LATER PARTICULARS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 123, 2 June 1885, Page 4

LATER PARTICULARS.

Tracking Miunvcll.

An Autopsy Showing that Booth wns Caused hy Poison.

The Coronor yesterday afternoon mado nn autopsy of tho remains of Prollor. Tho oxtornal nppcainnco of tho body indicated that poison was tho causo of death. Tho faco and cheeks woro swollen and tho tongue protruding, An examination of tho head failed to show nny signs of violenco, and tho brain, though .oftonod from do composition, was normal and showed no' signs of violenco. An incision was mado in Iho body, and tho lungs found to bo also normal. Tlio intestines wero normal, the stomach nliino showing unmistakable signs of great inflammation, indicating again the presence of poison, '1 ho stomach is boing analysed Chloroform was not tho poison used. It was ascertained to-day that Maxwell, two or three days before tho murder, was in great need of monoy, and that honttompted to pawn his watch nnd to sell his sterooptican apparatus and views, but failed, On tho Monday following, before ho loft St, Louis, ho was known to havo monoy, as ho informed persons to whom ho had tried to soil tlicso articles that ho no longer needed money, and displayed plenty of cash, lie also purchased .ovcrnl things, including a valuablo hold glass and a pair of spectacles. Theory of tlie Murder. It is now thought that Maxwell deliberately planned to murder Proller for his money. On Sunday night last a bottlo of wino was ordered to parlour l.J^ occupied by Maxwell and Proller, and it is bolievod that this wino was poisoned. Tho next morning the tody was put in tho trunk and all tho monoy and jewellery wero taken, .Maxwoll loft, tho hotel on the tith, saying thalj ho was going East. On tho samo night, Mr L Bauman, hoad of a wholesale house hero, saw Maxwoll on a San fr.mcisco train going West,

Loulsvillk, April 15.-James Taylor, an Englishman, from New Yoik cily, says he is an intimate friend of Charles A. Preller, who was murdered in St. Louis. Ho says that the description of tho corpse as givon in tho morning papers is accurate. Proller, ho says, is a eon of E. Preller, SO, Woodstreet, London, EC. Ho and his brother wore associated with their father in businof s at that address. He was also interested with Dickson, of Yorkshire, Ensrland, manufacturer and dealer in high grades of decorative print cloths and embroideries, for which Prcllor had quito a taste. Ho travelled in this country as their representative. He was gentlemanly und relined in manner, of a retiring disposition, and almost of an effeminate nature. Ho was about 2S years old.

St Loitih, April 15.—Tho mystery of the Southern Hotel trunk tragedy has gradually cleaved away, and the police are now hot upon tho track of tho murderer. Tlio p?eudo Frenchman who registered at tho Palace Hotel in Sin Francisco on Saturday as D'Auguicr, and who sailed on Sunday afternoon on a steamship bound for Honolulu and Auckla-.d, ii positively shown to bo Walter 11. Lennox Maxwell. It has been shown positively that tho laat seen of C, Arthur Trollor was nt three pm. on Easter Sunday, when he bought a box of cigars at the stand in the rotunda of the Southern Hotel. Maxwell watt with him, and the two walked towards the elevator together. It is also shown that Maxwell bought some chloroform at about 1 p.m, on Easter Sunday, and again at about C p m. ho bought four ounces more. That chloroform was used is beyond doubt, as the room smelt Btrongly of it, and a bottle half empty was

found in Maxwell's trunk, but that chloroform was tho cause of death is not yet established.

The Coronor does not seem to know, nor did tlio post-mortem develop, anything that will show the causo of the death. The organs wero found in a normal condition, except the stomach, which was inflamed. It was turned ovor to Dr. Luedeking for analysis. In the mean time doubts are expressed as to the result or benefit of an analysis. It is maintained that tho analysis cannot develop the cause of' Preller's death if an alkaloidal poison was used such as strychnine, morphine, or atropine. It has already been decided that no amesthetic was used. This w-ill leave the causo of death an unsolyarjle mystery. The elements of "alkaloid poison are supposed to be in the body, and when decomposition sets in a post-mortem synthetic action takes place, uniting the elements and forming the alkaloid poisons. Under this theory, any of the alkaloids might be found in the stomach of an infant who hnd never swallowed anything but mothor's milk. Therefore the result of the analysis need not be looked forward to with much anxiety. There seoms no room for doubt now that tho body ia that of Piollei', notwithstanding the fact that thoro is no moustache. The Coroner says he has not the least hesitancy in saying that tho moustache was Shaved Off Just Beforo or Just Afjer Death. It is equally beyond doubt that Maxwell had nearly 82,000 in Bank of England notes changed into United States notes on Monday, the (ich inst, ; that ho bought a ticket for San Francisco, and loft that ovoning ; that ho arrived in San Francisco on the lllh, nnd sailed on tho 12th for Auckland, New Zealand.

Mr Prellor carried largo sums of money with him, and just before going on ono of these trips ho told Mr Owens that ho had $'SOO in his pocket. " Take my advice," said Mr Owens, " anil have your money turned into drafts. Large amounts of money are temptations to thieves." Tho young man did not take the advice, and when he left New York he carried with him ftI.OOO in bills. This money has not been accounted for,

lii conversation with Mr Owens he said that ho hiitl met Maxwell on tlio voyage to this country, and had again teen him in Boston. Both Mr end Mrs Owens received tho impression that Maxwell was a very religious person. "Mr Broiler was truly religions," Mrs Owens said yesterday, " and I am suro that ho would not havo takon up with Maxwell if he had not thought that ho was a good man. He always carried a Biblo with him when ho camo to see us, and was only happy when discussing roligion. Ho was quito reticent in his manners and very nervous. Ho did not like to live in hotels on account of tho noise. Ho was vory refined, and a rarely good musician. I do not think that there can bo any doubt that tho man found dead in St. Louis is Mr I'ieller If I had heard tho description anywhere, it would havo convinced mo. Thoro could bo no mistako about tho closooroppod black moustacho and queer-shaped sido whiskers."

He told Mr Owens that ho was goingto San Francisco, whonco ho would tako tho stoamor for Australia and Now Zoaland, and showed him Maxwell's telegram making an appointment to meet him in St. Louis. Mr Owens gavo him a letter of introduction to Edward Mayes, of I ees, Now Zoaland, nnd.lohn McGlll, of Napier, NewZealand, all of whom were members of his religious order. This letter was found in tho room with the body. Mr F. Sellonbach, said that ji-hen his cousin camo to America on his last trip ho mado Maxwell's acquaintance on tho stoamer. Maxwell told him that ho was the son of a baronet, "As I understood," ho continued, "they agreed to moot in St. Louis, and had intended to sail together from San Francisco to Australia, on April 12."

Mr Schlesingor could offer no explanation for tho paper found in the trunk, which said, "So perish all traitors to tho great 0au.0," His cousin, ho said, was neither a Mason nor a Socialist, and ho had nothing to do with tho Irish troubles, 110 thought thi'.t Maxwell had killed him, but could not think of any motive. He sail! that Mr Prollor had with him when he wont away from Now York $1,000 in cash, and that he was in tho habit of carrying largo sums of monoy. If necessary, ho woulcf go to St. Louis.

New York, April 19.— The " Times " says : 1. roller'- cousin in this city, Frank Schlosingcr, telegraphed yesterday to Boy, Dr. Brooks, of St Louis, asking him to sco thot Preller's body was properly cared for and placed in a receiving vault until ho can sond further instructions. Schlosingcr cablod also to Preller's father, in London, and to his cmployor in Bradford, and ho will await instructions from them before taking any further steps in the matter. " All doubts 1 had yesterday," said Schlo..ingir, " nbout tho body found in tho trunk bong my cousin's havo boon removed. Inm convinced that ho is doad, and that Maxwell murdered him for his monoy. Prcllor loft this city with sovoral hundred-dollar bills. I saw them. Tho hundred-dollnrbill whi.h Maxwell offered nt tho railroad ticket ofiico undoubtedly enmo from my cousin's pocket. I have received a dospatch from San Francisco informing me that Broiler did not sail on the steamer ho had arranged to take, while I sco by tho papers that Maxwoll did do so. Why Maxwell should havo murdered my cousin for his money I cannot imagine Prcllor was warm-hearted and liberal to his friends ; undoabtcdly ho would havo loaned Maxwell tho monoy ho required to mnko tho journoy. It seems to mo that Maxwell has not dono a very shrewd thing in carrying out tho plans that had boon arranged beforehand, and with which Prollor's frientls woro thoroughly familiar, If ho had come to Now York and taken n steamer from hero, no ono would havo known him. The mnn had never been in tho city in his life." Prollor's Religious Boliof. New Yonic, April 10.—The St. Louis trngody continues to bo tho absorbing sensation. Intimate friends of Preller stnto that his religious convictions wero very lingular. His rolatives did not fully uudorstand them, and rofrnitied from talking with him about tho subject. Ho belonged to a curious denomination, a community of distinctive ideas, very small as yet in America, but with quite a foothold in England. The believer, rofer to ono another in such terms as "kindred spirit," "dear brother," and similar expressions. Tho few boliovcrs in this city havo no regular placo of worship, and meet in public halls and private houses, devoting much of their labour to young men. Prollor's connection with those people mado him acquainted with Richard Owens. Frank Schlesingcr, of tho firm of H. Kalenbach & Co., is a cousin of Preller, and has been vory intimate with him. Schlesingor took charge of Preller's letters whilo ho was travelling anel forwarded them to him ou request. Beforo ha bade his cousin good .bye Preller spoke of M-xwell and said that ho had ar ranged to moot him in St. Louis on April 4th." Maxwell In Chios go CiUC'A-0, April l(i, —It i 3 now rotnem bc-red that young Maxwell was in Chicago about two months. He called at one of the nowspnper offices and confessing himself "dead broko," proposed to wtite for the papors to cain sufficient money to defray Ins hotel bill. Ho is believed to have re mained here but a few days. The Body Identified St. Louis, April IC—Walter Arlington, head waiter of the Southorn Hotel, has positively identified the body at tho morgue as that of Proller. Letters for tho Murdered Man. A circumstance which illustrates the fact that C. Arthur Preller, who was murdered by his room-mate, Maxwell, in St. Louis, intended coining to San Francisco, is that five letters have been awaiting him here in tho Post-office since the 12th inst. Three of the letters were from England, and post-marked Oxford, London, and Stoko _\'owing respec tively. Moto Disclosures. St. Low., April IS.—Coroner Nidele. this morning began the inquest on tho body of C. Arthur Preller, tho victim of the Southern Hotel trunk tragedy. A. L. 'Hunt, cashier at tho hotel, identified tho photograph of Proller as the man who registered at the hotel.

W. 1., K/j-b, of New York, occupied the room next to that in which the crimo was committed. On Easter Sunday he heard groans, and oalled tho bell-boy's attention to them. That bell-boy was found to-day. His name is William Davidson, 2-1 years old, and ho is of more than ordinary intelligence. He flatly refused to answor any qucttions, Tho most peculiar development of today is the discovery that tho boll-boy, Davidson, visited Mollier's drug store ur.der the Southern Hotel and tried to purchase chloroform. According to Mr Mellior, a young man called for four ounces of chloroform on tho afternoon of Saturday before Easter Sunday Mr Mellior refused to sell the drug. He now says positively that this young man was Davidson, the hotel bellboy, and that he said it was wanted for a guest at the hotel. Later ii the same day a man called and asked for fpur ounces of chloroform, and an

inexperienced clerk got it for him, but, not knowing tho price, asked tho head clerk, I ■who forbade him to sell the drug, and the man went away without it This man, both cUrks say positively, wa3 Maxwell. Next day, Sunday, the same man called ' again, and, finding tho young and inexperienced clerk alone, tried to persuade him to sell more chloroform, saying that he (Maxwell) was a physician, and would write a prescription ; but tho clerk positively refused, and again the man wont away without it. It has been previously shown that he did purchase largo quantities of chloroform at another drug store. An Officer to be Despatched to Auckland. On May 0, the St. Louis authorities learnt that Maxwell had been arrested at Auckland. On the 7th the following appeared in the San Francisco papers:—"Extradition papeis ■were prepared here to-day to be sent to Auckland, New Zealand, for Maxwell, the Southern Hotel murderer. No agent for the State has yet been appointed to go for Maxwell, there being some doubt as to the manner of his being appointed. There is no need for hurry, however, as the officer who goes cannot leave San Francisco before June G, when the next Auckland steamer sails. The Chief of Police cabled to the American Consul at Auckland this afternoon, instructing him to hold Maxwell at all hazards until an officer from Missouri arrived. He also telegraphed to Secretary Bayard that an officer will leave San Francisco for Maxwell on Juno oth, and urging Bayard, in conjunction with the British Minister at Washington, to see that Maxwell is not released on a technicality until the officer arrives."