Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-23
A HAUNTED APARTMENT.
Strange Proceedings I'm the Room Where
Preller was Murdered.
st. Louis Special to the New York Sum

St Louis Special to the New York Sum
The terrible tragedy enacted on April s. 1885.
in room IA of the Southern hotel, is again re-
vived by the strange experiences of the guests
who have recently occupied the apartment. It
was in room IA that Maxwell chioroformed
Preller to death and then packed the body in
a trunk. The room was not oc cupied for many
months, and the hotel people found it neces-
sary to change the number to 49, The exper-
fence OF guest on last Friday night was told
to-day. The gentleman is a prominent bust
ness man of well balanced mind. Il knew
nothing at all about the room when took it, ~
he said In fact the Maxwell-Preller tragedy
mad wholly escaped me. l went to bed at my
usual hour, and was awakened with a start by
nearing a strange tapping against the head
OF the bed. There was one tap and then two
others In quick succession. was aroused
IN an instant, but heard nothing more. The
same tapping occurred several other times dur
ing the night but thought little of it. The
next evening noticed that the drawers of the
bureau would always open. however, after
closed them. Ipushed them in whenever 1
passed near the bureau, but they would in
variably open again, though forced out by
some unseen agency. Still was not alarmed.
Inc most startling occurrence, and that which
decided me to quit the room, came on the
third night. L ordered the fire discontinued,
retired for the night / had noticed that the
chambermaid had entirely cleared the hearth
OF debris, and not SO much as a scrap of paper
was left in it. About l o'clock was awakened
by an explosion on the hearth that sounded
like big frecracker. l was scared, you can
bet. A second explosion little louder fol-
lowed. and then came third, which capped
the climax. 1t was terribly violent, and the
defamation was fearful. l arose, lighted the
gas, dressed and looked at the hearth. 1t was
completely filled with a slaty substance that
looked like ore of some kind, and one of the
large cubes that made up the hearth was torn
from the brick work or thing. Pieces of slate
were thrown across the room.
Il went down stairs and told the night clerk
to come right to the room and see what had
happened. He refused with sickly SMILE 1
returned to the ROOM passed sleepless night.
and changed my room next day. then learned
from friend the history of the room. and then
one or two things which had hitherto been in
applicable to me became now painfully clear I
had noticed that the bell-boys would get out of
the room just as quickly as they could, not
even waiting for the occasional tip which I
held out to them, nor could / get an answer
when l rang the bell after 10 O'Clock at night
l then found out that at that hour the lights
IN the hall were turned out, and that the bell
boys would not go through the corridor after
that time at any price. am not spiritualist
d! was absolutely sober, too, as l seldom take a
drink
The manager of the hotel Mr.. Lewis. had
nothing to say when the story was told to him.
nor could he suggest any explanation.