Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-04-17
A TERRIBLE DISCOVERY.
A MANS BODY FOUND IN A TRUNK.
Horrible Crime at st. Louis Brought to
Light-The Corpse Mutilated Be-
yond Recognition-The Case IA
Most Mysterious One.

Most Mysterious One.
ST. LOUIS, April IA sensation was
caused at the Southern hotel between
eleven and twelve o'clock to-day by the
discovery Of the horribly mutilated body
of a man packed in trunk, which was ta-
ken out of room. The stencil from the
trunk caused the discovery. The hotel
register shows that on March 30 gentle
! man registered as Walter II. Lennox
| Maxwell, NJ. d., from London, and was
assigned to that room. On opening the
trunk 1t was found that the head of the
man was severed from his body, and writ
ten on "a paper inside the trunk were the
words: $50 perish all traitors to the
great cause" The trunk and its contents
were taken to the morgue.
Mr.. Maxwell is described as very girl
ish looking blonde young man. He was
seen in company frequently with dark
looking gentleman about five feet, ten
inches in height. This gentleman regis
tered as G. Arthur Preller, London, Eng
land, and was assigned to room 1S4, four
days after Maxwell had registered. Both
men occupied room 1874 in common q con
siderable part of the time. Maxwell left
the hotel week ago Sunday night. No
suspicion was attached to his absence un-
til the horrible smell called attention to
his room and led to the opening of the
trunk.
When the trunk containing the body
was opened in the hotel corridor it was
found to contain the body of
middle aged man, face and
breast up, and so doubled about
the receptacle. The body presented hor-
rible aspect. The face and parts of the
body uncovered (the only garment being
a pair of drawers reaching Just to the
knees were entirely black and showed ad-
, vanced decomposition. The face was
could judge the dead man could not have
| been more than thirty years of age
The body was that of Il common sized
} man in height and build. A
second trunk contained numerous
{ Gus articles, among which were Il paper
: with Maxwell's London address, IA Paper
= building. Temple, London, and an envel
g ope in his handwriting to Rev ID. G.. A
5 Lewis, b. A, curator of st. Paul's, Morley
r Leeds, Yorkshire, England. He came or
I the steamer Cephalonia from London
Preller had a Russian passport vised by
the Russian ambassador in London in 1875
and a passport for 1888 for Spain and
f Mexico vised by the Spanish minister anG
t signed "Granville."
1 Seven trunks four valises and a hat
: | DoN were lelJ DtIllHu dJ tle nOtel ana unt
n contents, clothing, etc, are valued at hun
5 dreds of dollars. This is believed to max,
z the theory of hoax untenable and the be
: | lief Is that the corpse is either that of Max
, well or Preller. No one remembers which
Il of the two men left the hotel last Chic
a of Detectives Burke believes that the deat
o man is Preller. In the trunks left by Prel
$ ler were found samples offurniture, finish
5 lngs tapestry, rugs, etc, also u card plat,
e reading; &c. A. Preller, 81 Abchurcl
e Lane, London, Eng"
, A despatch from Boston SAYS Walter Fl
LennoX Maxwell! arrived in that city las
January. He left Boston about the las
of March and nothing has since beel
a heard of his whereabouts
l The corOner's autopsy this afternoon dis
y closed the fact that the stomach containe,
/ poison The stomach has been given to
d chemist for analysis.
:. Maxwell and Preller's Movements Will
in Boston.
y Tacoma, y. H., April 15.-Mrs J. r
p Cook with whomMaXwell and Preller, ,wh
y are connected with the st. Louis trun
mystery, boarded while in Boston, LEASED
= the Elmwood house here two weeks age
/ When called upon to-day by a reporter
= Mrs. Cookies daughter stated that sh
~ remembered Maxwell and Preler as hav
! ing engaged IA room of them Februar
4 | Oll, aJ lDJS aSnlnPlOn street, lbOStOf
!, | Maxwell left the room March 2Sth. Sh
: expressed but little surprise upon hearin
- that he was in trouble, as there was
- continual dread of him by all their board
ers. He said he was "a Scotchman an,
had money enough to support himself fo
year that money had been paid him t
l. leave England, as his testimony wOul
:, hang a certain man if he remained. II
professed to be IA surgeon. Preller di
not occupy his room at night and in
q, short time started for California, bu
: Maxwell received Il letter from him u
..s st. Louis. Maxwell brought four or fiv
= valises TO the house and in short tim
!, had II new trunk arrive with his initial
, on it. He positively refused to let th
y chambermaid make his bed, saying tina
y he could do it, and he kept his doc
'o locked.
At one time Maxwell pointed revolve
at Mrs. Cooke and at another occasio
s. pointed the weapon ut Il sick woman. H
al sald he was going west to kill cowboy
L He often spoke about getting body an
l. dissecting it, saying he was acquainte
id with the business.