The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-09-01
IL Maxwell Guilty ?
Editor BasOO :


IL Maxwell Guilty?
Editor BaEOo:
This question will be answered when il
is ascerlained whether Preller is dead. III
Preller is dead and The body found 10 the
trunk was the body of Preller, then the con-
cluSion is Irresistible that Maxwell is
guilty Of his murder. But do the facts so
lar SIS disclosed prove the body in the
trunk to be the remains of {. Arthur Prel-
Ter? We think not In fact looking al
them in the light OF criminal trial they
would not only leave dIubt on the minds
OF a jury buL In our opinion, would estab-
lish beyond a reasonable doubt the negative
of this proposition.
No one we'll acquainted with Preller has
ever positively identified the remains as
his. The testimony all shows that the
body in the trunk was considerably lsr.er
than that of Preller Ii is true this might
I've accounted for by the exaT sion caused by
the gasSs. But ii ought TO We gh the same
or a! least no mJre. We have looked In
vain for any figures showing the weight OF
the body or that 1t approximated TO the
probable weight OF Preller. Prefer wore
mustache. The corpse was c'ean shaved.
The most careful observer has failed to
note any striking similarity between the
picture OF Prelier aud that Of the remains
found in the trunk. The only Re resemblance
Being In the color OF the J air ard the
slightly hooked appearance of the nose. Iu
the city of St. Louis there can be found
5000 noes of similar contour and any
number with hair the same shade, qualify
and quantity.
How do We account for the loss of the
mustsche? Tsk-n off by the murderer in
order that it M ght not be so easily identi-
fed.
Sheerest of nonsense, for design to con-
vey the impre sion that the remains were
every act and movement of Maxwell.
While in company with Preller he was
never known to have a dollsr. Preller
paid all expenses while Maxwell apparent
ly contracted the larger portion of them.
After the disappearance OF Preller Max
we'll takes particular pains to display his |
wealth not only In useless and extrsvagant |
purchases but in open and unnecessary ex-
nibitions oil large rolls Of bills and bills of |
large denominations. He loads himself |
down with numerous weapons, takes care
TO expose them and assumes the role of a |
When he leaves ST. Louis en- route for
the Pacific cOast he purchases a ticket |
under the name of BROOKS but takes good |
care TO appear in his appropriate character
On the train, talks in the same ra,tlina
way with every ore that will lis.en to him
and makes TO sort o. an attempt 20 cover
up his identity until he has nearly reached
the coast aud then without any change in
his appearance attempts 10 change his
name aud nationality aud talks with
French accent, which only had the effect Of
drawing attention to hin. he spends no
time or money in San Fran
;iscO, takes stsersge passage, spends little
,r no money On board the sesmer and
when he reaches the end OF his sea voyage
:, 900 which Re started from st. Louis
siIh has dwindlei down TO Sl3O. Whist
las become of the rest OF the money? We
vii see If We can reasonably account for il :
urther OH.
Aided to this conduct the further fact '
hat just at the time OF The alleged I
rageiy he inquired 81 a servant of the '
otel how much mOoey il would take TO !
ct man clesr for killing a man in this {
ountry and ii must be apparent that Max.
Iell wished to convey the impression that |
e had murdered Preller and that the BODY {
. the trunk was the remains of Preller. {
We have not mentioned the sensational v
lacard written in Maxwells own hand !
lost thiDly disguised. il
$50 perish all traitors to the great g
,use." ii
Imagine man who had Just murdered g
is friend and companion for money, de- Il
berately passing placard of this descrip- n
on in the receptacle of his fearful aud Il
rrible cline. The instinct of a murderer
ould have been to have fed, auyshere, on
e first conveyance that would take him
Fay from the scene of his horrible deed. r
Ie say then that the whole conduct of =,
sxwell, upon careful reflection, would h
nvince Us that he designed to leave the =,
,pression that Preller had been murdered. NJ
be only question that remains then. il what N
olive could he have had for this and ~
hat motive could Preller have had to W
in in the deception, for as a matter of <;
urse If Preller is still alive he wa,a party AZ
the who'e scheme. =,
The most natural answer would be that n,
'eller had procured large insurance on Of