The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-17
THE PRELLER MURDER
The Body Identified rs That or Preilet
Various Statements Regarding
His Antecedents.
Maxwell Undoubtedly on Board the
City Of Sydney on His Way
to Auckland.
TIE ST. LOUIS TRAGEDY.
1t Continues to be ss Absorbing Topic
Statements From Various Points
Maxwell on the steamer CITY
CT sydney

New YORK, April 16.-The st. Louis trag-
edy continues TO be the absorbing sensation.
Intimate friends Of Preller's state that his re-
ligious convictions were very singular His
relatives did not fully understand them. and
RETAINED from talking to him about the sub.
ject. he belonged to a curious denomina-
tons community OF distinctive ideas, very
small, SIS yet, in America, but with quite a
foothold IN England. The believers refer to
one another in such terms as kindred spirit.
Dear brother" and similar expressions.
The believers in this city have no regular
place of worship. They meet in public halls
and private houses, devotipg much CT their
labor to young men. Preller's connec.
ton with those people made hun ac-
quainted with Rev w. Ovens.
Mr.. Owens saw PrelIer frequently during
his last visit here, but as be never spoke to
him of Maxwell. Mr.. Owens supposed that
his friend was going to Australia alone. He
said Yesterday that the printed circum-
stances almost forced him to the sorro 1ful
belief that the BODY found n the trunk was
all that was mortal OF bis late friend Preller
Frank Schlesinger, of the firm of H Sal
lenbsck 4 Co., is a cousin of Mr.. Prelier, aud
has been very intimate with him. Mr..
while be was travelling and forwarded them
to him on request. Before be babe his cousin
good bye Preller spoke of Maxwell, aud said
that be had arranged to meet him In St. Louis
on April PrelleT te.egrsphed Mr. Schles-
niger Irem st. Louis; kindly direct all
posterestants to San Francisco" This is the
last that has been heard from him. Letters
that he bad promised to write, business ar.
Iangements that he bad promised TO make.
which his friends believe he surely would
bsve carried out was be alive, have remained
unattended to. at is the fact that we have
J o. heard from him for so long that suggests
TO NE that the body found in the trunk mast
be that of my cousin" said Mr.. Schlesinger,
when reporter asked him about the matter,
yesterday.
Have you cabled to his relatives in I'm.
glsnd?'
No, and l shall not do so until il is set
tied beyond all doubt that the body was his.
There seems to be some doubt about il vet.
Inc news Will be terrible blow TO his pa
rents and relatives. 1t would be cruel to
unnecessarily alarm them. The young men
were to have sailed for Australia in the
steamer leaving San Francisco April -
have telegrapbed to ascertain whether either
OF them did so. Ii Maxw ell committed that
murder, believe he is sfloat on the Pacific
Ocean before this time"
Questioned about the 80 perish all trail
tors. paper found in the trunk, Mr.. Schies-
niger said: "Oh, that Is all nonsense. IL
Maxwell murdered PJeller he did il for his
money" Yesterday Mr.Schles niger conferred
with the police in this city to see If they
could assist HIM. So soon as he is assured
that the body is that of his cousin, he will
make aTTan gements for burial and notify
the family in England.
The aBritlsh Consul General said yester-
day that he knew nothing whatever about
Maxwell. He was represented in some re-
ports as Bsronet, but his name was not
among the list of British Baronets. and his
name and former address as mentioned in
some of the reports were not found in the
London Post Office directory. Nothing was
known Of Preller at the Russian Consulate.
No Date Yet Fixed for the Inquest-Max
welfsIdentity Settled.
ST. LOUIS, April l6-No date has yet been
fixed for an inquest on the remains of the
victim Of the Southern Hotel tragedy. The
Coroner has concluded to wait until more
evidence is available. No new developments
have been made yet to-day. Mr.. James
Taylor, an intimate friend of Preller, was
expected to arrive this morning from Louis
vile TO identify the body, bat he has failed
so far to put in an appearance. The police
are firmly OF the opinion that Maxwell is
now at sea on the steamer City of Sydney,
bound for Aukland and arrangements have
OF the steamer at that point.
The following dispatch, Just received by
Chief OF Police Hsrrigan, settles positively
the question of the identity of Maxwell. the
description tallyipg exactly with that OBJ
tanned here, and also that he is on the stee n
er City Of Sydney. Maxwell assumed the
names OF Brooks and Daugarier for the pur-
pose OF concealment
San FRANCISCO Cal, April Is.
To i. Hsrriean Chief OF Police:
The only ticket taken up from ST. Louis on the
9Th inst is signed by Hugh NJ Brooks and wit
messed By 5. A. Hughes sold by the st. Louis and
San Francisco ticket Office, April 6, came on that
train. dis name does not appear on the lists
tick ct, therefore he must have Mr.. Brooks
ticket, The Endorsement on the ticket and the
name OF 4. Z. Daugsrier, signed on the hotel
is: Height, five feet six inches age not over thir-
ty: hair, light. short at back. worn without part.
ing In front; weight. lis pounds: mu,tschs, me
dunn size: short imperial Omplexion. fair and
rudy, skin has whitish appearance; eyebrows.
light and thin; eyes. blue and large; regular fea-
lures, nose rather free At the nosIris neatly built
ground when walking.
Baggage, a large fiat, gray top canvass-covered
trunk and grip sack. He had a lsr fed glass,
barrel eight inches long. covered with black
cites from morning TO nighf, which he rolls him
self; drinks whisky considerably. I have for
wsrted fun description by the Captain OF the
steamer sailing Tor Honolulu 70 dsv with
quest for his arrest viii cable New Zealand
togned) Z. CRAwLEY, per Lees.
Maxwell Dead Broke I'm Chicago.
CHICAGO, April Let is now remembered
that the young man Maxwell, who is sus-
pected OF the murder Of Prefer in st. Louis,
vas in Chicago about tive months ago. He
called at one of the nevaDaDer Off!ces aud