first discovery I made was that the depended entirely on how much money he had and whether he was willing to give it up. To this end a regular system of fees has been established, ‘For the privileges of the yards the fee is 50 cents to $2, according to whether the work is scrubbing the floor or something lighter. I became a blanket-man or what is known as a jack-in-the-box, for $2. The business of the prisoner who fills that of- fice is to remove blankets from cells just vacated and renew them for prisoners com- ing in. From that position { got promoted to the barber shop for $2, and from there to the dispensary or doctor's office for $1. The doctor’s office is considered the high- est place attainable, and I suppose it cost me only $1 to get there because I had been rather liberal all along, and did my work well. “When a prisoner is locked up by the guards for making trouble of any kind, a fee of from $1 to $2 will release him, ac- cording to the nature of his infraction of the rules. “The barber shop is managed by one man. He owns the chairs and the razors. The city furnishes bay rum, sponges, shaving soap and brushes, upon requisitions made through the dispensary. The receipts of the shop averaged $23 a week during my stay in it. The highest receipts were during the week of May 1 to May 8, when they figured up to $28.90. There are seven guards in the jail. Two of the guards first take $3 each’ from the receipts, pay the barber 8) cents, | the assistant 3 cents and then divide the | remainder equally among the other guards. I was paid $1 a week as head barber, with an occasional! tip. HOW IT IS WORKED. “The system of ‘cinching’ the receipts is a study. In the morning, if a prisoner has to attend court, or thinks he must, he !s $90 GO2OO9OLG- allowed to shave before time. For this he i'pays 10 cents. If he merely Wants to get ‘into the vard he pays 10 cents to the bar- 'ber shop and doesn't get shaved. At noon the barber makes his round, calling out ‘shave!’ from cell to cell, Those who have | 10 cents and want to get out or get shaved, pay at the shop. Plenty of them pay 4 cents a day for shaves and spend most of the day in the yard without getting bar- bered. “The barber goes over the face only once for the dime. If a better shave is wanted, | the barber must be paid a nickel. This he keeps as his own. “Recesses are given every day in the) week except Saturdays, Sundays and holl- | days. This is in the interest of the shop. Why, I have taken in as high as $9 on a Saturday and Sunday for shaves, but the most of it was for privileges under that One cannot get out of his cell for pays 10 guise. the religious services unless he cents for an alleged shave. GAMBLING FLOURISHES, the jall is continuous and “Gambling [n uninterrupted *“j)sca©r Fulger, known as ‘Chicken,’ has the control of that job. He ts known as one of Wagner's pets. Fulger was sen- tenced July 1 of last year to three months in jail and nine months In the Work-house, but when his jail sentence expired some- The Board of Commissioners of the city nine months in jail. charitable institutions will begin Monday|a Fulger is still when I left, just buying and selling with | the prisoners, hats, coats and other wearing In order to accomplish speedy results the | apparel. trouble. screen, where food is passed in by friends from the outside. guards frequently gambling with Fulger. No need to publish his name, as he has since resigned. quor. named George, once brought me in a deck of cards. can get anything you want ff you have money. Fulger sold a pocketknife to one of the prisoners and he was caught shaving with it. when I was in the jail. ery made by poor Walters stopped 2 do not know. ly whipped. and dressed his head. quarrel and then a fight with a fellow prisoner named White. the gallery. sary, and Buck Hartig, who was coming to the rescue, received the missile. not specially hurt, but he got angry, with the result that Smith got a flogging. badly used up. ored, been thrown from one of the upper cells containing the women and McCoy picked it up. him, but he refused. lowed. it. ;and on that day had made himself partic- lularly obstreperous. i There are curious things going on in te one got the doctors to recommend to Judge Zachritz that Fulger serve the remaining That was done, and there. He had cleared $80 “He is allowed more privileges than any- persons who have served jail sentences, to phody. He works in the kitchen under Hen- supplement other evidence now in process ry Oekle. -His gambling devices are thim- President Gustav Cramer ple rigging and the string game. spent Saturday locating and talking with former he uses two cups and several beans or pills. [containing two loops. game he beat a boy named Ferrell—now in the Reform School, out of $15 in money. Another boy lost 75 cents, bet his coat and vest, then lost and refused to give up. full view of the guard Fulger forced him to shed his coat and vest, and in that con- dition he went into court and was sent to the Work-house. In the The latter is played with a string With the _ string In THE GUARDS GAMBLE. “Fulger got locked up once for making He paid #4 and was put on the I have seen one of the “The game of craps is played. by every- body who has anything to bet. This is done out of sight of the guards, but the guards often josh the prisoners about how much they have won or lost. “Anybody who hag money canBry li- I bought it from a night guard He is not there now. He You “It Was a common occurrence to see Mar- tin Durkin come fram the bufl-ring full of liquor. Durkin was charged with killing his brother-in-law and was discharged last ease or discomfort a prisoner experienced | May. “Fulger gets both beer and whisky into the jail through the kitchen. WHIPPING IS INFLICTED. “Whipping was inflicted as a punishment Whether the out- “In January, 1897, William Smith was bad- I was then in the dispensary Smith got Into a This occurred in He threw a pan at his adver. Buck was dreadfully I can testify that he was pretty “In December, 189, Arthur McCoy, col- received a whipping. A note had The jail guards demanded it from The whipping fo}- FOUGHT THE GUARDS. “In March last Henry Clay, colored, was booked for a flogging, but he didn’t get Clay had been fighting with a cellmate The guards locked him up and punishment by the cat-o’-nine- talls was agreed upon as the proper thing. Smith wore a wooden leg, one of the old- fashioned pegs. When the guards went to his cell to transfer him to the whipping post they found Smith had barred the door and they could not get him. An entrance was finally forced by main strength. Then the colored man seized hold of an fron bar that ran through his cell and held to it with such power that his grip could not be loosened. Then the guards got a heavy cord, threw it over Smith's head and choked him until he released his grasp. I dressed his neck In the doctor’s office. He was not whipped. ‘Poor Waiters, who told the press about his own whipping, has probably prevented a recurrence of that unnecessary mode of punishment. WAGNER'S SPY SYSTEM. “Wagner has a curious system of watch. ing his guards. I have known him to go around quietly at night and ask the pris- oners to see whether his Inferior officers attended to their duties. He has asked me to remain up al] night and keep tab on them. “About the last thing the jaller 414 be- fore I left was to transfer ‘Chicken’ Ful- ger from cell 110 to cell 132, with orders to watch the guards. It occurred to me that CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO. THE WEATHER FORECAST. PARTLY CLOUDY. Partly cloudy weather; east winds Threatening weather; light easterly ———— Miesour! Il. inole winds Arkansa@—Threatening weather, with showers in the morning; probabiy fails ip the afteraeen; variable winds. ) TROOPS CALLED POR AT COFFEEN, Gen. Bradley and His Marchers Have an Encounter With Guards, OFFICERS HALTED THE COLUMN The Strikers Resisted the Inter- ference and a Fight Y Took Place. NO ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED. The Sheriff of Montgomery Coun- ty Calls on Gov. Tanner _ to Send a Compa- “ny of Militias —— Special to the Post-Dispatch. COFFEEN, Ill., Aug. 7.—Gen. Bradley of Coxey Army fame, with 500 coal striking miners, were engaged near Coffeen this afternoon in an encounter with guards from the coal mines and a riot was narrowly averted. Bradley and his men were march- ing along the road, when their progrese was intercepted by the guards. Bradley objecied to being stopped and demanded the right to proceed, The deputy sheriffs told the strik- ers that they could not invade the grounds of the company's property, and for a time it looked as if a battle could not be averted. Some of the strikers who persisted in march- ing to the pits were placed under arrest by the officers. | The sheriff of the county, fearing a riot, and believing that he would not be able with the small force of deputies to cope with Bradley and his men, wired to Gov. Tanner for a company of militia. Dispatches be- tween this place and Hillsboro and Spring- field have been passing over the wires freely to-night. | The strikers dre said to be camped near Coffeen, and it\is believed that to-morrow they will be reinforced and on Monday will endeavor to march to the pits and prevent the miners going to work. In that event|a clash between them and the officers on guard will certainly take place. | Stringent measures are being taken to prevent interference with working minera, Pickets have been put out and the village appears as though under martial law. An attempted parade of strikers with flags and drum was stopped by a posse armed with shotguns. President Traynor of the vil- lage issued a proclamation forbidding crowds gathering in the streets and called on all citizens to ald in preserving the peace. f - qemgene Snectal to the -Dispatch. SPRINGFIELD, Il., Aug. 7.—Gov. Tanne rece'ved a message at a iate hour to-night asking that the troops be sent to Coffeen. It was ag follows: COFFEEN, Il, Aug. 7, 1897. Hon. John R. Tanner, Governor of Illinots, Springfield, Tl. County and local resources exhausted; must have militia Sunday night by 10 p. m. ~* HENRY N. RANDLE, Sheriff Montgomery County. In reply Gov. Tanner sent the following telegram: SPRINGFIELD, DL, Aug. 7, 1898. Henry Randle, Sheriff, Coffeen, M.: In your message you say county and local resources exhausted; must have troops by 10 p. m. Sunday. You fail to give any facts or reasons. Please advise fully of the na- ture of the trouble and what you have done. In the meantime it is your duty toe protect life and property and preserve the peace. If necessary you can and ft ls your duty to call every able-bodied man between the ages of 18 and 4 years in your county to aid you. You must first show that there is an infraction of the taw, that lIife or property ts in danger of destruction, and that you have done your duty and exhaust- ed all resources before f wfll feel justified in sending the militia. Answer and give situation fully. JOHN R. TANNER, Governor, STRIKERS AND SOLDIERS Troops Called Out to Quell a Riot in Ohio. FAIRPORT, ©0., Aug. 7.~The tron ore shovelers are on a strike. The laborers demand one gang boss to each gang, the gang boss to handle the line to dump the buckets and to draw one man's pay. They demand to be paid from the office by en- velope instead of the boss dividing the money, taking a certain share from each man's pay and running from two to seven gangs and doing no work. The men say they do not care to support bosses this way. If the company wants them, let them pay them. The men refuse to work and the militia has been called out. The troope have just arrived from Painesvilie. ANOTHER FRENCH SCANDAL A Cabinet Minister Involved in the Sale of Decorations. :