Iron County register., 1888-08-16
THE END AT LAST.
Brooks Alias Maxwell Finally Pays
the Penalty for Killing Preller.
And Is Launched Into Eternity In Com
pany with Henry Landgraf. the
Murderer of Annie Tisch
MaxwelFs Crime.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 11.-Hugh NJ Brooks,
alias Walter Fl. Lennox Maxwell, the
murderer of Charles Arthur Preller, and
Henry Landgraff, who killed his sweet
heart Annie Tisch, are no more. the
sentence of the law having been executed
upon them at nine O'Clock yesterday
morning.
Maxwell spent his last evening on earth
smoking and talking with his guards. A
few minutes before midnight both pris-
oners retired and Landgraff slept until
morning. Maxwell awoke at two O'Clock
complaining of being cold. He drank a
cup of coffee and spent the remainder of
the early morning hours reading Belassy's
s'True Virtue".
1t was half past five O'Clock when
Father Than administered the sacra-
ment to Maxwell and Laudgrae in
Maxwell's cell Maxwell had given up
all hope and seemed resigned, but when
Sheriff Harrington granted a delay until
nine O'Clock to give the fullest oppor-
tunity for further respite, he frightened
up only to become resigned again when
the last hour came.
The hours of vigil during the long night
waiting for the fatal approach of dawn
were agonizing enough to the doomed
prisoners, but they were as nothing to the
short respite of three hours. Every
moment was an eternity. aud yet the Sec
onds, the minutes and the hours few by
with terrible rapidity. Doubtless the de-
lay was ordered by the sheriff in the
spirit of mercy and fair play and with
the intention that if Governor Morehouse
should change his mind about the respite
the reprieve would not come too late, but
nevertheless it meant the prolonging Of
MaxwelPs agony.
When the postponement Of the execu-
tion was announced the deputies, by or
der of Sheriff Harrington, placed both
prisoners in Maxwell's cell and shielded
them from observation. The contrast
between them was great indeed. Land
gratis phlegmatic nature bore him up
we'll in the terrible ordeal His all
nights sleep had visibly refreshed
him, and he appeared cheerful
Maxwell looked on the other hand as
though nine -tenths of his vitality were
gone. His hands were as cold as ice.
The relaxation to his overs trung nerves
trembling like a leaf. He managed to
force down a couple of cups of
hot strong coffee, which inspired
little warmth in his blood
less frame. His features. however,
still retained their haggard look; deep
lines were drawn about his mouth as he
had already in imagination suffered the
horrors of thousand deaths. But itwas
a physical rather than mental weaken
ing. the collapse of the body rather than
OF the mind and heart. His voice did not
tremble, though it was lower and huskier
than usual.
At S:46a. m. squad OF police. in charge
of Sergeant Campbell, marched into the
Jail and formed line from the gate to
the cells of Maxwell and Landgraf. who
had been separated by the guards few
minutes before. Through this lane then
marched a procession, Sheriff Har-
rington first, then Deputy Sheriff
Joseph Harrington with the death
warrants, then Deputy Sheriff Mike
Fortin with the pinioning ropes, and then
several other deputies. The death war;
rant was read by the sheriff to Maxwell
and Landgraf, and the arms Of both were
tied behind them by Deputy Sheriff For
tin. Then there was cry of "back!"
and the crowd surged away from the cell
doors.
The procession left the cells at $3.50
a. m. In two minutes the deputy sher-
ifs and the doomed men were on the
scaffold.
The black caps were placed over their
heads neither saying word, the nooses
placed around their necks, aud in another
minute the trap was sprung. Landgraf
fell six feet and Maxwell seven feet, and
the fall broke the neck of each. >The
bodies hung motionless without jerk of
the limbs, as Doctors Priest and Jacob
son announced the varying pulsations.
Maxwell held his crucifix for six
minutes, when it dropped from his nerve
less fingers. In thirteen minutes Land
graf was declared dead by DIR. Jacobson,
but it was four minutes after when DIR.
Priest released his hold of Maxwell's
wrist saying: ''He's gone"
Even in death Maxwell surprised OBJ
servers. The medical men had all pre-
dicted that his vitality would be found to
be less than Landgraf's and he would die
sooner.
that both Landgraf and Maxwell had
shown great bravery and fortitude, but
the calmness and control of Maxwell sur
passed any thing of the kind he had ever
witnessed. "It is not every man that
would exhibit nerve enough, when he lost
step with me in the procession to catch
up with a trip as if he were leading lady
down Fourth street." said he.
The police arrangements were perfect
and Chief Huebler and Captain Joyce
deserve great praise for the order main
tanned.
Crowds gathered outside the principal
entrance to the Four Courts about five
O'Clock in the morning and remained
patiently waiting until after the drop fell
in the hope of catching stray bits of in-
formation.
A brief resume of this most remarkable case
in Missouri jurisprudence may not be out OF
place at this time. Hugh Mottram Brooks,
alias w. H Lennox Maxwell. alias Theodore
Cecil d. Auuuier and C. A Preller, his yict,m,
became acquainted on the passage over fr3m
England on the steamship Cephalonia in The
early part of 1885. Brooks was endeavoring 20
make his way to New Zealand, where he ex-
pected to meet a prof1igate English acquairt-
ance-a curate named Evans-with whom ke
had become involved in some shady transan-
tion in the neighborhood of his home at Hyde,
England. 1t transpred that Preller was head
ing in the same direction on business trip for
the firm for which he representa-
tive, and Preiler well supplied with
funds and Brooks was not, there arose the first
incentive to cultivate Preller's acquaintance
and friendship. This Brooks proceeded to ac-
complish by course of mendacity and deceit
that would do credft to the most accomplished
American bunco-steerer.
Arriving in America, Brooks remained in the
East while Preller journeyed Westward, and by
appointment the two met at the Southern
Hotel, ST. Louis, about the beginning of April,
1885. 1t would seem that Brooks had by this
time about reached the limit of his financial rea
sources. and desired to obtain assistance from
his friend to enable him to reach the destina-
tion he had set out for-New Zealand. Preller
though liberaily supplied with means for his
own needs, was not prepared to carry double
and so intimated to his friend, and then began
the connection of the scheme which resulted in
one of the most sensational crimes that has
ever blackened the annals of Missouri Just
how the deed was accomplished will probably
never be known bEt that prn11er was kil1ad in,