The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-27
N THE MAXwELL-PRELLER ROOM.
1Ir, r. z. LIbby's Realistic Experi-
ences in the Old Southern Hotel.

Mn r. +. Libby's Realistic ENperi-
eRces in the Old Southern Hotel.
Dir. Robert E. Libby OF Atlanta. south
ern manager Of the New York AR Brake
company, is in the city FOR a few days.
The Georgia and Alabama railroad has
just made a contract for securing these
AR brakes on seven new passenger coach
es and on lot Of new freight cars which
-ley are now adding 70 their equipment
ar Libby is the gentleman who placed
the air brake construction cars on the
Plant system, and every employee OF that
system who has 10 handle air brakes
l5 nov being thoroughly instructed in
-her use. Inc Plant system has also
fu- IN another unique but valuable i'm
pruFemenL at Waycross. This Is a large
ar pump which IS used TO force air for
The purpose OF cleaning fhe- ,Insr on
push seats in passenger coaches and
c-e4ning art from passenger cars gen
riaily- Inc pump is also used in working
Leavy hammers IN The place OF stesn3
power. This IS new method of cleaning
90 rdsselissf coaches and one which is
proving thorough and satisfactory
Mr. Libby has a good many friends in
savannah and uney are always after him
70 tel the story Of mis- experiences in The
ga oo9tnern hotel at St. Louis, in which
Maxwell killed Preller IN 1852 The muir
ger was a famous one and is well remem-
1rreo. MaMWeA, young English noble
man.. anu a sort OF surgeon who had
laken liking to preller administered
etner 70 him in order 10 Derform an on
Grafton, the anaesthetic being given i'm
sqcn q quantity as to produce death
MaNWeH did not know what to do about
~ ah4 sal up with the corpse for half a
o1y, he nnaily. put the body in a trunk,
anq, 4saNing u IN the room and the room
licked, started of for California where
ne was finally captured, brought hack
anu ana after a trial extending. over about
MI. LlDDy was in st. Louis on business
ana stopped at the Old Southern hotel
lie was. given room 234. His first nie4lt
Jhere atter putting out the gas and re-
firing ne heard a series Of raps on the
head OF the bed, the board, sounding a. III
il were cracking. He did not know what
10 make of II, and, finding no sign OF
anything suspicious, he retired and went
10 sleep.
The next night the same thing occur
red, and he heard groans and sounds from
tne wash stand in the corner. An invas-
tgauon developed no more than the night
beIore, ana he finally went TO sleep. The
next n-gnt man walked through the
room and out the door, which he had
locked before going to bed He got nm
u the gas and asked the night watchman
j any one mad been seen passing through
the han. The night Waterman had seen
10 one, ana search developed moth
ing.
Thus it went on from night to night.
when, at the end of the week Mr. Libby
decided to move on the floor above where
he and friend could have adjoining
rooms Ine night before this, however
he had Just retired and put out the gas.
when he heard three reports as loud as
pistol shots, and could hear fragments Of
some substance flying about the room
When he struck light he found that the
bricks in the fire place had been blown
out ana pieces of them were lying all over
the carpet. He went down and asked the
night clerk what sort of a room he had
been given, and that individual turned
all sorts of colors, and refused to go up
TO make an investigation. Mr.. Libby I'm
ally retired, however, and made the best
of the night.
He haG noticed during the week that
whenever bell boy answered his call he
would put down a pitcher of water or
Whatever he brought as quickly as posi-
Die and get away. The morning he left the
room he got hold of one of the
boys and insisted on knowing what the
trouble was with the room. The boy final
ly told MIN under protest and with fear
that he would lose his job that it was the
room IN which Preller was killed by Max
Mr.. Libby was somewhat easier when
ne remembered that he had made a change
and would not be in the room another
night. The report with regard to his ex-
perienoes spread rapidly, and the hotel
Soons had communications from any num-
per OF spiritualists and mediums, some OF
Whom wanted to engage the room perma-
nently. Mr.. Libby afterwards met a gem
ueman in Detroit, who had occupied the
room for a night or two, and who had had
practically the same experiences One of
the clerks afterwards informed Mr. Libby
that they had had to change every party
70 whom that room was assignd and that
IN most cases one night was enough Mr.
Libby said the last time he went there the
number on the room had been changed
and that II is now being used as a Junk
room for storing old furniture. The ex-
pertence was rather a remarkable one to
say the least, and Mr. Libby remembers
1t so wildly that he shudders somewhat
every time he repeats it.