Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-11
Murderers Maxwell and Landgraf
Hanged at St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS, August 10th. - Hugh NJ.
Brooks, alias Maxwell, convicted of the
murder of Arthur Preller in this city in
April, 1885, and Landgraf, who murdered
his sweetheart, Annie Fisch in March,
1885, were hanged together in the jail-yard
here this morning. A postponement OF
the execution for two hours was made by
the Sheriff at the request of Maxwells at
torney, who hoped against hope for British
interference. The announcement was
made 10 Maxwell and Landgraf at 6
O'clock
Maxwell was nervous, pallid and i'll at
ease in the last hours. He ate sparingly OF
breakfast, and shortly after 5 o'clock, hav-
ing dressed himself in an entire new suit,
partook of holy communion.
Landgraf remained cool and collected
throughout the night. He ate hearty
breakfast and received the sacraments soon
after Brooks had done so.
MAxwELLs LAST HOPE DIsPELLED.
AT 8 o'clock telegram was received
from Jefferson City saying that the Gov
ernor had received another dispatch from
the British Minister, West, in Brooks be-
hall, but declined to change his decision.
At $40 the Sheriff entered the cell where
Maxwell and Landgraf had been placed to-
gether, and read the death warrant. Max
well paled percephbly, and showed evi.
dence of increasing weakness, and as his
arms were being pinioned he bit his lips
and gulped several times.
PIrEoUs SIGHT.
The procession to the scaffold was
formed with the Sheriff and deputies in
front, followed by the condemned ones,
with priest between them, then the po-
lice, then the reporters and witnesses.
AS they moved slowly, Maxwell was q
piteous sight, with an ashen palor his face
pinched and drawn, eyes swollen and lips
twitching.
Landgrsf moved like a log, with halt
smile, half sneer on his face.
ON THE soAFFoLD.
The priest read prayers, and the men
signified that they had nothing TO say, and
the black caps were drawn down, as an aw-
full look of despair passed over MAXWELL
face, and his knees trembled.
The nooses were adjusted, and at S:56
the drop fell.
Landgraf never moved a muscle there
after.
Not so with Maxwell When he fell his
breast heaved convulsively and his limbs
| were drawn upward, while the spectators
were shocked by stream of blood pour
ing down the right breast of his coat, which
was afterwards found to have been caused
by cut on the nose inflicted by the rope.
Landgraf was pronounced dead in eleven
and half minutes. Maxwell's struggle
continued fourteen minutes.
Landgraf was cut down at 9:12, Maxwell
at 9:15.
The bodies were removed to the morgne
office and photographed, after which a post
mortem was commenced.
THE PosT-MoRTEM.
The result of the post-mortem shows
that the necks of both Maxwell and Land
graf were broken. Maxwelps nose was
broken. and it is presumed he struck some
part of the gallows in his fall. Several OF
the smaller bones in his neck were frac-
tured.
After the post-mortem the remains OF
Maxwell were taken to an undertaking es-
tablishment, embalmed and prepared for
burial. The casket was quietly conveyed to
Calvary Cemetery and placed in the vault
for interment at later day.
MAxwELL's DYING STATEMENT.
ST. LOUIS, August 10th.-To-d day Max
well furnished document which he called
his dying statement In it he reasserts
his innocence of the wilful murder of
Charles Arthur Preller, and then gives an
epitome of the case, as heretofore pub
lished, beginning with the acquaintance
formed in Liverpool with Preller, detail
ing the death of Preller, his own terror and
| flight, pursuit, capture, trial and convic-
ton, and closing with a bitter denuncia-
| ton of those whom he asserts have been
instrumental in dragging him out of the
highways of justice into the bypaths of
mob law and making his execution an in
fanny and disgrace to the United States.