The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-20
THE MURDER OF PRELLER.
Testimony Showing the Relations of the Two
Men and Their Financial Condition.

Ter, was brought into the Criminal Court this
morning, at 10 o'clock, and waited patiently for
Judge Van Waggoner to dispose of unimportant
cases on the docket and call his own The pris-
oner maintains his quiet demeanor, and pro-
fesses great relief at having been allowed by his
attorneys to make a true statement of the man
ner in which Preler came to his death, and feels
confident that public opinion has already acquit-
ted him of intentional crime. All of the wit
nesses for the State were present in a body and
are kept under strict surveillance by the sheriff.
L. e. Hunt, present clerk Of .he Southern
Hotel, was the first witness of the morning and
his examination and cross examination con-
sumed the greater part of the morning. He
testified that he was cashier of the hotel at the
time of the murder. He identified the prisoner
as the man who. in April 1885, registered as
CIV. H. Lennox-Maxwell NJ. D." He identified
photograph as that of O. Arthur Preler, who
arrived at the house on April 8. His testimony
was repetition of the facts so we'll known. of
the intimacy of the two Englishmen, Maxwells
apparent lack of money the disappearance of
Preller, the departure of Brooks for San Fran
cisco. and the discovery of the body in the
trunk. During the cross examination the wit
ness admitted that he had no means of knowing
that the man who registered as G. Arthur Prel
Ter did not register that name alias. He
had gone to the morgue after Prellers body had
could not even state positively that the remains
were those of human being.
William Lyon, a porter at the Southern Hotel,
identified the trunks. hatboxes, ETC., found In
Prellers and Maxwells rooms, as those belong
ing to the two men; had seen them together
often; Brooks seemed to evince great desire to
become intimate with Preller; the two men
seemed always on the best of terms.
John Manyon, another porter, testified that
the zinc trunk in which the body was found was
nyxn Nav MALE hnrY uha. <hn laff
rived at the hotel; he assisted in carrying the
trunk down to the Office, and witnessed its open
ing. He described the position in which the
body was when the trunk was opened, the find
ing Of the paper pinned to the lid of the trunk,
reading, $50 die all traitors to the great cause
Warren, of Worcester, Mass testified that he
was acquainted with the prisoner and with Prel-
Ter; had met them on board the steamship Ceph
aionia had witnessed their Introduction to each
other; they seemed to become very intimate, but
the prisoner was the more demonstrative in his
efforts to strengthen the friendship; Maxwell
gave it to be understood that he was physician,
having graduated with honor from an English
medical college. He also professed to be an at
torney, and stated that he had been regularly
admitted to the bar. The prisoner had written
to the Witness after they had both arrived in the
United States, stating that he and Preller were
about to engage in the cattle business in Texas.
The witness had seen the remains found in the
trunk, and identified them as those of G. Arthur
Preller.
Reneck Brown, who had charge of the billiard
room at the Southern Hotel at the time Of the
murder was the first witness of the afternoon
session. He testified that he had known both
Preler and Maxwell; they played pool together
almost every afternoon; Preller, being iDexpe-
rienced, paid for most of the games and drinks,
and in doing exhibited money in large amour ts;
whenever Maxwell paid for anything it was gen.
orally with small change the former seemed al
WAYS to have plenty of money, the latter a
scarcity of the same.
Maggie Cuddy, a cnambermaid at the South
ern, next took the stand. She recognized the
prisoner as the occupant of room No. LA during
part Of the month of April, 1885; she was
shown photograph which she said was that of
Preller, whom she had often seen in the prison
er's room; she identified various articles found
among Prellers and Maxwelfs baggage; the
prisoner was late riser, md it waaiA o'clock
before she could get into his room to"attend to
her duties.
Henry Arlington, head waiter at the Southern
Hotel, next testified. He recognized the prisoner
as Dir. Maxwell; ne first met him on the I'd of
April, 1885, in the hotel dining room; next saw
him on Good Friday, when he and Preller were
at lunch; this was the first time he had seen
Preller; the witness here recognized a photo
graph of Preller; had talk with both at this
time, but particularly with Maxwell, who said
that he knew Manchester, England, well, and
had been house surgeon at the hospital there
He next saw Preller on Easter Sunday morning.
when he was at the piano in the parlor; Maxwell
was seated near by; he did not see Preller again.
but Maxwell about 1918 that night he
came into the ordinary, called for a wine card,
and ordered a small bottle of champagne; he was
little drunk; the wine was brought, but he only
slipped little of it, and told me 60 give the re-
mainder to the boys he then pulled out roll of
bank bills and, dropping it on the table, said,
Suppose a man was to murder somebody in
this country, and he had five or six hundred dol
lars. could he get off,
ssGood Godn I said 'tvou are in a civilized
country now. young man." from that he wan
dered off to his experience in the Turkish army;
said the Sultan had made pasha of him for
service in the field. He talked at random and
foolishly.. Finally he walked out, but stopped
at the dook. and. pulling out large pistol. said
isn't that daisy2" and added that he had
knocked several Russians on the head with that;
/ asked him where he and his friend were going;
he said his friend was away in the country, but
that he himself was going to the Cape; said he
would change his clothes for Western outfit,
and advised him to retain the suit he had on;
then he asked me to go out and have a good
time with him; ne said he didn't give damn
for spending $50 or $780, but / told him
that / was on watch, and couldn't get
away, and he left. The next time saw Max
we'll was on the Monday evening following. He
was in the ordinary drinking coffee l asked
him If he was going out to have that good time,
and looking up quickly he said no; that he was
called back to Turkey. and would have to leave.
He then left the ROOM and that was the last I
saw of him until he was brought back here
The cross examination of this witness elected
nothing, excepting that he stated that in his
testimony before the coroner he did not say any
thing about Maxwell asking him whether, if a
man should murder another in this country, he
could get off for $500 or $780, because he did not
at the time, remember the incident, but it was
recalled to his mind by one Of the walters after
ward, and he then recalled it.
ST. LOUIS, May 49, The grand jury at Belle
vile, ILL.,, to-day returned their report to the
Circuit Court, refusing to find true bills against
the deputy sheriffs who fired upon mob in
East st. Louis during the recent railroad strike
and killed six of their number. An order was
made for their release. and they departed for
their homes. 1t is said that the jury stood if
teen for DO indictment, while eight favored their