The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-25
BY Producing Detective Who Spent Seven
Weeks in Jail with the Prisoner and Sc
cured the True Story of Prellers Death.
A Startling, Thrilling and Intensely
Dramatic Scene in the COURTROOM.
The Prisoner Quails in the Face of the New
Danger, but Regains His COmposure Very
Quickly-Maxwelrs Story of the killing.
A SENSATION IN COURT.
One of the Most Complete and Effective Sur.
prises Ever Witnessed.

A SENSATION IN COURT.
One Of the Most Complete and Effective Sur.
prises Ever Witnessed.
ST. Louis, May "a The prosecution uncov.
cred an ambush on the defense in the Maxwell
trial to-day. 1t was like the explosion of bomb
at mans feet The smooth current of unim-
portant testimony was broken by sensation
just after the midday hour both startling and
thrilling, not alone to the audience, but to the
defendant and his counsel. For the first time
Maxwell may be said to have covered. He stood
the dragging out of the stained trunk in which
the body decomposed, and scarcely quivered at the
sight; threw aside, with flippant nonchalance the
bundle of clothing that had been cut from Prel
ler's corpse; no viewed with scarcely percepti
BILE quickening of respiration the disclosing OF
his own drawers, found on the rotting body of
the dead man. AL of these things were like
twice told tales, and none of them moved him.
But when detective Mccullough stepped quietly
out of the rear room and stood facing the an
suspecting throng, there was one man in the
court to whom the sight of the witness came like
thunderbot. That man was Maxwell. He
fairly shrank and covered at the first glance
1t was only, however, for an instant
The change in his aspect. the paling OF
his face and the conservation depicted in
his countenance were noticed by only few
in his immediate neighborhood. 1t was momen
tary. With marvellous self-control. or lack OF
genuine feeling, the prisoner was again the rest
less spectator. There was one change though
and this was that the interest of Maxwell in the
trial was redoubled, and more than ever sncs the
beginning of the case he was in continual close
consultation with one or the other of his attor
neys. AS the witness proceeded, after few
opening questions to give Maxwells confession
to him in Jail, the audience was breathless
with attention, and when Attorney Fauntleroy Of
fered his objection to the testimony and followed
it with his scathing denunciation of the man and
his methods, the auditorium and bar, the door
ways and aisles were quickly allied with eager
faces. It was the promised sensation. Men
stood upon the window-sills now, and the radiat
ors, too, but they were very quet, and The
deathly quiet of the room was not broken by ths
rap of the deputy's gavel. The witness kept VI
little forward and backward teeter of his chair
His face flushed and blanched slightly whei
Fauntleroy was questioning him as to his char
acter. 1t was terribly earnest moment for the
prisoner, too. He wiped the perspiration from
his palms with a nervous gesture. His face
was pallid. He hitched his chair nervously
and interlocked his fingers but his eyes never
left the face of the witness, who was giving his
testimony in trembling voice and with averted
gaze. AS the detective proceeded the voice grew
steadier but the uneasy manner was still with
him. He betrayed more embarrassment than
the prisoner. The defendants attorneys con-
suited frequently in whispers. The witness was
manifestly surprise to the defense. He was a
surprise to the audience, and more significantly
to the jury. Their apathy was gone, and from
that moment they gave the strictest attention to
every word that was uttered by either the wit
ness or the counsel.
John F. Mccullough, the witness who created
a sensation in the Maxwell trial to day. was ar
rested at the Mechanics Bank, on Feb &c, while
trying to pass check for 81, 1S0 r. which was
drawn in favor of John F. Morris, and had the
name of DR.. Smith, treasurer of the Gould rail-
road system, signed to it. While be was in the
bank, detective Furlong came in with a check
he desired to pass. his presence at the time being
supposed to have been purely accidental The
and as the signature was totally unlike DR..
Smiths, Mr.. Hutchinson, the cashier of the
bank, Immediately detected forgery. Shaking
with excitement he told Furlong of his discov-
cry, and the latter attempted to arrest McCul-
Tough. A scuffie ensued, but Furlong bagged his
man, and brought him to his Office. He then
sent w. f. Phillips one of his operatives. to
swear to information for warrant against him.
This he did. and returned with deputy sheriff,
who placed Mccullough under arrest and
lodged him in Jail. Dingfelder was given
a preliminary examination, rernanded and
locked up in jail for forty seven days, when he
gave bond in the sum of $1,000, with ex-Judge
Laughln as security. Then he jumped his bond
and went to New York. An indictment re-
turned against him by tho grand jury, Cashier
Hutchinson, of the Mechanics Bank. and two
clerks in the emx1JSof DR.. Smith being the wit
nesses against him. The State officers say that
Mother Phillips nor any of the other witnesses
who appeared before the grand jury knew who
Mccullough really was all supposng he was
forger. Even DIR. Smith himself was not let into
the scheme, and believed Mccullough, or Frank
Dinefelder, as he known to them, to have
committed forgery. The case against Ding
fielder is still pending in the Criminal Court He
SAYS that from New York he wrote Maxwell
under the name of John F. Mahon, concerning
two witnesses he had secured who would testify
that Maxwell had money when he left Boston.
He further insists that both Nj. Martin and Mr.
Fauntleroy wrote him replies to these letters
wanting to make appointments with the men
who were to do the swearing, but Mr. Clover
would not let him carry the matter any further
and told him he must NOT meet the attorneys.I