The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-27
THE MAXWELL TRIAL.


Evidence Showing the Identity of PreIler's
Body and Fastening the Crime Max
well.
ST. LOUIS, May 22.-ln the Maxwell case
yesterday 7. A. Frazer. of Canada, a por-
trait painter and sculptor, said that he had
met PreIler in Toronto a year ago last Feb
ruary, and he described Preller as he knew
him. Then he exhibited portrait which
had been painted by the witness and had
been pronounced an excellent likeness. He
had been shown by Mcdonald. of the prose-
cutiOn, during the latter's visit 10 Toronto,
a post norton photograph of Prefers body
and he baC made a portrait from il. Wit
ness described his visit TO ST Louis after
the murder. He had visited the cemetery
and had seen Preler's body exhumed aid
recognized it without doubt as that OF &.
Arthur Preller. Witness identified two
different photographs of Prpler.
The crOss-examinatiOn failed to confuse
the witness and as he stepped down from
the stand it was evident the jurors and
spectators alike entertained no doubts as TO
the identity of the body found in the trunk.
Detective Tracy who traced Maxwell 10
San Francisco aud brought him back to this
city from Auckland, New Zealand intro
duced in court several articles of clothing
marked &C. A. p, including shirt COW
cred with blood and badly torn or cut sup
posed TO be that which Maxwell removed
from Preller's body Immediately after the
murder. During the passage from Auck-
land Maxwell told him lie had purchased
these things from man in San Francisco
named Robinson.
The witness described incidents of the re-
turn passage and repeated conversations
which lie had had with the prisoner. Dur
ing one of the latter lie asked Maxwell how
much money he had. Just previous to his
departure from st. Louis on his way to San
Francisco. he replied he had had about
$1,000, but had spent great deal of it on
the trip and in San Francisco. When asked
what had become of the remainder he re-
ferred him to his lawyers. In regard TO
Maxwelfs acquaintance with Preller he
told witness that he had met him (Preller)
in Liverpool and had seen him last in Bos-
ton. The remainder of the witness testi-
mony developed nothing new.
ST. Louis, Nav 24.-When Maxwell was
led into the criminal court Saturday morn
ing the room was Internationally crowded,
every available inch OF space being Occu-
pied. About fifty of the spectators were
women. The criminal, distinguished by
so much attention, looked little worried,
as if the mental strain was telling on him.
He talked to everybody who was willing TO
talk to him and did not consult with his at
tOrneys, who seldom consulted him in any
way.
j. J. Ryan. superintendent of the morgue
to which Prellcr's dead body was taken,
was the first witness. He described the
trunk and the exact position OF the
body in it when he saw it. The body was
very badly swollen and was almost biac..
from decomposition. The only clothing OH
the body was a pair of drawers marked
Nv. ii. Brooks There We're superficial
cuts, skin deep, on the body and breast.
On the inside of the trunk lid was piece
of paper bearing the words, so perish all
traitors TO the great cause"
The witness had the liver and lungs re-
moved from the body and taken To a
chemist, who examined them. He also had
the body embalmed, which reduced the
swelling and diScoIOratiOn. Witness had
seen the body eXhumed. He thought that
it was i'm excellent condition considering
the length of time TIL. it had been inferred.
The cross examination developed the TACT
that the witness when the body mad first
been brought to the morgue had it marked
surrounding cOrpSeS of negroes.
Several other witnesses were examined |
but gave no new testimony.
Prof. King testified that he had chemic /
ally examined the lungs and viscera, which /
were brought to him from the mOrgue, |
which We're said to be those of Preller. He |
had found iii them the presence of chIOro- /
form. The witness described the process /
of the test for ch!OrOfOrm. He stated that |
he had experimental OH various animals by !
killing them with the drug, and upon eX-
aiming their lungs found their condition /
to be almost precisely similar to those sub
mitted to him by the superintendent of the |
mOrgue.
Wisehospn, an expert, testified that the .
letters from the prisoner TO PreIler and Mr..
Warren, of Worcester Mass, and the words /
upon the sip of paper found on the lid of
the trunk reading: $50 perish all traitors
10 the great cause" were written by the
same hand.