The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-11
History of Maxwelps Crime.


ST. LOUIS, Aug. 10.-The crime for which
Hugh N. Brooks. alias Maxwell, paid the OK.
treme penalty of the law this morning. was the
murder Of his friend. Charles Arthur Preller, in
room No. IA of the Southern Hotel. Sunday,
April 6. 1885. The acquaintance between Msx-
well, as he is best known, and Preller, was
formed in Liverpool, England. Early in 1885
Maxwell had left his home in Hyde, against the
wishes of bis parents, and come to America. He
had no funds to speak of. but relied upon q
smatterine of science, law, general
aud q large amount Of assurance. He met
Preller in Liverpool and they came across the
ocean on the steamer Cephalonia. Later they
became fast friends. He told reckless tales Of
and the estate had settled badly for
mis- pocket-book. Prellsr was a refined gentle
man Of means. The friends separated in Boston,
and in the latter part of March. 1885. Maxwell
arrived at the Southern Hotel in St. Louis. A
few days later Preller arrived, and, though oc-
%eupyine different rooms, they spent their wax
they were seen together in Room l44. Thataft-
ernoon a bell boy. called to the room. saw the two
friends there. W.. h. Ross. travelling salesman,
heard water run and heard repeated eroans.
Maxwell had formed the acquaintance of a drug
SAStf ~ vs. LOAuOWs 4WNO tAob ddN 10 PuE-
chased chloroform. The second time he was
excited. aud would not brook delay.
saying he had spilled the first.
That night Maxwell appeared in the
dining room without his friend. He ate little,
and was very nervous. The next morning q por-
ter was sent to Room IA to take down Max
wells trunks. There were two trunks, and
goods were scattered about the room, and as
Maxwell was not there the porter went away.
Maxwell made q nun Der of purchases at various
nlaooo cnanIf-1 froalr har ho hA1 nrovi
ousIy endeavored to negotiate loans. He bought
a ticket for San Francisco. On Monday night
he left St Louis, west-bound. The trip to San
Francisco was such as to blaze the way for the
detectives. he making himself SO consp icuous
that he was remembered by all who saw him.
On Saturday, April III. Maxwell arrived 10 San
Francisco. Sunday, April II, he sailed for New
Zealand in the steamer Sydney as a steerage
passenger. For several days prior to April
IA. chambermaids at the Southern Hotel
had detected an unpleasant ojor coming
from room No. IA On that day the odor be-
came so pronounced that the room was entered,
and q trunk, which some connected with the
stencil. was taken down stairs. A trunk-maker
was called and broke the lock, and the cover
sprang up. followed by the knees Of q man.
Cramme into the trunk was q putrid body,
shrunken and distorted, not q feature recognize
BILE. Not until after the body had been taken to
the moreue and several days of treatment given
could 1t be decided whether 1T was the body OF
Maxwell or ~Preller. Finally, however, the re-
mains were identified as those of the latter. On
the breast of the body was a cross cut. and on
the inside OF the trunk q card bore the inscrip-
tion: $50 perish all traitors to the great cause. !"
1t was an easy matter to trace Maxwell. and
when the Sydney anchored In Auckland haroor
he was placed under arrest until detectives
Tracy and Badger arrived with extrAdition ps-
pers. Maxwell began his legal fight there, be-
ing defended by W.. j. Napier. to whom he paid
% sovereigns, the last of the 81. 900 with which
he left ST Louis. On July 81 the detectives set
sail for home, arriving 10 St Louis on Aug. ID.
Not until then did he admit that his true name
nary hearing and was put on trial May i, 1886,
in the Criminal Court. The motive for the
crime was shown in Maxwell having taken
Preller's money. over $500. and a lot of his wear
ing apparel and personal effects. but the clinch-
ing testimony was that of John F. Me-
Culloueh, a detective, who. under
the name of Frank Dingfelder. had
been jailed with Maxwell, as a forger, and from
him secured a confession Of the crime. Max
wells defense was that the death of Preller was
accidental. He had administered the chlorotorm
to opera on Preller for structure. He fled be-
cause ne presumed he would not be permitted to
testify in bis own behalf, that being the law in
England. He was found guilty of murder and
sentenced to be hanged. A new trial was
sought on the ground that a juror had expressed
himself in favor of conviction before the trial.
The motion was denied. An appeal to the Su-
preme Court resulted in affirmation OF the lower
courts judgment, though the detective episode
was censured, and one OF the judges. Sherwood,
dissented. Application was then made to Justice
Miller, of the United States Supreme Court, for
q new trial on error, which was granted,
and the execution set for Aug. &c. 1887, was in
definitely stayed. Later the matter was dis
missed by the Supreme Bench holding there
was nothing to show that Maxwell had not had
a fair trial. Maxwelrs attorneys then sought
executive clemeney, asking the Governor to
commute the sentence to life imprisonment.
Meantime Maxwell had been resentenced, the
date Of the execution being fixed for July 81
two weeks, but declined to commute the SEN
tencs. Through Maxwell's father the British
government was induced to ask a respite till the
case could be inquired into. and the final effort
of MAXWELL attorneys was made IN the presen-
tation, on Wednesday, Of two afidavits to Gov.
Morehouse, showing the prejudice of one of the
Jurors.