Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-11
THE FATAL CORD.
Two Noted Murderers Paw
the Dire Penalty.
THE DUAL HANGING AT ST. LOUIS.
Maxwell Weakens and Cuts Pitiable
Spectacle on the GallOws-Land-
graf Dies Easy.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD. |
ST. LOUIS, August 10.-A few minutes
before l A. NJ, Maxwell fell asleep and
slept peacefully as child until 80 A.
NJ, when he turned over in bed and
groaned, and from that time on his sleep
was restless and broken. He had left
orders to be awakened at A. NJ. Prior
to retiring he said if he could retain his
wits to the last he would die bravely, but
he could not tell what he would do on
the scaffold, however, until he got there.
A postponement of the execution for two
hours was made by the Sheriff at the
request of Maxwell's attorneys, who
hoped against hope for British interfer-
ence. The announcement was made to
Maxwell and Landgraf at 6 o'clock.
Maxwell was nervous, pallid and ill-at-
ease in the last hour. He ate sparingly
at breakfast and shortly after 5 O'Clock,
having dressed himself in an entire new
suit, partook of the Holy Communion.
Landgraft remained cool and collected
throughout the right, ate hearty break
fast and received the Sacraments soon
after Brooks had done so.
Maxwell's attorneys waited till the last
in the hope of receiving a dispatch from
the British Government which would in
duce a further delay of proceedings.
Maxwell received the news of two hours
postponement, from to 9 o'clock,
calmly, though an expression of great
relief was plainly visible on his features.
Landgraf paid no attention to it my way.
WITNESSES OF THE EXECUTION
The crowds on the housetops sur
rounding the Jail yard where the execu-
tion was to take place, remained patient
ly in their elevated positions from 5 A..
NJ, until the honr of execution. The
view was clear and unobstructed from
the roofs of dozens of buildings in the
vicinity, and hundreds of people took
advantage of the same. The number of
spectators admitted to the Jail was un-
usually small. For the first time in the
history of st. Louis Four Courts, tele-
graph instruments were placed in the
building by the Associated Press for the
prompt transmission of the news to the
public, unusual interest being manifested
in the execution.
The crime for which Henry Landgraf
suffered the death penalty, was commit
ted on the night of March 5, 1885. The
victim was his sweetheart, Annie Fisch,
beautiful girl of less than IS years.
Jealousy prompted the deed.
MAXwELL's CRIME.
The crime for which Hugh M. Brooks,
alias Maxwell, paid the extreme penalty
of the law this morning was the murder
of Charles Arthur Preller, at the South
ern Hotel, this city, April 6, 1885. The
acquaintance between the two men began
at Liverpool, England, when both were
on the way to this country. Arrived on
this side they separated at Boston,
Brooks coming to st. Louis, and register
ing as Walter Horace Lennox Maxwell.
A few days later Preller arrived, and the
two were thereafter almost constantly to-
gether. Preller was last seen alive Sun
day afternoon, April 9th, in Maxwell's
room by the bell boy. Twice that day
Maxwell purchased large quantity OF
chloroform at a drug store near by, tell
ing the druggist he was using it in an ex-
pertinent. Next day Maxwell made a
number of purchases at various places,
spending money very freely, although
before he had not appeared to have an
abundance of cash. Among his pur-
chases was ticket to San Francisco. He
left that night over the st. Louis and
San Francisco road. Nothing was
thought of his sudden departure until the
14th of April.
THE CELEBRATED TRUNK MYSTERY.
For several days prior to that date the
chambermaids noticed an unpleasant
odor coming from room 144, and con-
nected it with Maxwell's trunks. On the
l4th the smell became so pronounced
that the trunks were removed to a lower
room and opened. A body was found
which proved to be Preller's. On the
breast of the body cross had been cut.
and on the inside of the trunk was a card
which bore the inscription: $50 perish
all traitors to the great cause" 1t was
an easy matter to trace Maxwell. In
San Francisco he represented himself as
I. S. Daughter, French army officer.
Sunday, April 10Th, he sailed for New
Zealand in the steamer Sydney. The
detectives were close on his track. and
when the steamer arrived at Auckland
he was arrested and returned to St.
Louis. The defense made at the trial
was that the death of Preler was acci-
dental, Maxwell having administered
chloroform to him, preliminary to an
operation he was about to perform. He
fled because he presumed he would not
be permitted to testify on his own be-
half. The most damaging testimony
against him was that Of Detective Ding
fielder, who became his cell-mate and
confident, and secured a confession of
the crime. Maxwell was found guilty.
and sentenced to be hanged. The history
OF the many subsequent efforts to secure
a Lew trial or commutation OF sentence
are still fresh in the public mind.
THE PROCESSION TO THE sCAFFoLD.
At s o'clock a telegram was received
from Jefferson City, saying that the Gov
ernor had received another dispatch from
the British Minister, Mr.. West, in
Brooks behalf, but he declined to change
his decision. At As A. NJ. the Sheriff
entered the cell where Maxwell and
Landgraf had been placed together. and
read the death warrants. Maxwell paled
perceptibly and showed evidences OF in
creasing weakness, and as his arms we're
being pinioned he bit his lips and gulped
several times. Landgraf remained
stolid. The procession to the scaffold
was formed with the Sheriff and depu-
ties in front, followed by the Condemned
men, with priest between them: then
police, then reporters and witnesses. AS
IL. al