The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-04-23
A MYSTERIOUS CRIME.
Mangled Remains Of Man Found In Trunk in
ST. Louis Hotel

On the 14th inst. q terrible sensation was
caused at the Southern Hotel, st. Louis, by the
discovery of the horribly-mutilated and decom-
| posed remains of man packed in a trunk
| which was being removed from one of the bed
| rooms. The stencil from the trunk caused it
| to be opened. when it was found that the head
was severed from the body, which was doubled
| up in order to accommodate it to the restricted
dimensions of its hiding place. Written on a
paper placed on the body were the words: -" So
perish all traitors to the great cause"
The hotel register shows that on March 30 q
gentleman registered as Walter II. Lennox
Maxwell NJ. d., from London, and was assigned
to that room. Mr. Maxwell is described rs a
very girlish looking blonde young man, wear
ing dark w0olly Cuiaway suit of English
stuh BIS face was clean shaven, and he wore
his hair bang fashion, not parting it at all. He
was seen in company frequently with dark
| looking gentleman about five feet ten inches in
hight. This gentleman registered as Z. Arthur
Preler, London Eng. telegram had previ-
ously been received from Preller asking whether
Maxwell was guest at the house. He was
answered in the affirmative, and he soon came
on. Both men occupied the same room. Max
well left the hotel on the 9th inst, but he had
paid his full weeks board promptly, and it was
supposed that he would return any day No
suspicion attached to his absence until the hor-
rible smell called attention TO his room, and
led TO the opening of tho trunk
Attera good deal of invest igation the remains
were fully identified as those of Mr.. Ireiier,
and suspicion points to Maxwell IS the muir
derer Maxwell had for some time been with
ont money and had been trying in vain to
raise funds on his jeweiry and other things
He became suddenly possessed of means, paid
up all his debts, and left as above stated. An
autopsy on the remains of Preller indicated
that poison was the cause of death. The face
and checks were swollen and the tongue pro-
truding. An examination of the head failed to
show any signs of violence, and the brain,
though sostcned from decomposition, was nor
NAL, and showed no signs of violence. An in
cision was made in the body, and tho lungs
found also to be normal. The intcstines wero
normal; the stomach alone showed unmistaka-
BILE signs of great Inflammation, indicating
again the presence of poison.
1t is now thought that Maxwell deliberately
planned to murder Preller for his money. On
the Sunday night that he left the hotel bottle
of wine was ordered to parlor 144, occupied by
Maxwell and Preller, and it is believed that
this wine was poisoned. The next morning
the body was put in the trunk, and all the
money and jewelry were taken. Maxwell left
the hotel on the 9th, saying that he was going
East. On the same night Mr.. l.. Bauman, head
of a wholesale house at ST. Louis saw Maxwell
on a San Francisco train going West. He iden-
titled him by photograph. They met cas-
ually. and Maxwell. who is very English in
accent, said that he was in the employ Of the
Turkish Government, and was getting infOr-
nation in this country. He was excited and
nervous most diligent search was instituted
for Maxwell, and it has been discovered that
he went from Saint Louis to San Francisco,
where he sailed on the City of Sidney for Auck-
land, New Zealand. April II. The u. S. Consul
at that port has been communicated with by tel
egraph, and unless Maxwell leaves the steamer
at some of the islands of the Samoan group
there is little doubt of his capture.
Later developments point to chlorofOrm as
the means used by Maxwell to.destroy his vic
tim. druggist in ST. Lonis has testified that
the alleged murderer early on the evening of
the crime purchased quantity of the drug
from him. and later on rushed into the store
for further supply. The theory is now that
Preller was murdered in his sleep. To effect
this by means of chlOrOform would require
great care and deliberation on the part of the
murderer, and would take, it is stated by ply
scians, from two to three hours To cOnsummate
the deed. The handkerchief containing the
chloroform would have TO be held at first con-
siderable distance from the nose of the VICTIM
50 that he could inhale it gently and gradually
sink into sOunder and sunnder sleep, and then
it could be placed nearer and nearer as his
senses became benumbed. We're tho drug-sat-
uraed cloth to be applied to the nostrils at once
the victim would awake from straugulatiOn.
1t is supposed when Maxwell ran the second
time to the drug store, that while in the act of
committing the diaboical crime, he either
spilled or had some other mishap with the
chloroform and went for more in hurry, fear
ing his victim would recover from the effects Of
that which had already been administered.