The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-15
HORRIBLE DISCOVERY.
A Sensation Caused In ST Louis by the
Discovery of the Mutiisted Romans
of Man Packed in a Trunk at
the Southern Hotel.

caused at the Southern Hotel between II
and - o'clock to-day By the discovery of the
horribly mutilsted body of a man packed in
a trunk which was taken out OF room $50.
The stencil from the trunk caused the dis
covery. The hotel register reveals the fact
that on March 30 e gentleman registered ss
Walter II. Lennox Maxwell, II. d.. from
London. and was assigned TO the room. On
opening the trunk it was found that the
head of the man was severed from the body,
and written on paper inside the trunk were
the Eor5s: 80 perish all traitors to the
great cause" The trunk and contents were
taken to the Morgue.
Mr. Maxwell is described as q vary girlish-
locking blonde young man, wearing dark
wool cutawsy suit OF Englieh stuff. His
face was clean shaver, and he wore his hair
boy-fashion, not parting it at all. He was
seen in company frequently with dark-look-
ing gentleman about five feet ten inches in
height. The latter wore a dark mustsche
ana bad dark hair. This gentleman regis
tiers as C.. Arthur Preller, London, England,
and was assigned to room lS4. Four days
after Maxwell had registered a telegram was
received from Preller. asking whether Max
well was guest at the house. he was
answered IN the affirmative, and he soon
came on and was assigned to the room above
given. Both men occupied the room 184 IN
common q considerable part OF the time,
each Of them csllingfor the key a. times,
and the clerk giving 1t out to each indis
criminately, as they seemed to be good
friends ana old acquaintance. the men
were much remarked about the hotel for
their "dudish daRdi6ed" sirs. Maxwell
left the hotel week ago Sunday night, bu.
he had paid bis full weeks board promptly
and it wRs supposed that hs would return
any cav.
No suspicion was attached to his absence
until the horrible smell called attention to
the room. and led TO the opening of the
trunk. When the trunk, containing the
body, was opened in the hotel corridor to-
day it was found to contain the body o. a
middle-aged man, face and breast up, and
so doubled about the hiDs and knees that it
filled the receptacle. On the side OF the
trunk, over the head OF the corpse, was
printed in largo letters the words: $50 per
ish al traitors to the great CAUSE" The
trunk and its chastity contents were imms-
dIately hurried 10 the -Four Courts. The
body, as it appeared in the trunk, presented
q horrible aspect The face and parts of the
body were uncovered, the only garment be.
ing pair of drawers reaching just to his
Knees, were entirely black aud showed adj
vanoed decomposition. The head aud neck
were doubled up at one end OF the trunk,
and the arms were forced down by the side
and under the body; the legs were bent st
the knees, ths thighs being nearly perDendic-
ular, as il great force had been used ia
putting il into the trnnk. The face was
smooth, the hair Jet black, and as
far as one could judge, tho dead man could
not have been more than thirty years Of age.
The body WAS that OF a common sizsd man
in height and build. The only evidsnce of
violence presented as the body lay ia the
| trunk was cut or stab in the breast. The
| trunk was q medium sized common zinc
| trunk, bound with wooden strips. The most
mysterious and Sensational feature of the
| trunk was the inscription.
& second trunk YVES left standing near the
| freight elevator The whole corridor OF the
| hotel was filed with horrible stencil, which
/ failed to disappear when the corpse was
| taken away. Soon 1t became evident that
| the second trunk, which was very heavy,
| was emitting fetld smell also. Attempts
| we're made to open it, but it was found to be
| securely locked. 1t was also carted of to
| the MOTgue, where 1t was opened and
| found to contain numerous articles.
1t also contains MaxwelPs London address,
| ss II PAPER Building Temple. London. An
| envelope, addressed in his handwriting TO
Rev. ID. G. A. Lewis, B. A, Curator of St.
/ Pa1Ps, Morley, Leeds, Yorkshire, England.
BE came over on the steamer Cephalonla,
from England.
Preller has Russian passport vized by the
Russian Ambassador in London, 1878 and
| 8 passport OF 1888 for Spain and Mexico,
vized by the Spanish Minister and signed
! Granville. Seven trunks, four vslisss and a
hat box, were left behind at tbs hotel, and
the contents, clothing, etc, valued at hun
! dre6s Of dollsrs. This is believed to make
the theory of hoax untenable, and the De-
! lief is that the corpse is either that OF Max
well or Preller; no one remembers which one
OF the two men LETT the hotel last.
Chief Detective Burke, after making an
examination of the rooms at the Southern
! Hotel, said 81 think the dead is G. A.
Preller, who arrived at the hotel on the Sd
| instant, and that he was killed by Max
who registered there on the 31st of March.
The murder took place in Maxwell's room,
No. IA. snd the trunk in which the body
was stored was one which Maxwell brought
| with him from the East. On last Tuesday
be bought the second trunk, found in his
room, at store on Broadway near Walnut
street. Into this he transferred the books,
clothing, papers, instruments, photographs,
views, etc, which 1t contained probably, in
great hurry, as they we're found in con-
fusion. he also placed the tray of the old
trunk in this to give him more room to pack
the body In. His intention then was, prob.
ably, to remove this trunk, which could
pass out of tbs hotel with the least
suspicion. There was danger of
discovery, of course. ct any minute, and
on this account he probably changed his
\ ploue ahN OtCaulpeus AZ dNOtu uioODfcIJ uc
went away without taking any OF his effects
with him. / have no idea what prompted
the murder. found black stiff hat with q
/ large break in it as il il had bsen struck q
| violent blow. but at the same time tbs body
gives evidence Of death from poisoning. Ii
| is certain that the men were intimate aud
that Preller spent great deal OF his time IN
Maxwell'S room. In sn examination of the
trunks left by Preller, and marked &C. A.
P" were found samples of furniture finish.
ing, tapestry, rugs, etc. bundle OF letters
from Preller to the firm OF J. II. Dixon, Brad
ford. Yorkshire, or business matters. was
also found, rs well as the address of several
carpet firms in this city. card plate, read
ing &C. a. Preller, 81 AbchurSh Lane, Lon
don. England was also found"