Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-11
pRELLER--MAxwELL

. Z I
PRELLER-MAxwELL.
of his mother and sister, and almost at
the same moment q dispatch was re-
ceived from Jefferson City announcing
that the governor had finally refused to
grant the days respite asked for. Both
the ladies and Maxwell had evidently
nerved themselves for the ordeal, for, al
though they were closeted for half
an hour no sounds of weeping. or sobbing
came from behind the closed door of the
cell. An the end of that period the door
was opened and the ladies emerged. As
they crossed the threshold they turned
back, and throwing their arms around
his neck gave him a parting kiss. He
rsturned the salutation but his eyes were
dry, although his frame shook like q man
with an alta ckof ague. As they reached
the iron door which would shut him
out of sight forever in this life,
the mother and sister looked back and
simultaneously burst into tears. Max
well heard the sobbing, but not a muscle
of his face moved, and turning tt the
table he nonchalantly picked up a cigar
cite, placed it in his mouth and struck n
match on the wall. Lawyer Martin, who
had just arrived from Jefferson City, was
the next visitor, and the two had q long
conversation. Maxwell earnestly thanked
the counsellor for all that he had done
il his behalf and babe him good
bye. He did little else than pace
up and down his cell until
supper time, when he ate rather spar
ingly of ham, eggs and steak. After the
meal he resumed his writing, aHd in the
course of a couple of hours he had fin
ished a dozen notes, which were enclosed
in neat envelopes and directed. He was
still writing at 10 o'clock, when Father
Than was admitted to the building.
Maxwell glanced upward as the man of
God entered his cell, and without a word
of greeting resumed his writing. An
other half hour passed until finally push
ing the paper from him he rested his ell
bows on the table, leaned his face on his
hands and entered into an earnest con-
v~ersaticn with his reverend visitor.
AS soon as the priest left his cell Max
well beckoned to the representative of the
United Press, whom he had met earlier
in the day and remarked that he was
aware that the organization represented
the leading journals of his native country,
and that he would like to send them a
dying message. Seating himself at a
table and Selling a pile of foolscap he
hastily dashed off the following:
ttTo the People of England:
"My English countrymen will doubt
less believe the great boasts that have
been To- and at all times made by the
American people in regard to the fair
| way in which they treat all people.
| am satisfied that you are not acquainted
with the unlawful, unjust and unfair
manner in which I have been treated,
since accustomed in England to see
] justice administered in the courts. An
examination of the record in my case
will show that the prosecutors reverted
to every unfaiy means in their power,
even to crime itself; for they procured a
check to be forged, had a man who pre-
sented 1T arrested and placed in jail.
Afterwards the prosecution placed him
on the witness stand to testify. His
evidence was a tissue of lies from one
end to the other. In fact, upon the wit
ness stand he said that hs would be a.
fail as he considered necessary, and tn.
l prosecution said in open court that he
had been paid S50 for said evidence
This is one specimen of the boosted
American Justice. This is only o n
of the means used by the prosecution,
\ ahdt % L AiuS SOulu give ntl1lUGTS U.
them. The trial has been denounced al
a trayesty and miscarriage of Justice b,
many of the leading lawyers here. w,
Fproved that one of the jurors said tina
he was going on the jury to convict
The British government interfered ant
their request for an inquiry was refuse,
by Governor Morehouse on the grount
that they had no right to do so, and the,
did not really intend to interfere, an,
upon the facts as to the prejudieial juro
being laid before the governor he salt
that fact did not amount to anything
So | am made to suffer the penalty of tn
law without having a fair trial, as i
guaranteed to every n by the stat
constitution. The prosecutor stated il
the papers that the governor ought t.
disregard the request of Great Britain
on the ground that l was an English
man, and Great Britain had not takel
any notice of the United States interior
ing in the case of O'Donnell at the cen
trail criminal court.
[Signedl "HUGH M. BRooKs.n
"City. Jail, st. Louis, midnight, Aug. ~
just as the unfortunate man reache,
the last line Father Than ~re-entered tn
cell and the door was closed for som
time. Upon teirg opened the reveren,
gentleman, who meanwhile had persuse,
and approved the document given above
hastily left the building, stopping lon,
enough to say that the condemned maj
had made his final confession. Tn
nature of this, Father Than added, h
was not at liberty under hi
solemn ows to disclose. Ono
more left alone with the death-watch
Maxwell buried himself in the perusal O
"Thomas a-Kempis," which he has rea
and re-read since his incarceration. Afte
he had turned q score Of pages, however
a weAried look settled on his face and h
threw it to one side. His next nave wa
to light another cigarette, and this az
complished he paced his narrow cell fo
fifteen minutes. 1t was now within
few moments of i o'clock, ard with tn
remark to the death.watch, 81 fet
sleepy he Invested himself of his QUITE
clothing, retaining his underwear, an
threw himself upon his cot. For q fe'
moments he moved YEARLY from side
Lside, but within a quarter Of i'm hour h
was sound asleep.
Shortly after 2 O'Clock Maxwell we
awake and restless. He arose and too
up q book. No trace of nervousness &