THE ST. LOUIS MURDER.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 107, 20 June 1885, Page 6

THE ST. LOUIS MURDER.

The following additional particulars relating to the St. Louis tragedy are of interest : Chief of Detectives Burke said, tonight : "The dead man is undoubtedly C7 A. Preller, who arrived at the hotel on the 3rd instant. He was undoubtedly killed by Maxwell, who registered there on the 31st March. The murder took place in Maxwell's room, and the trunk in which the body was stored was one which Maxwell j brought with him from the East. On last I Tuesday he bought the second trunk at a store on Broadway. Into this he transI ferred the books, clothing, papers, instruments, photographic views and other articles, probably in a great hurry, as they were found in confusion. He also placed the tray of his old trunk in this to give him more room to pack the body in. His intention then was probably to remove this trunk, which could pass out of the hotel withtheleastsuspicion. There was dangerof discovery, of course, at any minute, and on this account he probably changed his plans and decamped, and to avoid discovery' he went away without taking any of his effects with him. Preller's trunks are of touch better quality than those of Maxwell's, being made of fine leather, and their contents indicate that their owner was a gentleman of means and culture. The trunks have on them labels of the Cunard Steamship Company, and the Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, where he occupied room 186 on March 26. Maxwell generally dressed in a brown tweed suit of English cut, a Newmarket overcoat, and a high Derby hat. In his manner he was very effeminate, which he even carried so far as to walk with short, mincing steps, like a woman. This afternoon the body of Preller was , exposed on a slap in the exhibition room at j the Morgue, with the following description given by Superintendent Regan : I The deceased man was about 5ft 9in in height, weighing about 1701b, black hair, eyes of a brown colour ; wore white knife drawers. Ho other clothing came with the body. He was about 22 or 23 years old. The body is very much decomposed, has been dead 10 or 12 days, tongue protruding, large blisters on both legs. There is a cross cut into the flesh on the breast. The following telegram found among tho papers of Preller, is the best clue to the relations of Preller and Maxwell : " Boston, March 19, 1885. " C. A. Preller, Belvidere Hotel : " Yes. Could go direct to Auckland from here. Will write Philadelphia to-morrow. I — W. H, Lennox Maxwell." From a letter from the steamship com- ! pany it is inferred that Preller sailed from England for this country on the Cephalonia Jan, 21, 1885, on a commercial tour of this country and Australia. The telegram given above would indicate that Maxwell agreed to accompany him to Australia. The articles found in Maxwell's room, which he had abandoned in his flight, are believed to be worth about $1,000. BOSTON, April 14.— It is learned that Walter H. Lennox Maxwell arrived in this city by the steamer Cephalonia in the early part of January. He boarded with a Mrs Cook, at J,508, Washington-street, and j soon became acquainted with the attendants in a neighbouring drug store, to whom he represented that he was about to open a doctor's office on Shawmut Avenue. On the strength of this statement, a number of prescription blanks were given him, but they were never filled out or returned. In conversation with the clerks he casually mentioned his acquaintance with Preller. Maxwell's manners showed him to be intensely English, and he frequently expressed his contempt for the so-called Irish agitators. He also mentioned the fact of his having friends in Allston. Maxwell left j Boston suddenly about the last of March, and nothing; has since been known of his whereabouts. Richard W. Owens is one of the leading members of the Plymouth Brethern, who 1 hold religious exercises every evening at 7, Seventh Avenue. He said last night :— "Mr Preller came to me about two years ago with a letter of introduction from one of the brothers in London, Mr Preller travels for a large London firm dealing in fancy trimmings, and his father is a member of the firm. Both are members of our eecfc. Young Mr Preller was a fine-looking young man, very quiet in his ways, and a conscientious Christian. He has been thoroughly educated, and has travelled all over the world. He always dressed richly, and carried large sums of money. He arrived here from London on his third trip to this country about eight weeks ago and called on me. He stopped at the Belvidere, as he said it was thequietesthotelhocouldfind. Hedidn'tlike theUnionSquare,becausethereweresomany actresses there. He was here nearly every evening, and always went to our Bible readings. He left the city about three weeks ago." " Who is Dr. Maxwell ?" " All I know about Maxwell is that he came over from London in the same steamer with Preller. When they arrived here Maxwell went on somewhere. Preller never mentioned him. Some time before he left, despatches were exchanged between them arranging for a meeting at St. Louis. Thence they were going on together to San Francisco, and through India home.