St. Paul daily globe., 1885-04-15
HORRIBLE DISCOVERY.
The Corpse of a Murdered English
man Found in q Trunk at
st. Louis.
The Crime Committed in the Southern
Hotel-Detective Seeking to
UnraYel the Mystery.
Determined Suicide at Cleveland Union Depot
Many Children Injured by Falling
Platform in Toledo.
Big Blazes at New York and Montreal-Two
Thieves Summarily Lynched at Union
City, Tenn.
a Hotel Horror.


ST. LOUIS, April IA sensation was
created at the Southern hotel this morning,
by finding in a room trunk containing the
headless body of a man with a note within
the trunk saying $50 perish all traitors to the
great cause" The room was assigned March
3, TO Walter H. Lenno1 Maxwell, NJ. D.,
London. Mr. Maxwell is described as a very
girlish-looking blonde young man wearing
dark cut-away suit Of English stuff. His face
was clean shayen and he wore his hair bang
fashion, not parting it at all. He was fire.
quently seen in company with
a DARK LOOKING
gentleman about five feet ten inches in
height The latter wore a dark mustache
and had dark hair. This gentleman registered
as c. Arthur Preller, London, England and
was assigned to room 1S4. Four DAYS after
Maxwell had registered telegram was re-
ceiyed from Preller asking whether Maxwell
was guest at the house He was answered
in the affirmative. He soon came ON and
was assigned to the room above given. Both
men occupied room lS4 in common q con
siderable part of the time, both of them call
ing for the key, the clerk giving it out to
each inGiscrimnately, as they seemed to be
good friends and old acquaintances. The
men were much remarked about the hotel
for their dudish.
DANDIFIED AIRS.
Maxwell left the hotel a week ago Sunday
night, but he had paid his full weeks board
promptly ard it was supposed he would re-
turn any day. No suspicion attached to his
absence until the smell called attention to
the room and led to the opening Of the trun k.
When the trunk containing the body was
opened in the corridor to-day, it was found
10 contain the body of a
MIDDLE-AGED MAN,
face and breast up and so doubled about the
hips aud knees that it filed the trunk On
the side Of the trunk over the head of the
corpse was printed in large letters: $50
perish all traitors TO the great cause" The
trunk and its chastity contents were imme-
diately hurried to court The body as it ap-
pcared in the trunk presented a horrible
aspect. The face and part of the body were
uncovered, the only garment being pair Of
drawers reaching only to the knees. The
body was in an advanced stage OF decompo-
stion.
Mr.. Maxwell is described as a very girlish-
looking blonde young man, wearing a dark
woody cutaway suit of English stuff. His
face was clean shaven and he wore his hair
bang fashion, not parting it at ali. He was
seen in company frequently with a dark
looking gentleman about five feet ten inches
in height The latter wore dark musteche
and had dark hair. This gentleman registered
rs c. Arthur Prcllcr, London, Eng, and was
assigned to room 184 four days after Max
well had registered. A telegram had pre-
viously been received from Preller asking
whether Maxwell
WAS 4 GUEST
Of tbn bousa ITn ,vae ansWnrad iD tha Of
frmativc and soon came on and was as
signed to the room above given. Both men
occupied the room numbered 1Sl in common
a considerable part of the time. each Of them
calling for the key at times and the clerk
giving it out to each indiscriminately as
they seemed TO be good friends and old ac-
quaintancos. The men were much remarked
about the hotel for their
pUpIsn AND DANDIFIED ACTs.
Maxwell left the hotel week ago Sunday
night. but he had paid his full weeks board
promptly and it was supposed that
he would return any day. No suspi-
cion 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 of a middle-agcd
man, face and breast up and so doubled
about the hips and knees that it
FILLED THE RECEPTACLE.
On the side of the trunk over the head of
the corpse was printed in large letters the
words $50 perish all traitors to the great
cause" The trunk and its CHASTITY contents
were Immediately hurried 10 the Four Courts.
The appearance of the body in the trunk is
as follows The head and neck were doubled
upat one eud of the trunk; the face was
smooth, the hair jet black and as far rs one
could Judge the dead man could not have
been more than 30 years of age. The body
was that OF common sized man in height
aud build. Tie only
EVIDENCE OF VIOLENCE
presented as the body lay in the trunk was n
cut cor stab in the breast. The trunk was
medium sized, common zine trunk, bound
with wooden strips, aud the most mysterious
and sensational feature Of the trunk was the
inscription posted on the inside near the
head. The second trunk was left standing
near the freight elevator. The whole cor
ridor of the hotel was filed
WITH HORRIBLE STENCIL,
which failed to disappear when the corpse
WAS taken away. As soon as il became eyi-
dent that the second trunk was very heavy,
AlAt Ntt0 NtAtttAt ANttN NiitNAA alNA dtAtlli ftS
were made 20 open il, but it was found to be
securely locked. 1t WAS also cartcd off to the
morgue, where it was opened, and found to
contain numerous articles. Il also contained
MlNwEL's LONDON ADDRESS,
as Il Paper building, Temple, London An
envelope addressed in his handwriting to
Rev. u. C. 4. Lewis, b. y, curator Of st.
Paurs. Morley. Leeds, Yorkshire, England.
He came over on the steamer
Ccphaauia, from England. Preller has a
Russian passport vizcd by the Russian am
Oassador in London in 1873, and q passport
for 1883 for Spaiu and Mexico, vized by the
Spanish minister aud signed Granville
Seven trunks, four valises and hat box
were LETT behind 1t the hotel, aud contents of
clothing, etc, valued At hundreds Of dollars.
This Is believed 10 make the theory OF a
HOAX UNTENABLE,
sud the belief is that the corpse is either that
oi Maxwell or Prciler. No one remembers
which one Of the two men left the hotel last.
TrLEGRAPHIC CLUE.
The following telegram, found among the
papers of PrcileT, is The best clue to the rela-
nons ot Prel!er and Maxwell:
Bo~ToN, Mass, March 10 iSS5.-C. \ Prel-
Ter Bclsdcrc hotel. corner OF Fourth avenue
aud Eighteenth street; Yes; coald 50 direct 70
ALsNtaN 'tNA mere. " ltl WEite 70 thladetphta
tomorrow. W : LENNON Maxwell
on 4 COMMERCIAL TOUR.
From letter from the steamship company
It IS inferred that PTeller sailed from Eng
land for this country on the Cephalonia Jan.
q. 1855, on a commercial tour Of this couu-
trr and Australia. The telegram given shove
would indicate that Maxwell agreed TO az
company him 20 Australia. Among the let
ters found in PrcIier's trunk was the follow
ing:
rrrryr OF INTRODUCTION