Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-26
SOUTHERN HOTEL MYSTERY.
Report that the Supposed Victim of Max
well is Still Alive.


ST. LOUIS, August 24th-To-day's devel-
opments in connection with the Southern
Hotel mystery have led many to reassert
that Preller is not dead, and that the BODY
found in the trunk was that OF some man
as yet unknown. Maxwell has received
several letters from cranks and others. One
letter, signed Louis Daubingy, is from New
Orleans. The writer calls the prisoner
D'Augier, refers to an interview had with
him in the Southern Hotel, and then pro-
ceeds as follows: Your stubborness will
cause you good deal of trouble before Won
get out OF it. The only thing that remains
for you to do at present is to tell the truth
to your attorney and to prove by Mr.. -
that you procured the body and that Mr..
Preller is alive, or at least that he was alive
at the time your subject was discovered in
your trunk. Have arrested at once the
man who procured you the body, for it is
possible he may disappear at the time YOU
need HIM as witness. | cannot help be-
lieving that Mr.. Preller has not been muir
dered, and | believe that Harriet Ster. his
mistress, of Boston, knows more in regard
to him than the police of st. Louis. 1t
would be an excellent idea to have her I'M
der the surveillance of detectives. | met
Sir Percy Burrell, of West Greanstead
Sussex, England, last week. He assured
me that he had seen Mr.. Preller at Span
lsh port In company with lady on the 3lst
of May. Sir Burrell is now at St. NaIo
You can send a dispatch to the British
Consul, asking him TO get his testimony"
Maxwell tried to hide this letter, but the
authorities got it away from him The let
ter ana other testimony go to prove that the
body found in the trunk is not that of Prel-
Ter and that the prisoners name is not
Brooks. In conversation to-day the pris-
oner denied that his name was Brooks. and
SAID those who regarded him as Maxwell
We're right. He positively denied that his
family name was Brooks
There IS testimony that Preller is alive
a well-known st. Louis drummer saws that
a few days after the body was found in the
southern Hotel young man answering
the description of Preller appeared at Els
ton, Mo-, organized singing class, re-
manned month, and then left without col
Letting his tuition fees. Before he left he
gave piug-hat to colored man. The hat
bore the initials 1" C. A. P" inside the
sweath-cloth. Preller was something of a
musician and vocalist 1t is believed nv
many that the reason Maxwell has exhibit
ted such GOODNESS is that he knows that at
the right time he can prove that Preller is
awe, ana that he cannot be tried for muir
derng another man but Preller Between
there Is an extradition treaty containing A
clause to the effect that persons extradifed
can only be tried for the offense named in
the warrant. This clause was inserted to
prevent either Government for extraditing
offenders for criminal offenses and then
trying them for political crimes. If Preller
can be produced at the trial Maxwell can
immediately claim his discharge. Then.
IN order to try him for another offense, it
would be necessary for the ST Louis au-
thoritles to make another trip to New Zea-
land, file new evidence and get leave to
begin the prosecution.
New York, August 25th.-A Uorld :
Boston special of the oath says: Dr. Dew
ey, who was fellow-student with Max
well, the alleged st. Louis murderer, at
college IN London, said to correspondent
to-day that when Maxwell was ii Boston
he wanted Dewey to get a corpse for him
Maxwell did not say what he wished to do
with the corpse, but Dewey, knowing he
was an enthusiast in medicine thought he
wanted 1t for dissection. Maxwell left the
city Tor few weeks, and on his return told
Dewey he had body When Maxwell
made the statement to ST. Louis officers
that the body was not Prellers, but a cornse
he had secured to assist IN defrauding the
insurance companies, Dewey was about TO
inform the companies of his doings. when
he read the alleged confession of Maxwell
that the body was really that of Preller.
Three days after his return to Boston. Max
well started for the West, Preller bavino
left several days before him.. Ever since
Dewey has been acquainted with Maxwell.
he believed his mind was affected, and he
always passed as Maxwell, and claimed he
was the Legitimate son of Lord Farnham
of England