St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-11
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
The Staying of Preller and Events
That Led up to Maxwell's Being
HanOed

The Staying of Preller and Events
That Led up to Maxwell's Being
Hanged.
ST. LOUIS. Aug. 10.-The crime for which
Hugh M. Brooks alias Maxwell, paid the ex-
treme penalty of the law this morning was
the murder of Charles Arthur Preller at the
Southern hotel, in this city, April 6, 1885.
The acquaintance between the two men be-
gan in Liverpool England, some time before,
both being on their way to this country,
Brooks on an adventurous trip without par
tlcular object; Preller on business.
brooks was an interesting ta1ker, told
1anclful tales about himself and family, and
the two men became fast friends. Arrived
on this side, they separated at Boston,
Brooks coming to st. Louis and registering
as Walter Horace Lennox Maxwell. A few
Gays later Preller arrived, and the two were
thereafter almost constantly together Prel-
Ier was last seen alive Sunday afternoon,
April o. in MaXwell's room, by bell boy. A
travelling man named W. X. Ross, who occu
pied an adjoining room, testified afterward
than he heard groans from that room on the
afternoon in question. Twice that day Max
we'll purchased large
QUANTITY OF CHLoRoFoRM
at drug store near by, telling the druggist
ne was using II in an experiment. The 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 purchases
was ticket to San Francisco. He left that
night over the st. Louis & San Francisco
road. Nothing was thought of his
sudden departure until the 18th of
April. For several days prior to that
date chambermaids in the hotel had noticed
an unpleasant odor coming from Room IA
and had connected it with Maxwelrs trunks,
which had been left in the room securely
locked and corded. On the 18th the smell
became SO pronounced that they were re-
mOVQ1 q nyunr "a ,al
the lock of the larger one was forced the
cover sprang up, followed by the knees of q
man. Crammed into the trunk
WAS PUTRID BODY,
snrunKen and distorted, not feature recog-
nlZable: Not until after the body had been
taken to the morgue and several days of treat
ment given could it be decided whether it
was the body of Maxwell or Preller. Fsally,
however, the remains were identified as those
OF the latter. On the breast of the body was
cross cut. and on the inside of the trunk a
card bore the inscription: $50 perish all
traitors TO the great cause" 1t was an easy
matter to trace Maxwell, he having made
hlmselt so conspicuous on the road
that he was remembered by all
who saw him. In San Francisco he
represented himself as T. S. D'Auguier,
French army officer Sunday, April II. he
sailed for New Zealand in the steamer Syd-
ney. as steerage passenger. The detectives
mad been close on his track, and when the
steamer arrived in Auckland he was arrested
and held until eXtradition papers arrived
He was returned to st. Louis arriving here
Just four months from thet me of his flight
his defense made at the trial was that the
death of Preller was accidental, he having
administered the chloroform
PRELIMINARY TO AN OPERATION
he was about to perform. He had fed be-
cause he presumed he would not be per-
mitted to testify in his own behalf The
most damaging testimony was that of the
detective; Dingfelder who had been cell
mate of Maxwell's, and had secured con-
fesslon of the crime. Maxwell was found
guilty and sentenced to be hanged. The his
tory of the many subsequent efforts to secure
new trial or commutation of the sentence
are still fresh in the public mind