The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-08-21
Maxwell's Statement.
A STARTLING STORY CONCERNING THE ST
LOUIS TRUNK MURDER.

STARTLING STORY CONCERNING TIE ST.
LOUIS TRUNK MURDER.
The line of defense which will be
pursued by w. II Lennox Maxwell,
the Englishman, charged with murder.
ing his companion, Q. Arthur Preller,
at the Southern Hotel, in st. Louis,
last April, and who was brought back
on Monday of last week by cxtradition
papers from Auckland, New Zealand,
has been indicated by an interview be-
tween Maxwell and an ex. United States
secret service officer, at San Francisco.
The story as given by the officer is as
follows
"When | told him who was and
what | knew of the case, his manner
changed at ohce. lie seemed to feel
relief, and lighting fresh cigar
ette, he sad: You know enough
about this case to know there is a mys.
terry in it which has not yet come out.
l will tell you frankly that didn't
murder Preler that Preller is alive
to-day, and proof of his existence will
be forthcoming by the time Of my trial.
You cant blame me for lying to these
people. Here is crowd of reporters,
some of whom try to wheedle and 9th
ers to bully my secrets from me. Then
come detectives, and say this thing and
that has been discovered, and that they
have all this circumstance evidence
against me- Knowing every fact in
the care as ! do, know that they are
lying and are on an entirely wrong
scent, so | simply puzzle them more or
stuff them with new inventions. They
have all got one theory and they are
trying to fit facts. They have been in
here tonight with certain articles and
have said l did this at such place,
when l know very well that no such
occurrence ever happened.
THE DISGUISE CONFESSED.
They have traced me very well in
my first visit TO this city, because |
made no effort to cover my track. l
used the same name and the same dis
guise as French officer all through
from the time left st Louis to the
time boarded the Auckland steamer
and throughout the voyage. 1t came
to my mind on the train because the
people asked me questions and it was
amusement TO mystifify them and tell
them stories. This was the origin of
the French Captain and all his exploits.
1t was simply blind to preserve my
identity unsuspected, and to allow me
to reach the Colonies, which l thought
could be easily done before any news
OF the st Louis affair could reach
them. l didn't know that cable com.
munication was so perfect or that the
news could be possibly sent TO AUX
land before the steamer reached there.
"But what about the st Louis mys-
terry Can't you Give any details ?"
'All / can give you is an outline,
and that is more than any one else got
out of me- They brought in here to-
night General Clunie, a lawyer of this
city, who offered to get out habeas
corpus papers for me tomorrow and
who was eager to go Oh to st Louis
as my counsel. He may be square,
but it wouldn't do for me to trust a
stranger with my secrets. No, l pre-
fer TO wait till l get to st Louis before
engaging counsel Here is the gist of
the St Louis mystery which has puz.
zled the country for four months.
Preller and l were old friends. We
came to Boston from Liverpool togeth-
er on the steamer Cephalonia. We
were constant companions, and made
arrangements to meet at st Louis at
the Southern Hotel and there to carry
out scheme which Preller had devils.
ed for getting insurance on his life
We were in room 144, in the hotel, fol
about all the time we spent there, but,
mind you, Preller was at the hotel
only three days. He remained in Sc.
clusion for the remainder of the mys.
terry at the Southern Hotel, and he left
on the same day l started West.
"That wasn't Preller's body found
in the trunk at the hotel When the
case comes up for trial | shall have
proof of where the body found in the
trunk was procured, who it was bough,
of, at what hour it was brought to The
hotel and all the details of the plot.
can tell you now that the corpse was
brought to the hotel in a trunk in
broad daylight and was carried up to
room IA
HELPING AN OLD FRIEND