THE ST. LOUIS TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7343, 2 June 1885, Page 7

THE ST. LOUIS TRAGEDY.

A GHASTLY CRIME.

PULL PARTICULARS.

THE SUPPOSED MURDERER TRACED

TO AUCKLAND

It will be remembered that on the arrival of (he m&il steamer City of Sydney, last month, the Auckland police, acting on instructions received by cable from America, arrested a passenger named Maxwell, alias d'Anginer, on a charge of murder. By oar newspaper files received by the Australia yesterday we are now placed in possession of the facta of the case, and from the particulars which we append it will be seen that a brutal and ghastly crime has been committed. St. Louis, April 14. A sensation was caus' d at the Southern Hotel this morning by 1 ading in a room a trunk containing the headless body of a man, with a note saying : "So perish all traitors to the great cause." The room was assigned March 30 th to Walter A. Lennox, Londpn, England. Maxwell is described as a very girlish* looking, blonde young man, wearing a dark, wooly, cutaway suit of English stuff, face clean shaven, and wore his hair banged— not parting it at all. He was frequently seen in company with a dark-looking gentleman, about 5 feet 10 inches tall. The latter wore a dark moustache, and had dark hair. This gentleman registered as C. Arthur Preller, London, England, and was assigned to room 184. Four days after Maxwell had registered a telegram was received from Preller, asking whether Maxwell was a guest of the house. H« was answered in the affirmative, and soon came on, and was assigned to the room given. Both men occupied room 184 in common a considerable part of the time. Each called for the key, and the clerk gave it to each indiscriminately, as they seemed good friends and "atimate acquaintances. The men were remarked much about around the hotel for tieir dudish appearance and dandified airs. DISCOVERY OF THS CKIMB. Maxwell left the hotel a week ago Sunday night, but he paid a full week's board promptly and it was supposed he would return any day. No suspicion attached to his absence until a, horrible smell called attention to the room, and led to the opening of the trunks. When the trunk containing the body was opened it was found to contain the body of a middle-aged man, the face and breast up, and the body so doubled about the hips and knees that it filled the receptacle. On the side of the trunk, over the head of the corpse, was printed in large letters the words "So perish all traitors to the great cause." The trunk and its ghastly contents were immediately hurried to the Four Courts. A GHASTLY SVEOTACLB. The body, as it appeared in the trunk, presented a horrible aspect. The face and parts of the body were uncovered, the only garment being a pair of drawers, reaching just to the knees, which were entirely black and showed advanced decomposition. Preller's trunks are of much better quality than Maxwell's, being made of fine leather. The personal effects in them Indicate that the owner was a gentleman of means and culture. The trunks have on them the labels of the Cunard Steamship Company, and the Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, where he occupied room IS6 on March 26. He had also been at the Rossin House, Toronto. PBS PICTTJBB OF THE MURDERER. The following is a description of Maxwell, given by a person who saw and conversed with him daily while he was at the Southern Hotel : " He was about five feet nine and a half inches in height ; weighed about 140 pounds ; was well proportioned and rather good figure; hit face was of the English type and clean shaven ; eyes light blue, I thinkor, at least, they were not dark in colour ; hair of light sandy colour; wore it cut very short behind and rather bushy in front, without any part and banged like a girl's ; generally dressed in broad tweed suit of English cut ; Newmarket overcoat and high Derby hat. In his manners he was very effeminate ; he even carried this so far as to walk with a short, mincing step, like a woman." DESCaiPTIOX OF THE VICTIM. This afternoon the body 'of Preller was exposed on a slab in the Morgue for further identification, with the following description given by Superintendent Ryan: —The deceased was about five feet nine inches in height, weighing about 150 pounds; black hair; eyes of dark colour; wore white knit drawers; no other clothing came with the body ; was about 22 or 23 years of age ; body very much decomposed ; has been dead ten or twelve days ; tongue protuding ; large blisters on both legs; cross cut into flesh on the breast. LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS. The following telegram, found amon<- the papers of Preller, is the best clue to the relations of Preller and Maxwell :— Boston (Mass). March 29.1555.— A. Preller. Belvidera Hotel : Ye»; could go direct to Auckland from here; will write to Philadelphia to-mono*.—^Y^. H. Lissox Maxwell.

From letters from the steamship company it is inferred that Preller sailed from England for this country on the Cephalonia on January 21, 1885, on a commercial tour to this country and Australia. The telegram given above would indicato that Maxwell agreed to accompany him to Australia. Among the letters found in Preller's trunk was the following : —

9, Clinton Place. New York City, March 27. ISSS.— I have great pleamra in introducing to yon by tbis not!, our dear brother, C. A. Preller. of London. England, known to us by several visits he has made to New Ycrk. ifopinj yoa may be mu ually profited by this friendship aumjg his stay in your city, I .v.n yours. Kichaud Owens. Toßcv.'Dr. James H Brook", 212, North Will-street, 6t. Louis ; Mr* Grienon, 36, New Mont-gomery-street, San Krancisco ; A. Gals San Kr»ni ciaco ; I£. Mcyce (Evangelist), care *. L. Lees. New Zealand ; John Ma;ill, car* A. Campbell, Napier. New Zealind: -ibis friendship was awakened by my bringing him to a mailing for young men, at which dear H. G. Grunners spoke from ' Wherewithal sha'l a youi g man cleanse his way?*": Dora Olson. »42, Valencia-street, San F.ancisco, well known to Brother Hoys*. BUYING A BOTTLE OF CHLOROFORM. Amoog many other things in Maxwell's trunks were found some prescription blanks from Fernon's drug Btore, corner Fifth and Market Streets, this city. On being questioned, Fernoa said this afternoon that he knew Maxwell; that the latter had been in his store often ; that he saw him lass on Easter Sunday, when he called about one o'clock and got four ounces of chloroform. About four o'clock he- came in and got two ounces more. He seemed to be in a hurry, but not excited. A partly filled bottle of chloroform was found in Maxwell's trunk to-day. It has also been learned that on the Monday following Easter Sunday Maxwell went t-j Hickman's barber shop, corner of Fifth and Chestnut Streets, and had the beard which he wore reduced to a moustache and imperial, and on the same day he purchased a snuff coloured slouch hat wish n crease crown, and had it marked on the inside, " Harold Harland Duff." THEORY OF THE POLICE. Putting these things together, it is believed by those who have studied the case most closely that Maxwell chloroformed and killed Preller on Sunday, April sth, and it is known he has not been seen in the city since Monday, April 6th. Some detectives were at first inclined to believe the body had been placed in the trunk by some medical students, with a view of playing a ghastly joke upon the community, but this theory has now been abandoned by all. A FOOL MURDER FOR MONEY.

Chief of Detectives Burke said to a reporter : "It is a foul murder and nothing lees. The man in the trunk was killed in the room ; the raarkt of his blood are there yet. Hare is the trunk strap with blood on it. The idea that it could be a hoax is absolutely absurd." "What do you think of »he placard in the trunk, 'So perish all traitors to the great cause'?"" That may or may not be a clue. It may be a deliberate attempt to make us beli»ve the murd«r was a political assassination, while it is a murder for money." "Of course, all that can be done to run the criminal down will be done ?"—" Surely, the man mußt not escape. Everything that can be done will be done to capture him. The public may depend on it."

St. Louis, Mo., April 15. What will be known in criminal history « the Southern Hotel trunk tragedy has completely absorbed public attention in St. Louis, and the mystery surrounding the affair has deepened. The police' are now convinced that the case is one of treachorous murder, attended with robbery ; that Maxwell is the murderer, and that the dead man |» Prelier. The Russian photograph found in Prellor's trunk was shown among the help *t the Southern Hotel, and positively identi-

fied as a picture of the last occupant of room No. 144. Mr. F. D. Seward, with A. 8. Aloe and Co., opticians, was also shown the two photographs found among the effects, and, without hesitation, pronounced them the pictures of two men he had seen in the store. MAXWELL'S PREVIOUS MOVEMENTS. On last Friday aweek ago Preller and Maxwell called at the store, and Maxwell proposed selling a lot of articles he had at the hotel. He then stated that he was short of funds. It has been found that at another place he tried to pawn his watch and chain on the same day, but on the Monday following he appeared at the same place with plenty of money and made some purchases. At the ticket offico of tho St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, in the same block, Maxwell was remembered as having purchased a ticket to San Francisco, Riving a one hundred dollar bill in part payment. His manner attracted attention at the time. OFF TO SAN FRANCISCO. Entering the office he said, " Give me an unlimited tirst-class ticket to San Francisco. ' The ticket was prepared and given to him. He paid 116 dollars for it and left without any further conversation. The ticket sold was No. 23, form 29, and bearing the office stamp of April 6. As soon as this was ascertained a telegram was forwarded to Chief of Police Crowley, of San Francisco, directing him to examine stubs at the office of Superintendent Goodman. To-night a despatch was received from the Chief of Police at San Francisco saying that the only man who left St. Louis on the 6th inst. and came through to San Francisco, arriving there on the 11th, was a man who answered the description given of Maxwell; was very nervous, talked volubly, with a French accent, which appeared to bo assumed, but never spoke French. ESCAPED TO NEW ZEALAND. Ho has been traced, and it is found he sailed for Auckland, New Zealand, on the ship City of Sydney, on the 12th. He may go ashore at Honolulu and thus evade pursuit, but if he goes to Auckland he will be taken. THE FOLIC 8 THEORY. To sum up, the police now claim to be certain that Maxwell murdered Preller on the afternoon of Easter Sunday, April 5, in the room at tho Southern Hotel, where the body was found. When he oame down to supper in the dining-room at half-past ten p.m. on that day, he had finished the job and packed the body in the zinc covered trunk. He devoted Sunday night and part of Monday to preparing for his flight, his purchase of the hat, his disguise by shaving, and other facts going to show this. It is a question whether he intended to take the trunk containing the corpse with him or cot, but if he did his nerve failed him. He represented he was going East by the Vandalia railroad, but, as a large amount of strong evidence shows, ho went West on Monday night by the San Francisco road, and he is probably now on board ship en route to Auckland, New Zealand, where, if he arrives, he will certainly be captured, as the telegraph reaches that point. MAXWELL'S ARRIVAL AT SAN FRANCISCO AND DEPARTOR3 FOR NEW ZEALAND. San FftANciaco, California, April 16. Chief Detective I. W. Lees has discoverod that Lennox Maxwell, who is alleged to have murdered Arthur Preller in St. Louis on April 6, recently arrived in this city. Maxwell purchased his ticket in St. Lords, signing hi 3 name as H. M. Brooks. When he arrived here he registered at the Palace Hotel as T. C. D'Auguier, and claimed to be a French army officer. When spoken to in French he replied in English. On Sunday last he purchased a steerage ticket on the steamer City of Sydney for Auckland, New Zealand, and signed his name as D'Auguier. A cable despatch will be sent to Auckland for .his arrest, and a letter was sent yesterday by the steamer Alameda to Honolulu, so that in the event of his stopping there — that place bsiug a calling port of the City of Sydney—he may be apprehended. The police, however, think that he will change his course at Honolulu, and take passage for China or Japan by some sailing vessel, in which case all trace of him will probably be lost. After Maxwell left St. Louis, and had changed cars this side of La Junta, it was noticed that he took a large silver open face watch from his pocket, and tried to wind it by using the heel of his knife handle. Failing in this, he asked several passengers if- they had watch keys. CONFIRMING SUSPICION. It was learned last night that while ha was at the Palace Hotel he was unable to open the trunks he had with him, and sent for a locksmith, Haying he had lost his keys. After the trunks were opened a large quantity of burned paper was found in a grate in the room. These may have been Preller's letters and papers. A most important fact discovered is that the baggage checks delivered by Maxwell, under his alias of D'Auguier, to the Pacific Transfer Company, of this city, correspond with the numb»rs issued at St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad to Hugh M. Brooks. The numbers are 2006, 2069, and 2046. EFFORTS TO CONCEAL HIS IDENTITY. The following despatch was.sent from here to-day to the Chief of Police at St. Louis : — L. Harrigan, Chief of Police:—The t>nly ticket taken up from St. Leuls en the 9lh last. Is ate ned by High 11. Brooks and witnessed 17 S. A. Haines, sold by tae St. Louis and San Francisco Ka'lroid ticket office, April 6; came 00 that train. His name doss not appear on the list of tickets, therefore ho must have come on Mr. Brooks' ticket. The Indorsement on the ticket and the name of T. C. I>augul»r, signed on the hotel register aie in the sums handwriting. Description is: Height. 5 feet 6 inches ; age, not over thirty biir light, short at back, worn without parting in front; weight, 113 P'nnds; moustache medium size, small, short imperial, complexion fair and luddf, bend strong after shaving. Skin has a whitish appearance, ey«broir3 light end thin. eyes blue and largo, regular features, nose rather free at nostrils, neatly built, erect, plants feet nrasly and square on ground wben walking. Baggage: A large flat top gray canvas covered trunk, a fray ca»v*s, l»r*e-i - za gripsack, round caibox. He had a large field-glass, barrels eight inches Ions:, covered with black leather case and 3tr»p for slingiag. Makes cigarettes from morning to nUh«. which he rolls himself, and drinks whisky considerably. I hare forwarded fall descriptioi by tho captain of the steamer sailing for Honolulu to-day with a request for his arrest. Will cable New Zea land.—P. CaoWLBV, pur Lees.

St. Locis, April 16. The veil of mystery which has enveloped the trunk tragedy has been torn away, until there scarcely remains a shred, and the horrible affair stands forth in all its revolting features, as one of the moat diabolical crimes ever committed in this section of tho country. This clearing away of the mystery has been done almost entirely by newspaper enterprise. It has been shown that Maxwell made himself conspicuous about the hotel, while Preller was of a quiet disposition. Owing to this circumstance, it was an easy matter to review the former's every act, from the time he entered the Southern Hotel to the time he left, at half-past seven p.m. of Monday, the 6th instant. An effort was made to-day to establish, if possible, the actual time at which the crime was committsd. No one conld be found who was willing to assert they had seen Preller on Easter Ssnday, until Fred Castle, who attends the cigar stand in the hotel, was approached. — " Well, Mr. Castle, I suppose you aro the man who put Preller in the trunk!" said the reporter. — "Not exactly," replied he, with a smile, "but I think I sold him his last cigar he ever smoked on earth." " Yon did ?"—" Yes, sir ; I sold him a box of imported cigars on Easter Sunday." "At what time ?"— " About three o'clock in the afternoon as nearly as I can recollect. It was about an hour and a half or so after I came on duty, which occurred at one o'clock. That would bring it somewhere in the vicinity of three o'clock." " Was Preller alone ?"•— " No ; Maxwell was with him. In fact, Maxwell did all the talking, but Preller paid for the cigars." " How many cigars did you sell them?" "I sold them fifty of a choice brand at 11 dollars a hundred—that would be 5 dollars 50 cents for the half hundred. Preller pulled out a big roll of bills, and handed me a 10-dollar note, and I returned 4 dollars 50 cente in change." Mr. Castle's statement was direct and positive, and although numerous enquiries were made in various directions, no one could be found who had seen Preller any later than this. Preller, then, was seen with Maxwell at three o'clock. DISAPPEARANCE OF THE VICTIM.

Neither of them appeared in the diningroom until half-past ten at night, when Maxwell called for something to eat and stated that his friend had left. The interval of aeven hours is believed to have been occupied in killing Prelier and preparing his remains for packing in the trunk. The manner in. which Prelier was killed now became the Important question. Chloroform had evidently been used in one way or the Other, because the odour of the drug was noticed on Monday. Moreover, Dr. Maxwell purchased the drug in large quantities, evidently with the intention of using it to destroy life.

PROOUBING THE) CHLOROFORM. ! A call was made on Mr. J. A. W. Fernow, proprietor of the drug store at the corner of Fifth and Market Streets, at which Maxwell bought the chloroform. " When did Dr. Maxwell boy chloroform here, Mr. Fernow?" the reporter asked. — Well, he came on Sunday, April 5 at about one o'clock in the afternoon, as nearly as I can recollect, and called for four ounces of ohloroform. I gave it to him, and did not see him again until about five o'clock, when he came in and asked me to wait upon him at once. He was in a hurry, but did not appear to be nervous or anxious. I was serving some other customers, and told him I would be with him in a minute. He said, ' Don't delay I must have it at once.' I left my other customers and went to him. He said he wanted four ounces of chloroform, and mentioned, as if in explanation, that he had been unlucky with the other bottle, and had upset it. I happened to be short of the drug at the time, and gave him two ounces instead of four. He said, *Is that all you have got V I answered that it was not, but that it was all I could spare. He replied, *Oh. give me all you have got.' I explained to him that I needed the rest, and he left in a hurry." THE MDKDERODB WORK. "Now, Mr. Fernow, tall me what you think of it all ?"— " Well I guess he began to use the chloroform on Preller, and upset the bottle before Pre'ler was either unconscious or dead. Then he rushed back here for some more of the drag, and couldn't wait lone for fear that the victim would regain consciousness." " How do you suppose he administered the chloroform?"" I will tell you my theory. It is supported by the opinion of a number of leading physicians. Preller must have been asleep in Maxwell's room when the latter began to use the drug. Now, in administering chloroform to a sleeping person, whom it would not do to awaken, a very peculiar course must be pursued. It would not do to hold a handkerchief saturated with the drug to the nose of the person to be drugged, because the latter would begin to suffocate, and would at once struggle and cry out. In order to drug without rousing the victim you would have to hold the saturated rag to the nose of the sleeper for a second only and then withdraw it. In this way the person would gradually sink into a deeper and deeper state of unconsciousness, and the rag could be hold to his nose longer and longer. This would take time, however. From one to three hours would be required, according to the rapidity with which the drug was given, the constitution of the person, &c. Now, as I said before, while Maxwell was probably throwing Preller into an eternal sleep he, in the excitement of the moment nps,et the bottle and came over here for more chloroform." DELIBERATELY DRUGGED TO DEATH. " Could the chloroform have been administered in wine?" —"No, sir, it would have been detected by the taste, smell, &c." "Do you think that Maxwell gave Preller too much chloroform by mistake ?"—" I doubt it. He could have saved him by using emetics and by other expedients." This would explain satisfactorily the way in which Maxwell spent the time from three p.m. to half-past ten p.m. After the victim had been killed, the work of unpacking the zinc trunk and of placing the dead body in it naturally consumed some time. Maxwell did not remain in tho hotel, however, for he was seen at the Laclede shooting gallery, on Fifth-street, near Chesnut-street, at about nine o'clock the same night. AFTER THE CRIME. Hearing that he had been there a reporter hastened to the gallery and asked if the report was true. "Yes," replied Mr. Gougal, the assistant-in-charge. " Mr. Maxwell came in here on Sunday night at about a quarter past nine o'clock and remained here until nearly ten. He was tipsy and showed me a 44-calibre navy revolver in a belt. He said he boarded at the Southern Hotel, and that he had been a pasha in the Turkish army." It has been shown that Maxwell took supper at half-post ten and then retired to his room. He rose at about six o'clock the next morning and hastened at once to Bieger's trunk store on Fifth-street, near Walnut. He bought two trunks, which Mr. Fraim, one of the. porters, took to room No. 144. At eight o'clock he shipped one of the trunks away, as he said, East. Ho was seen at various places about town during the day, always exhibiting considerable money. EXCHANGING' ENGLISH MONEY.

At one o'clock on the afternoon of that day a man, answering his description in every particular, called at the Fourth National Bank, corner of Fourth-street and Washington Avenue, and asked to have a lot of English bank notes exchanged for American money. The exchange was made by Mr. Biebinger, the cashier, and he states that Maxwell talked no farther than to ask the accommodation and to request that one of the one-hundred-dollar bills offered him be changed into five-dollar bills. The amount of bank notes must have been about £400, as the sum paid over to Maxwell was 1920d01. It is also established that a man answering the description purchased a through ticket for San Francisco that evening, and that only one ticket of the kind was sold on that day. The holder of that ticket has been traced clear across the Continent and on board the steamer City of City that sailed for Auckland, New Zealand, last Sunday afternoon. THE BODY FOLLY IDENTIFIED. The body of the murdered man has been fully identified by the hotel employed as that of Preller. It has been established that the dead man had a moustache shaved off just before or just after death, which fact removes a stumbling block in the way of identification. James Taylor, an intimate friend of the dead man, arrived here from Louisville this afternoon, and on being shown a photograph found in Preller's trunk, said it was the picture of his friend. MAXWELL INDICTED. Circuit Attorney Clover and Chief of Police Harrigan had a consultation this afternoon, when it was decided to call a special Grand Jury to indict Maxwell for the Southern Hotel murder. This afternoon Chief Harrigan prepared a cablegram giving a full description of Maxwell for the American Consul at Auokland, New Zealand. It was sent to that official with a request to secure his arrest. AN IMPORTANT WITNESS. Careful enquiry has disclosed the fact that the room adjoining the one in which Preller was murdered was occupied by one W. K. Ross, of New York. It is also evident from the register of the chief call boy, that the occupant was in the room continuously on Easter Sunday from half-past three to six p.m., during which time tho murder must nave been committed. Efforts are making to discover who this W. K. Ross is, and where he is, that he may have a chance to tell what he heard during those hours. The hotel people say he is an extensive hardware dealer and manufacturer in New York, and that everybody knows him there.

Sr. Louis, April 18. The interest in the Preller-Maxwell tragedy seems to increase. There is some division of publio opinion as to whether the body at the morgue has been sufficiently identified. A telegram from Now York brought the information that shortly before Prelier left that city his left hand was badly cut near the thumb by a razor dropping on it from the hand of a barber. As the wound had hardly had time to Jheal this was a strong test of the identity of the corpse, and it was examined for the cut. A partly-healed wound was found extending across the lower part of the thumb and up along the foretiger. Still this does not set at rest all doubts. APATHY OF THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES. People are asking why some definite information has not been received from England concerning the identity of the two men, and why the British Minister has received no information and taken no steps in the matter. Circuit Attorney Glover to-day wrote a letter to the British Legation at Washington, detailing the facts of the murder as they are known, and asking if the British Government will defray the expense of bringing Maxwell back to this country. The body of Prelier was photographed at too Morgue to-day for the purpose of identification after the remains are disposed of, A BELL BOY'S PECULIAR ACTIONS. Mr. Ross, the New York merchant, who occupied the room next to Maxwell, has stated that on Easter Sunday he heard groans in the adjoining room and called a bell boy to investigate. That bell boy was William Davidson. When seen today he refused point blank to answer any questions asked by the reporters and Chief of Police, and behaved in a decidedly queer manner.' fie acknowledged he was on watoh on the afternoon of Easter Sunday, and said he answered a call from the room occupied by Mr. Ross, but pretended to have forgotten all about the call or anything connected with

it, and in a long cross-examination by the Chief of Police refused to make any revelations. He is twenty-four yesrs old and fairly well educated, with a great amount of natural shrewdness and intelligence. Wis HE AN ACCOMPLICE ? It has been discovered this evening that a young man called at Mellier's drug store on Saturday, the sth, and tried to buy some chloroform for a guest at the hotel. The druggist says positively that this young man was Davidson. He did not get tho chloroform. In the evening Maxwell called on the same errand, but was denied. He tried again the next day (Sunday), but was again refused. ' Davidson will probably be given an opportunity to tell the Coroner all about his connection with the matter, and he may make some revelations. OPENING THE INQUEST. Coroner Nidelet this morning began the inquest on the body. A. S. Aloe, optician, was called. Two weeks ago last Thursday two gentlemen came to his store ; he was called from his office to the front of the store, and was asked by the smaller of the two if he desired to purchase some magic lanterns that ho had brought from England ; the man said the lanterns were at his hotel, but not unpacked ; he would show them in the afternoon ; in the afternoon he called and said the trunk containing the lanterns had not arrived ; when they came they would let the witness know ; witness bad seen two photographs, the ones supposed to be Preller and Maxwell; the man believed to be Maxwell did the talking; the next Monday the man who had talked about the lanterns called, purchased a field glass, spectacles, and a manicure outfit ; when questioned about the arrival of the trunk he passed the thing off lightly ; he had a roll of bills at this time, and tendered in payment for his purchases a one hundred dollar bill. IDENTIFYING THE TRUNK. Charles Bcrgar, of No. 16, South Broadway, being shown a picture of Maxwell, testified :— " I recognise the face, but would know him bettor by his speech ; I first saw him on April 6 ; he bought two trunks at my store ; he wore a full, short, light beard and moustache ; I asked his name, so I could deliver the valise he bought, but he carried it with him ; I changed a five dollar bill for it ; he wore a new slouch hat ; on Tuesday I was called to the hotel to open a trunk ; I noticed blood where the trunk lay ; when I lifted the lid I saw the body of a man in the trunk ; when the man bought the trunk he said he wanted no tray with it." John Lyon?, porter of the Southern Hotel, testified: — "Three weeks ago the occupant of room No. 144 asked me to take up some baggage ; one trunk is the same the body was found in; the trunk weighed about two hundred pounds ; I went to take a rope and strap off of it, but he said not to mind.", * NEWS OF THE ARREST OF MAXWELL. On May 6 tho St. Louis authorities learnt that Maxwell had been arrested at Auckland, On the 7th the following appeared in. the San Francisco papers :—" Extradition papers 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 6th, when the next Auckland steamer sails. Tho Chief of Police cabled to the American Consul at Auckland, this afternoon, instructing hi.n 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 June 6th, 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." THE MURDKRttD MAN. A paragraph in an English paper says :— The relatives of Mr. C. A. Preller, and those who were acquainted with him, seem to entertain but little doubt that the dismembered body of a man found in a trunk at the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, are the remains of the young traveller, who had gone out to America to represent the firm of Mr. J. H. Dixon, worsted manufacturer, of Bradford, Mr. Preller's father, who is a silk agent, carrying on business at Wood-street, Cheapside. " THE COST OF THE CABLE MESSAGE. The St. Louis polios authorities are somewhat exercised over tho heavy expense which the search for and extradition of Maxwell will entail. The cable message to the authorities of Aucklaud, New Zealand, consisting of 133 words, cost 3dols. 34cta. a word, or 444d015. 22cts. It was the most expensive police message ever sent out from a telegraph office in this country. The secret service fund of St. Louis is small, barely sufficient to cover the cost of this message, although exGovernor Crittenden declares that the Governor can make use of a contingent fund of 25,000 dollars to hunt hown a criminal like this. It is proposed to start a public subscription in St. Louis to defray the expenses of the capture of Maxwell. maxwell's antecedents. Maxwell is said to be connected with the family of Lord Farnham, It has been ascertained that Maxwell was a graduate at I .Oxford. A gentleman in New York, who t met both Preller and Maxwell, has made the following statement:—"l have no doubt Maxwell is the scion of a once rich and ! perhaps noble family that has run out, and with his advantages of birth and breeding was enabled to impose upon Preller, who could tell an ordinary snob as far as he could see him, and that he did so with the deliberate intention of bleeding him. I remember now of Preller mentioning him once as a man of educated and refined tastes, but in reduced circumstances. He spoke of taking him to some high-class and j high-priced musical performance, which Maxwell professed to enjoy greatly, and of the pleasure it afforded him thus to gratify the cultured tastes of another. Praller was a great lover of music himself, and would spend hours in the Mission, surrounded by children, playing to them upon the piano. He wa* a most lovable man in every way, and I believe Maxwell deliberately victimized him. I don't believe Maxwell had money enough to take him beyond St. Louis, or that he ever expected to get beyond that point on his own resource!}, He avoided Preller here in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, waiting till he had got him west, away from his friends, and then having gotten all he could out of him by fair means, resorted to foul ones to continue the supply." A PAINFUL INCIDENT. Our London correspondent writes :— "There is a painful episode connected with this murder. On the morning when the intelligence of the murder appeared in the London papers, the father of Mr. Prelkir was coming into the city by train from his residence in one of the suburbs, and opening his paper, his eye lighted on the account of a dreadful murder in the United States. He proceeded to read the account to his follow passengers in the train, when ho suddenly stopped as he came to the name of the victim and found that it was that of his own son."