The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-08-16
Maxwell Hanged in the st. Louis
Jail Yard.
He Goes to the Gallows Pale and
Trembling Every Limb.
A Brief Review of the Revolving
Crime for Which BE Died.
Henry Landgraff Ends His Career on
the Same ScafFold.

I
which were new from the skin out, the
outer garments being of plain black,
with neatly fitting Prince Albert
coat. AT Sis Father Than arrived
and entered the cell, the door of which
was closed, and those within the jail
moved away to give all the privacy
possible. Father Than then admins
tered communion to the condemned.
at the conclusion of the religious ser
vices in Maxwell's cell like Offices were
accorded Henry Landgraff by
Father Than. Landgraff had occu-
pied his cot the greater part of the
night alter 1870 and appeared cool
and collected. Landgraff and Max
well sat down to their final meal,
which had been prep AIRED by the jailer's
wife. Each was served with like dish
es and the breakfast consisted of fried
oysters, fried eggs, hot biscuits and
pancakes, with jelly, bread, butter and
coffee. Landgraff ate heartily, while
Maxwell partOok of the repast quite
Sparingly. AS he sat at the table it
was plain to see that all of his assumed
Indifference had departed and his face
was blanched, while a troubled, hunted
look had taken possession of his keen
eyes. He was evidently growing
weaker and had lost all hope of staying
the executioner's hand. Landgraf
/ maintained the same old Stoiid look.
AT sos Sheriff Harrington arrived at
the jail and announced that the execu-
tion had been postponed two hours.
AT $40 Sheriff Harrington, accom-
panied by a deputy, entered the yard
and the sheriff entered Maxwell's cell,
where he and Landgraff had been
placed together, and announced that
the final moment had arrived. Max
| well paled and pulled his fingers ner
vousiy. His was the first death war
rant read and he stood up and heard
his doom calmly, though lie was plain
ly growing weaker all the time. While
his arms were being pinioned Maxwell
bit his lower lip and gulped several
times. Landgratf received the war
rant and pinioning as steady as any
man could. The procession to the
scaffold was then formed, father Ii
han walking between Maxwell and
Landgraff, preceded by Sheriff Har-
ington and deputies and followed by
the police, reporters and witnesses. As
Maxwell passed through the inner
ward he walked firmly but slowly.
There was wonderful change from
the apparently uncOncerned man puff
|
death. His face looked pinched and
drawn, of an ashy hue, and his eyes
were swollen. He glanced about him
hopeleSSly. his lips tWitching and his
appearance was calculated to awaken
even the pity of those who were con-
WINGED he ought to die.
Landgraff looked and moved like log,
with half smile and half sheer on
} his face.
There was no time lost in making a
scaffold which the condemned assembled
: without assistance. Maxwell was
placed under the moose next . tC
: Twelfth street. Father Than read
prayers. Maxwell was then asked if
he had any thing to say and in ar
almost inaudible tone responded mo. ,
Landgraf merely. shook his head.
} The black caps were being drawn
, down down when Landgrafi
stepped backward but promptly recov-
cred. There was an awful look of dis
pair on Maxwell's face as the cap hiC
it from view and his knees showed
!. weakness.
The nooses were adjusted quickly
5 and at S:56 the drop fell. Landgraf
never moved nor did muscle twitch
Not so with Maxwell. When he fel
his breast heaved convulsively and hi
limbs were drawn upward, while thu
spectators were shocked by stream o
blood pouring down the right breast o
i his coat, which was afterwards foun,
y TO have been caused by a cut on tn
}, nose inflicted by the rope in some mys
n FERROUS way. Landgraff was pro
nounced dead in eleven and One-hal
4 minutes.
Maxwell's struggles continued 70
. fourteen minutes, when he, too, wa
n pronounced dead by the attending ply
= sicians. Landgraff was cut down d
n 9:124 and Maxwell at 9:15. The bodie
were removed to the morgue Office an
photographed, after which the pos
norton was commenced. 1t wa
"a stated by the physicians that the nee
of each man WAS broken.
- The crime for which Hugh NJ. Brool
oC alias Maxwell paid the penalty of til
J. his friend, Charles Arthur Preller,
81 room No. 144 Southern hotel, April
III 1885. The acquaintance between Ma
10 well, as he is best known, and Prellt
q was formed in Liverpool, Englan
u early in 1885. Maxwell had left b
his home in Hyde against the wishes
his parents and came to America. L
met Preller in Liverpool and they can
across the ocean on the steamer Ceph
in lOnia. Later they became fast friend
ce Preller was a refined gentleman
~. means. The friends separated in BO
" ton, and in the latter part of Marc
.e, 1885, Maxwell arrived at the Southel
Us Preller arrived, and although occup
he ing different rooms, they spent the
'Ss waking hours together. A bell b
was called to room No.
and saw the two friends the,
Monday night Maxwell left St. Lou
= west bound. The trip to San Franc
mt CO was such as to blaze the way for
/ -. ~
spicuouS that he was remembered
zen all. On Saturday, April ii, Maxwell
III rived in San Francisco. Sunday, Al
OH II. he sailed for New Zealand In
Ieo steamer Sidney, as steerage pass
lis ger. For several days previous
April IA the chamber maids at
Southern hotel had detected an
pleasant ordor coming from room /
ces On that day the odor became so 2
ria, nounced that the room was opened q
rty- the trunk, which seemed connec
the with the stencil, was taken do
hill stairs. A trunk maker was called q
The broke the lock and the lid was sprI
md up by the knees of a man. Cramn
'ev into that trunk was a putrid body
most unacceptable. Not until al
the body had been taken TO the NOR
and several day IS treatment given CO
+ba it be decided whether it was MaxwC
or Preller's body. Finally, howe
gan the remains were identified as thos
yes the latter. On the breast of the b
NAL was cross cut, and on the inside
the the trunk caro- bore the Inserlpt
s of 80 perish all traitors to the q
tax cause. -
rgt,. 1t was an easy matter to trace \
wen, and when the Sidney anchore
Auckland harbor he was placed III
the arrest untiI uesectlYes tracy
mile Ma4waiI ha@an hi Sis 1eosai fhF Pl
aura with the last of the 81 .60O :
the which he left st. Louis. On JULY
the the detectives set sail for home
of a irving in st. Louis on August Is.
d. until then did he admit that his
name was Brooks. He was indil
waived preliminary hearing, and
ines, put on trial in May, 1885, in the I
antic MAJ court. Inc motive for