Arizona silver belt., 1885-08-29
sT, norM sorrmERN HorGI MrnDrn.

Nleffeg murderer or InaS. A. Irellef III the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, in April last, is reported as having made a confession that Preller died from the effect of chloroform administered by himself, but not for guilty purpose. He, however, claims that that con fesaOn was obtained'by a newspaper reporter under Q threat that unless he signed a document to tue effect that the inter&ew wis true he would pub fish something damaging against him, He subsequently, repudiated the truth of the interview and earnestly claimed that such admissions were put in his mouth by the reporter. This state yment, however, was corrected over his own signature in thetSt. Louis Repub- lican and gave as D reason for the de. nial that it wes made at the instance of his attorney, who insisted that the admissIon prejudiced his case, There is, seemingly, little doubt of Max wells guilt, It is charged that he purchased the deadly drug and after aeath concealed the corpse in 8 trunk, fled the country, travelled under an assumed name and as far as he was able, shrouded the affair until after l,e was returned from New Zealand to St. Louis. He Is still as secretive as when arrested in the bay of Auckland. Not the leastc0nvmcing fact against Maxwell is the finding in his trunk, in Auckland, property bearing the name Of his victim, among which were the shirts Maxwell had ripped from the dead mans body. Maxwell, notwith- standing the damaging evidence against him, maintains a cheerfulness unusual with persons in his situation and is more than hopeful of an acquit- tai. He is a small man, of open and pleasant oountenanee, probably about five feet five inches ia height, of fair complexion, large blue eyes and wears a soft silky beard. He has preten- tons of bging a literary man, has wTItten and published a lengthy ac- count of his trip from St. Louis te and from Auckland which is both readable and interesting, He bas an intimate knowledge of the Bible and quotes scripture without a trip of the tongue, but while believing in the Bible he repudIates the New Testa- ment. He is deeply interested in works of fiction and laughs heartily at the funny parts. The "Doud Fam fly Abroad" and Dickens arc his wade meoum, although the Songs of Solo, mon engage his attention. His crime and his coming trial do not seem to worry him. He acts as though he was perfectly innocent and that his incar- tsration is only for brief period, However, he will find the law, with the array of proof against him, most exacting and if sentence is pronounced against him, he will realize the fact that his only hope IS beyond the grave, The magnitude of his offence preeludes the possibility of pardon, or commuta, tion of sentence-and in that event the knowledge and belief in the Bible and admiration for the Songs of Solo. mon may avail him.
 4 woman claiming to be his wife followed him from France to San Francisco, awaited his return from New Zealand and made repeated at, tempts to gain admittance to the jail where he was confined, but was denied an interview under the suppositiou that she was simply trying to gratify an idle curiosity, as thousands of her sex had done during his brief incar, eration in that city. Her last call al the jail was on the morning after he left for St. Louis and she was greatly surprised when the turnkey informed her that he had been taken east. She expressed the deepest sorrow at not having seen him. When asked the reason for her deep interest in a man in his situation She feelingly replied He is my husband; the father of my child, but he Ieft me for another woman who had more money than had" The San Francisco Examiner described her as a petite darling richly clad, about five feet four inches in height, having a pure olive com, piexion and regular features, with a pretty mouth and. splendid teeth This is but another evidence of the constancy of woman. Although the marriage VOW had been broken and she deserted for a worthless woman as soon as the news reached her that her husbands life was imperilled fci the commission of dreadful crime she braved the dangers ef the sea 1T order that she might be near kim ana lend him her feeble assistance in hi trying situation. Such devotion ii another complication that
 Mans love Ia Of maus life tl Ing aier,
 Tfs worasns whole existence
 Maxwell entertains the opirton, ant and has expressed it, that it will bt hard to prove Preller's death, which i preliminary step to conviction. H. will De arraigned for trial in October