Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-05-28
THE ST. LOUIS MURDER.
The Story Told by Maxwell to a
Detective.

shortly after Preller's body had been
discovered, the personal effects found
in the trunks left at the hotel by Max
well, and found among other things a
copy of Cooper's Physicians Wade
Mecum. The book was marked on
page twelve, which describes Clover's
method for the administration Of
3hloroform. Witness also found bot
tie containing chloroform among Max
wells abandoned effects.
j. McCulloch, detective, followed
Mr.. Bishop on the stand. He
said he had been detective
for five years and has lived in the
United States, belonging to Pinkerton's
force in New York for three years and
A. L. Drummond's United States
secret service in New York. He was
doing United States work for Drum
mond, who was his uncle. He was
last employed by Wanemaker & Brown,
proprietors of large drygoods house
in Philadelphia. He was employed as
a detective in the store, having charge
of eighteen men. This witness, by
orders from the detective agency was,
arrested on charge Of forgery, and
sent to Jail. and was placed where he
could communicate with the accused.
Witness started to marriage conversa-
ton with the prisoner, but Mr.. Faunt-
leroy, OF counsel for the defense, OBJ
jected to witness. He said he
was a liar and an imposter by
his own testimony. This man had put
himself in the position of a criminal,
had had himself held by the court, bad
gone before the grand jury under a
charge of forgery, and had gone to
Jail.
Mr.. FauntIeroy scored the prosecu.
tion for using the courts of justice for
such an infamous scheme, and said the
witness should be thrown out as a dis
grace to the court. The witness, who
was also scored unmercifully, took it
cody.
Mr.. Fauntleroy, when his objection
was overruled. contended that he
should ask certain questions of the
witness.
The court told him he could ask
Chem and the court would pass on
them. A squabble took place between
Mr.. Mcdonald, of prosecution, and
Mr.. Fauntlery, in which Mr.. Mcdonald
said if MT. Fauntleroy did not shut up
he would make statement which
would shut him up.
Mr.. Fauntleroy asked series of
questions; all of which were objected
TO and the objections sustained.
Mr.. Mcdonald, to the witnes,-Did
you make any threats or offer any in
ducements to secure these statements
from the prisoner?
No sir. The statements were made
voluntarily about ten days after went
into jGl. He talked to me about these
people here and said they were not fly
and had tried to break him down. That
the chief of police had taken
him into his Office and had given
him whisky, and when he thought
he WAS drunk, showed him a picture of
Preller taken after he was dead, and
asked him if he knew him. Max xwell
said no, and said he would be fool to
tell him he did know him. He said if
he had a witness who could testify
right he could beat the State. | asked
him how. He said If l could get a
witness who conld testify that he had
so much money in Boston, he could
get free. l asked him how much
money, and he said $500 or $500. l
told him / would try and get some of
my people to do him this favor to
testify for him, and l asked
him to tell me about his case. He told
me when he met Prtlier and what he
wanted done in the case. The de
fendant said he first met Preller in
Liverpool and wanted Preller to go to
fancy ball, but he refused to go,
because it was fast. Afterwards he
said be met Preller about three days
out from Boston. He said he left
England to avoid testifying in a case.
Met Preller on the steamer that arrived
in Boston, February 81, and took
rooms at Young's hotel. Several days
afterward he { Maxwell) went to 1,508
Washington street to board, and
Preller stayed at Young's two
weeks. Preller went to Canada
then and he remained in Boston at
1903 Washington street, eating at
Murphy's saloon. He said he bought
a ticket in Pullman coach and left
Boston on the last Saturday in March,
and went around by Canada. His
ticket cost $21. He arrived in St.
Louis Monday and registered a. the
Southern. lie asked about telegram
Of the clerk. The clerk said one had
been received, asking il he had arrived.
He answered it. This was on Monday.
On Friday Preller arrived. They had
a talk about going to Auckland. Max
well was anxious that Preller should
go to Auckland. Maxwell said
Preller told him he had only
enough money to see himself
through on the trip. He said he meant
on account of his meanness to fix him
on Sunday. He said Preller was in his
(Maxwell's) room and complained of
pains. Maxwell told him he could
remedy it by usingRa hyperdermic syr-
inge and agreed that he should try it.
n.ailar ho oafl tooir off hia aoaF ona