MAIL NEWS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1214, 5 June 1885, Page 3

MAIL NEWS.

A MYSTERIOUS MURDER. Tbs headless body of an English gentleman registered as 0, Arthur Preller, London, England, was found in a trunk in the bt. Louis Hotel on the 13th April. When the trunk was opened the body of a middle aged man was disclosed. The body was so doubled about at the hips and knees that it filled the receptacle. On the side of the trunk over the head of, the corpse were printed in large letters the words “So perish all traitors to the great cause.” The body presented a horrible aspect, and was in an advanced stage of decomposition. The personal effects in the murdered m'an’s trunk indicate that the owner was a gentleman af means and culture. His room mate, Walter Lennox Maxwell, who is accused of the murder, is also an Englishman, and one of the Turnbam Maxmells residing on an estate at Orummill, in England. He has disappeared, and the only Clue the detectives have is that he left San Francisco disguised on the steamer City of Sydney. He is described .as a very girlish looking, blonde young man, face clean shaved. , He is very effeminate in his manner, carryinc this'so far as to walk with a short, mmcing a ep like a woman’s. A cablegram was seat to Auckland for his apprehension if be he a passenger on the City of Sydney. Notwithstanding officers are following this clue, there is after all some doubt as to their being on the right track. The name under which Maxwell took passage on the steamer was Dangnir. The whole case is involved in obscurity. Preller, the murdered man, was a member of an English sect called Plymouth Bretbern, Latest telegrams slats that Maxwell has been ar-ested, and the necessary papers for bis extradition will go forward by the Australia. THE ANGLO-RUSSUN DIFFICULT?. A communication from the Hussian Gdverrment defines the scope of arbitration. It includes no military Question, but it is. to be limited to the consideration of explanations with reference to the alleged violation of the Convention, The terms indicate that the arbitrators' functions will be to find a formula of conciliation consistent with the amour porpre of 1 oth sides. The Emperor William will bo asked to act as arbitrator, and it is expected he will consent.

Naval and military works will be continued on May 5 till boih branches of the service are fully supplied with stores. To a question why -Sir Peter Lutniden was recalled from Afghanistan while General Komari-ff was retained by the Russian Government, Mr Glads'one replied that there was no relation between the casts of the officers. Sir Peter Lumsden was era ployed in a purely civil capacity, while General Komanff was in command of the Russian forces.

The Globe of the sth says that the socalled adjustment of the Russian dispute is a poor shift. Tee Standard says it includes the surrender of Penjdeh to Russia. Despatches of the scb say that the Eng, fish people are enraged at Mr Gladstone, while Lord Randolph Churchill is the favorite of the hour.

There i« no appearance in St. Petersburg of any abatement in the warlike preparations. The mobilisation of the rifle battalion in Finland continues.

The Petersburg Official Messenger of 6th says that in consequence of the .iiveigence 1 of the views between the Cabinets of Russia and England on the interpretation of the March agreement it baa been derided to submit the questioii'tb an arbitrator. Meantime both nations have agreed to re-' aume fiontier negotiations, but on a diff r- 1 ] ent basis—namely, that the principal points of the frontier will be fixed by a previous' 1 understan ! ing between tbe two Cabinets, 1 the demarkation of the fiontier on the spot ■ and the placing of indicating posts being reserved for the Commissions which both Powers will send. In order to facilitate the work of delimitation, the outposts of both sides will not be withdrawn from their present positions until tbe at rival of the joint Commission, when as fast as the direction of the frontier line is fixed the frontier points will beoccupied by troops of both parties concerned. It will then be the duty of each to maintain order and security in its respective territory. • There is apparently a lull in the Russian preparations for war. Advices fi om Sarakhs state that a smalt force of Russians with four pieces of artillery now occupy Penjdeh. A cablegram of May 8 says that the arrogant attitude of Russia is the all absorbing topic, and has in a measure renewed the war talk. The Tories are in dignant at what they term another slap in the face by Russia. The belief is general that Russia is playing more of he'- t reacher ous tricks, and that tbe Cza r is fully intent on having her at any price. The note from M. de Giers is not satisfactory to the British Government, and the differences be tween the two Governments as io the terms upon which the qnes ion shall be referred to the arbitration are becoming greater. A London special to the New Yoik Evening News says : tionable authority for stating that Russia has categorically decline t to make any treaty binding her not to advance on Herat.” In the House of C mtnons Sir Stafford Northcote gave notice that he woul i, on Mon lay. May 11, submit tbe following motion: •' Resolved, that the House having shown its readiness to vote supplies, will refuse to assent to a vote of L11.000.d00 until it has been informed of the Government’s present policy, and of the purpose to which the money grauted is to be ap plied. A special dispatch from C dcutta to the Times says that the news of peace arrange meets have created dismay in India, and the vaoilatiou of the Ministry is ruinous to British prestige. Colonel Patrick Stewart had arrived at He-at. The latest London cable to the New York Tribune on May 9, says that the SC Peteisburgh and Moscow papeis all the week have been saving that arbitration is a comedy now. Kslkoff remarks in the Moscow Gazette that arbitration is simply a respectable means of closing an incident to which Russia assented, in order to find an honourable issue for Mr Gladstone out of his difficulties in consi eraliou of his feelings and former policy towards Ru-aia. The Continental Press, though pnzz'ed to know what arbitration meant, took a similar view. The Berlin and Paris papers agreed that England has given way. Vienna, the one European capital except perh.ps Romwhich hitherto hid show n a spirit friendly to England, regards his agreement as a surrender. Everyhidy rejoices over tbe prospect of peace, and few se m to it gret that it has been obtained by wh’t they regard as humiliation for England. The i feeling in England at fir»t was •ne of perplexity. and is daily hardening into one of i hostility and anxiety about the ultima'e - result of peace attained in this singular . manner.

THE SOUDAN. Dispatches of April 28 say that the hostile Arabs are again becoming troublesome to the British. Scouting parties of these bclligortmt* make constant attempts • to

destroy the l section (Sof fWWti-Jfertje* QgK way already onnstrueted; and eut-the telegraph fines wherever- they -'canfvEvery night El Muhdi’a meniflre upw apd into British poster • The :carifi|wa>;of. Sanaa,- de-. feated the forces of the , Mahdi wtqWmfide • an attack on that pliba oh T April ' Dispatches from Sitekin-.bf May-Id say : that the MahdiVmCn are becoming, raors daring every day. ; - Qn l|ie night of tpeSrd they surrounded Dajmbpuk’and Otaij.and kept up a heavy tire dh' both places all night. The firing, howevepy. was.fcbm (oolong a range to be effective/ : , Dispatches of the, 6th qieutiop Lord Wolsely’sindisposition., , > ’. Osma.Digna is again. collecting'' army, bnt owing to the scarcity' of food.- at his command he cannot become rmidable to call for a British expectition against him. f ‘ Tho Tokar Arabs ask English' protection against Osman, and almost all other tribes' are willing to submit if; the Eng\ish- willpromise to remain in-the country and protect them from the vengeance of Osman Dima. ;

In the Honed of Lords on Miy Sth a question was asked regarding the condition of the British troops serving in the Soudan. The Duke of Cambridge said ih respon-e that tne troops had never been better chred for in any campaign that had been in- the Snudan. * . . . i , •

■ Gene-al Woise’ey.in.reviewing the Camel corps at Suakin on May Boh, urged the metj to. perfect themselves in their hotel duties, as they would he wanted on, the Ni'ein autumn. The speech was significant as indicating that (he Gefleml is not in favor of the Government policy of abandoning the Soudan. 1