Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-05-20
&eading.
THE ST. LOUIS TRAGEDY.

defence mas QOC Deell ueNelOpcu, pul I'D
believed that it will be, first, a general de-
NAL of all allegations second, an attempt to
break down the States case by cross-eXam-
nation third, a reliance upon the theory
of a reasonable" doubt fourth, to combat
the evidence as to the identity of the body
found in the trunk in the Southern Hotel;
fifth to muddle and mystify the jury so that
a conscientious mar cannot decide what to
do with the case. The circuit attorney says
he will be able to PROVE beyond all doubt
that the body was that of Preller.
The volatile Maxwell is as cheerful as
ever, but he will not I'VE about his
case beyond expressing a firm belief that
he will be acquitted.
On January 10, 1885, Hugh NJ. Brooks, a
young solicitor of Stockport, Cheshire, Eng
land, decamped from his home, taking with
him sundry borrowed articles, among which
a %stereopticon belonging to Mr.. Side
botham. On February 3 Brooks was a pas
senger on the steamer Cephdlonio, bound
for America, having embarked at Liverpool.
On the steamer he met c. Arthur Preller, a
travelling salesman for the firm OF D.. b.
Dixon & Co., Bradford, who was coming to
the United States in the interest of his en-
ployers. Preller was aesthetic in his tastes,
a lover of music, deeply imbued with re-
ligious feeling, and in a small way a reform
err of depravedhuman nature. The acqualn-
lance thus a%ccidently formed on board ship
Maxwell cultivated assiduously, and when
the pair landed in New York, on February
81, they were intimate friends. Brooks
represented himself to Preller as a physi-
clan, and gave his name as w. H. Len
noX Maxwell. From New York they went
to Boston, where they were for some time
together. 1t was at this time that Maxwell
began looking for a dead body and flirting
with the young ladies in Mrs. Cooks board
ing-house on Washington street.
Business called Preller to Philadelphia,
but the young men correspondent every day.
Maxwell always addressed Preller as "My
dear Arthur" and gave him the history of
each day. He talked learnedly of the cases
he was treating, discoursed p~hilosophically
on the violation of natures laws, and
thought a trip to Australia would about suit
him. At this time he was in sore need OF
funds. He wanted to dispose of his bicycle
very much, and the stereopticon was tor
sale at a low figure. In the latter part OF
March he left Boston and went to New
York, and from that city he went to st.
Louis, arriving on March 81, and register
ing at the Southern Hotel.
Preller had meanwhile made a business
tour, visiting New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Buffalo and Toronto. While
stopping at the Gossin House in Toronto he
became acquainted with a Photographic
artist named Frazer. The latter took par
ticular notice of Preller, and is one of the
witnesses on whom the State will rely to
prove that the body in the trunk and the
man he met in the hotel at Toronto
are the same person. Preller was next
heard of in Cincinnati and on Apri! 3 he
in st. Louis, registered at the Southern
Hotel, and was assigned to a room. Max
we'll was waiting for him and the pair
were together until separated by the muir
der.
Maxwell's baggage, when it arrived, con-
sisted of a heavy zinc trunk, a canvas-cov-
cred trunk and a couple of hand satchels.
Preller had several sample trunks and
valises. They played billiards together,
frequented each others rooms, and appear
ed unusually friendly. On Sunday, April
5, Maxwell purchased chloroform on a
prescription written by himself. On Mon
day morning he bought a new trunk at
Bieger's trunk store. The same day he
bought a field glass at Aloe's, a hat at Hart
& Duff's, and a ticket to San Francisco
made out in the name of H. NJ. Brooks.
He also spent considerable money in other
ways. That night he took his canvas-cov-
cred trunk, a hat box and a satchel and
left the hotel, saying that his friend Prel-
Ter was out in the country and he would
be back ina few days.
On Tuesday, April II, the odor in room
IA caused an investigation. There were
two trunks in the room, the uncovered
trunk and the one purchased from BIGGER.
The st. Louis trunk was on top of the other.
When the uncovered trunk was opened a
dead body, dressed only in a pair of draw-
ers, was found in it, with the notice, $50
perish all traitors to the great cause" at
tached to it.
Immediately inquiry was made for w.
H. Lennox Maxwell, the man who had oc-
cupied the ROOM. He was traced to the San
Francisco depot all across the continent.
During his journey across the plains he had
gone by the names Of Percy Read TeWfik
and J. G.. d. Auquer, under which name he
registered at the Palace Hotel on April II.
The next day he bought a steerage ticket
for Auckland, on the steamer city Of Sidney,
and on April 81, Chief Harrigan sent a ca
ble-gram to Consul Gable, at Auckland, or
dering the arrest of Maxwell for murder.
The steamer arrived on May 5, and Maxwell
was arrested and committed to the Auck-
land Jail. On April 25 the %extradition pa
pers were made out, and on JuneG Detect
ives Tracy and Badger left for Auckland
with the eXtradition papers. The prisoner
was turned over to them, and on the Dist of
July they sailed for home on the Zehandio,
arriving in San Francisco on August 10 and
in st. Louis on August 1G.
The other end of the case had been mean
while worked up. Preller did not return
from the country. 1t was found that the
drawers on the body were marked II. NJ.
Brooks, and that a black mustache had re-
Gently been cut off. Photographs of the
face were taken and sent to Preller's friends.
1t was found that the left hand of the body
had a scar which tailed with one that Prel-
Ter had received but a short time before in
a New York barber shop. Then came the
photographer Frazer, who positively identi-
fed the body as that of Preller.
Among Maxwell's effects was a small