Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-28
A CRIMINALS TRAGIC END.
Did Not want to Go to jail for Having
Committed observation-disclosures the
Stolen Treasure.

Reno, New, Dec. 27.--In the county
Jail at Quincy, Cal, on Sunday morn
ing, ut 0 o'clock, one of the most hor-
rible tragedies known for years oc-
Cured. Lowell Maxwell had been con-
vlcted of burglary in the first degree
on two charges one for entering the
express Office last october and taking
an express box out and robbing 1t of
s3SO0. The other, for entering the
welch hotel in Humbug. Valley last
Sept. and taking suit of clothes,
For the offenses, Judge Mclaughlin
was to pass sentence today.
Yesterday morning Sheriff Bradsford
gave Maxwell breakfast as usual.
When this was finished, the prisoner
asked permission to shave himself
This he had been accustomed to do
since incarceration. Not suspecting
any rash act, Sheriff Bradsford gave
him a mug and ruzor. Maxwell said he
also wanted to take bath. and re-
| quested the sheriff to get more water.
When the officer stepped out after wa
ter. the prisoner hallooed to c. J.
Lee and L. q. Halt, who were in the
| sheriff's office, in front of the jail
proper, and said: Goodbye, boys;
| goodbye"
When Lee stepped to the door, there
stood Maxwell in his cell with fright
| full cut arcoss his abdomen, below the
navel, and his intestines protrudlng,
n spectacle most tragic and horrlfying
| to behold. After the rash deed the
| prisoner stated he wanted to get rid
! of his hell on earth, and he heaped
| curses on those who brought about
| his conviction.
DR.. Sonagle was called, but after a
hasty examination, he pronounced the
I L.. Il
| McChesney, county physician, sewed
up the intestines; he also pronounced
the case hopeless. Maxwell died at
| 11:l5 p. m. Not only had the razor
cut n siX-inch cash in the abdO.n.-h.
but the intestines had beer cut in four
places, at one point nearly in two.
| Maxwell said he would have cut his
throat instead II he had not wished to
see his mother before dying. Besides
his parents. he has numerous brothers
sisters and other relatives here, who
are sorely distressed by his crime and
this deed
On Friday, through the efforts of
Sheriff Bradsford and the advice of
Hon. w. w. Kellogg, his chief coun-
sci. Maxwell consented to reveal the
hiding place Of the treasure taken from
the express-boN by him on condition
that he should receive $500 of the 81
per cent reward offered by Wells, Fargo
& Co. That evening. handcuffed and
shackled Maxwell accompanied the
sheriff. Capt. Stone and Mr. Kellogg
to the hiding place, and that evening
and next morning all of the treasure
was recovered.
Maxwell's criminal career began ir
1884, when he killed a man named
Rabe in saloon row in Greenville. Fol
this he was not entirely to blame. but
he was sent to prison for ten years
After serving six he was pardoned, ant
conducted himself well a few years
but again entered upon n crimina
career. The fear of going back to Fol
som prison was the cause of his rash
deed. The robbery. the trial and con
viction OF Maxwell upon circumstan
tial evidence. his subsequent confession
and restoration of the treasure. fol
lowed by his tragic deed this morn
ing. have kept the community in
feverish state OF excitement.