No, I’m not talking about Abe Froman. I’m talking about Adolph Luetgert, a German immigrant, who was sentenced for life in prison after murdering his wife in 1897. This story is not for the weak at heart, as you may have already guessed, the story not only involves murder, but sausage.
Adolph Luetgert moved to Chicago in the 1870s lured by the tales of the riches and happiness to be found in America. He had one son with his first wife, Caroline, who died during childbirth in 1877. Not 2 months later, in January of 1878, he was married to a pretty, petite young woman, 10 years his junior, named Louisa Bicknese. On their wedding day, he gave Louisa a ring with the initials, “L.L.” engraved inside of it. He had two children with his tiny little wife, who was reported to be not even 5 feet tall.
Adolph opened up a tavern with money he had saved working as a tanner. After a few years in the liquor business, he opened up his meat factory, which became Chicago’s largest sausage manufacturing plant. The A.L. Luetgert Sausage Works on Diversey St. supplied millions of pounds of sausage across the country. Adolph became the “Sausage King of Chicago” and appeared to be living the American dream.
Life was good for Adolph until 1897, the economy crashed and the sausage business took a big hit. Adolph attempted to sell his sausage business, but was swindled by a potential buyer and went deep into debt. The money problems caused some difficulties in the Luetgert marriage, and the couple began to bicker and fight. Neighbors reported that the arguments would often get violent and that Louisa threatened to leave her husband.
Money wasn’t the only thing troubling the Luetgert household. Adolph began spending nights at the factory, claiming he needed to keep an eye on it. He had a bed in his private office where he busied himself playing hide the sausage with Louisa’s own 22 year old cousin and housekeeper, Mary Siemering. He was also having an affair with a wealthy widow named Christina Fields. The swine planned to marry Christina and her money after disposing of Louisa. He appeared to have it all planned out.
On May 1, 1897, Louisa suddenly disappeared. Adolph seemed to be unconcerned with her disappearance, claiming she probably left him, as she had threatened to many times. He never reported her absence to the authorities, although weeks earlier, he had rushed to the police to report his beloved dog missing. After a few days, and Adolph’s lame excuse that Louisa had simply left him, Diedrich Bicknese, Louisa’s brother, reported her missing.
On May 1, 1897, Louisa suddenly disappeared. Adolph seemed to be unconcerned with her disappearance, claiming she probably left him, as she had threatened to many times. He never reported her absence to the authorities, although weeks earlier, he had rushed to the police to report his beloved dog missing. After a few days, and Adolph’s lame excuse that Louisa had simply left him, Diedrich Bicknese, Louisa’s brother, reported her missing.
Detectives searched the factory and neighborhood, but came up with nothing. Louisa had somehow just disappeared. Adolph began stating a theory that his wife may have committed suicide because of their money woes. The Sausage King may have gotten away with it, if not for a night watchman who was on duty the night before Louisa’s sudden disappearance. The watchman reported that Adolph had come in late to the factory that night. He asked the watchman to help him turn on the steam to one of the large vats, then gave him an errand to run and told him to take the rest of the night off. The man found Adolph’s actions to be quite suspicious and advised investigators to check out the steam vat.
Upon investigation, detectives found a reddish-brown sludge which smelled of death in and around the vat. Guess what they found when the vat was drained? Pieces of bone fragments, metal corsets, and two rings – one of which was engraved with the initials “L.L.” More evidence was found in the furnace, where a false tooth, a hairpin, a charred corset stay, and various scraps of cloth turned up along with burned sausage. Bills to Mr. Luetgert for the purchase of potash (a potent acid) and arsenic were also found. The evidence seemed quite damning, but this was 1897, remember?
“Unable to dissolve his marriage, he decided to dissolve his wife.”
-Clyde Snow, The Stories Bones Tell
Adolph Luetgert was arrested and the case went to trial. The case became a reporter’s dream with rumors flying around that Adolph had made Louisa an ingredient in his famous sausages. People around the country stopped eating sausage altogether. I wonder if this is when people began saying, “Don’t ask how the sausage was made.” The per capita consumption of sausage drastically dropped due to the Sausage King and the gruesome murder of his wife. Reporters and spectators from around the country gathered to the courthouse to catch a glimpse of the “Sausage Vat Murderer.” Unfortunately, without a body, the prosecutors were not able to prove there was a crime, and the first case was declared a mistrial.
Two months later, Luetgert was brought to court again. The prosecutors brought forth George Dorsey, a Harvard student and anthropologist. Dorsey was able to convince the jury that the burned bone fragments found were not only human, but belonged to those of a small woman. Adolph Luetgert was found guilty of murder and sent to Joliet Prison to serve his life sentence.
Adolph’s stay at Old Joliet Prison was a short, but terrifying one. Adolph claimed that Louisa had followed her to the prison to exact her revenge on him. Guards report that he was often found babbling incoherently to himself. He professed to other prisoners that he was possessed by the devil and confessed that the devil made him kill his wife. He quickly became insane with Louisa’s persistent haunting and cajoling of him. He died in his cell of a heart attack in 1900. I wonder if Louisa was the cause of his death?
Louisa didn’t stop at haunting the prison, her spirit was seen inside of the Luetgert house and the sausage factory. A woman in a white dress was spotted walking through the old house and leaning against the mantel piece. She was also seen as a white light flashing through the factory at night when the building is dark and closed. The Luetgert house is still standing, although moved and renovated. The factory has been converted into condominiums. Even now, over 140 years later, witnesses still see Louisa roaming through the neighborhood on May 1st, the anniversary of her death. If you happen to see a lonely apparition in the Ravenswood area, it just might be her.
Images Used in this Story Credited to Alchemy of Bones
Mystical Minds 