Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-16
MAXWELL HANGED.

minutes before nine O'Clock for the murder
of Charles Arthur Preller in April, 1855.
at the same time Henry Landgraf was
hanged for the murder of Annie Tesch in
March, 1885.
At 500 Sheriff Harrington, accompanied
by a deputy, entered the yard and the sheriff
entered Maxwell's cell, where he and Land
graf had been placed together, and an
nounced that the final moment had ar
rived.
Maxwell paled and pulled his fingers
nervously. His was the first death war
rant read, and he stood up and heard his
doom calmly though he was plainly grow
ing weaker all the time.
AS Maxwell passed through the inner
yard he walked firmly but slowly. There
was a wonderful change from the appa-
rently unconcerned man putting a CT garette
and the one en- route to his death. His
face looked pinched and drawn, of an ashy
hue, and his eyes were swollen.
He glanced about him piteously, his lips
twitching, and his appearance was calcu-
lated to awaken even the pity of those
who were convinced he ought to die.
Landgraf looked and moved like a log,
with a half smile and half sneer on his
face. There was no time lost in reaching
the scaffold which the condemned ascend
ed without assistance.
Father Than read prayers. Maxwell
was then asked if he had any thing to say,
and in an almost inaudible tone responded,
NO" Landgraf merely shook his head.
The black caps were being drawn when
Landgraf slipped backward but promptly
recovered.
While his arms were being pinioned
Maxwell bit his lower lip and gulped sew
eral times.
There was an awful look of despair on
fba
and his knees showed weakness. The
nooses were adjusted quickly, and at S:6e
the drop fell.
Landgraf was pronounced dead in eleven
and one-half minutes. Maxwell's struggle
continued for fourteen minutes, when he,
too, was pronounced dead by the attending
physicians.
Landgraf was cut down at 9:12E, Max
well at 9:I5. The bodies were removed to
the morgue Office and photographed, after
which the post norton was begun. It
was stated that the neck Of each man was
broken.
MAXwELL'S CRIME.
The crime for which Brooks alias Maxwell
was hanged was the killing OF Charles Arthur
Preller at the Southern Hotel. ST. Louis. April
6. 1885 Hugh Mottram Brooks. that is his true
name was born in the little village OF Hyde,
near Manchester, England, his father being
Samuel Norton Brooks. q schoolmaster, OF good
parental discipline and quiet life at Hyde, and
after twenty-three years under the distastetul
restraint, with only occasional glimpses OF tho
wider freedom he longed for. slipped away
from home to try life in America. His father
objected TO his venturing into the great new
world, and SO he got his trunks away by ste Ilth
and left the parental roof at night. He made
his way TO Liverpool, where he first met his
victim, Preller. and where he first changed
his name to Maxwell - Walter Horace
q
ton he fixed Charles Arthur Prel-
Ter was travelling man for London upholster-
ers-a man of means. refined tastes and luxu-
rious habits. He and Maxwell sailed together
from Liverpool on the steamer Cephalonia and
on the trip became fast friends. Arriving in
this country they separated, but continued to
correspond. Toward the end OF March, 1885,
the Hyde schoolmaster's son arrived at the
Southern Hotel in st. Louis, registered under
his assumed name and was assigned TO room
IA. Preller arrived shortly afterwards and the
two men. though they occupied separate rooms,
were continually together at meals, playing
pool IN the billiard room and lounging about
the corridors. They agreed 70 60 TO Australia
together, discussed the details OF the trip and
mapped out plans OF life together when they
should reach there.
On Sunday, April 6. they were seen together
in room IA by bell boy who was called there
by ring. w. K Ross, a travelling salesman,
WHO occupied the next room, heard water rum
ming No. IA that afternoon and several times
heard groans. Twice that day Brooks bought
chloroform OF druggist named Fernon. The
second time he was excited and impatient and
said that he had spilled that first purchased
That evening Brooks appeared in the dining
room excited and distra1ght, without his friend
He ordered bouEtiful dinner. but ate very lit
tie. To the head waiter he talked wildly, told
OF being in Turkey: said he killed man there
once with his revolver and asked IL one could
get on after killing man, for 600 why"
was the reply. this is a civilized country. They
hang murderers here"
Next dav Brooks bought a trunk. q handbag
and two straps. He went TO Hart Dufrs and
asked for a hat that would make him look like
q Yankee. saying his name was Tewhk and he
was ofhcer in the Turkish army. He got q
mouse-colored SLOUGH hat. He went TO a barber
shop and had his beard shaved on and his ap-
pearance otherwise altered. Here he said his
name was Maxwell and that he had taken part
in the Russo-Turxish war.
The Saturday previous Brooks had tried to
raise money on his watch and two Woodbury.
stereopticon lanterns. On this Monday morn
ing he had plenty OF money and after being
shaved he bought gold trimmed spectacles for
e. a pair OF field glasses for tZ5, a set OF mani
cure instruments for SIS, diamond ring for e25
and flute for S. He also purchased un-
limited nrst class ticket TO San Francisco for
GIG.
The fight to San Francisco, thence 10 New
Zealand, the discovery OF Prellers body in q
trunk the pursuit, capture, return and indict-
ment of the prisoner are already familiar facts
with the public.
A long trial followed, the details OF which
are familiar TO the reader.
A motion for z new trial was denied and a
fruitless appeal TO the State Supreme Court
was made. The United States Supreme Court
was then petitioned, also without effect. The
prisoners lawyers then began to work on Gov
ernor Morehouse and made strenuous Efforts to
enlist popular sympathy on behalf of their
client The Dingfelder episode was played for
all IL was worth, but the impression remained
in the public mind that however scaly a piece OF
work the prosecution had been guilty Of the
evidence was too strong otherwise that Brooks
had been guilty Of dastardly crime in the
murder and robbery OF q fellow countryman who
had befriended him in a strange land
LASDGRAF'6 CRIME
Henry Landgraf suffered the death penalty
for a crime committed on the night OF March 8