St. Louis Murder Case. MAXWELL BEFORE THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE. DEPOSITIONS OF MORE THAN TWENTY WITNESSES SUBMITTED. Prisoner Ordered to Gaol to Await Surrender.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 110, 11 July 1885, Page 6

St. Louis Murder Case. MAXWELL BEFORE THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE. DEPOSITIONS OF MORE THAN TWENTY WITNESSES SUBMITTED. Prisoner Ordered to Gaol to Await Surrender.

The public interest felt in the charge of murder preferred against W. H. Lennox Maxwell, alias D'Auguier, was evidenced on July 3 by the ioamense crowd who assembled in the Resident Magistrate's Court to listen to the proceedings. The portion of the room devoted to the accommodation of the public was packed from floor to ceiling, and amongst those present were a number of women. Since his last appearance, Maxwell had encouraged his hirsute growth, and now appeared with a full but short beard. He gazed with a nonchalant and indifferent air at the people in the body of the Court, and did not appear at any time to take a very deep interest in the proceedings. His Worship, Mr H. G. Seth Smith, was on the bench. Mr H. Williamson conducted the prosecution, Mr W. J. Napier defended the prisoner, while Superintendent Thomson represented the police. Mr Gamble, U.S. Consul, was also present.

Crown Prosecutor's Address. Mr Hudson Williamson opened the case for the prosecution. He said the prisoner was brought before the Court under the Extradition Act, 1874, and an application was made to commit the accused to prison to await surrender under extradition. It was necessary for the prosecution to showthat the crime referred to was committed, and that the man before the Court was the perpetrator. If the evidence pointed to that conclusion then His Worship would be asked to commit the prisoner, pending his surrender to the American authorities. The crime preferred was that of murder, which was the first of the extradition crimes referred to in the Extradition Treaty. Ac- j cording to that treaty, it was provided; that each covenanting country should | deliver up persons charged with murder and assault with violence. Section 9of the Act provided that the Commissioner should hear the evidence in the same manner as if the j prisoner was on his trial for murder com- . mitted in England ; and if it was not sufficient to sustain the charge, it was his duty to order the release of the prisoner. They would submit the warrant of the Sheriff for the arrest of the accused, and than would place the depositions before the Bench. These depositions showed that the body of the murdered man was found in a trunk in the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, State of Missouri, and afforded proof that the body was that of the deceased Preller. The discovery of the body was made by the chambermaid, Margaret Cuddy, who had the trunk containing it removed to the side walk by Tony Freitag, porter. It was opened by Charles Bieger, and the body found stripped of clothing-, except a pair of linen drawers. Mr Ryan deposed to the state of the body when it reached the morgue, while Mr Luedeking, analytical chemist, laad told them that the lungs were saturated with chloroform. That a murder was committed was established by these facts, lhen the question arose — Who was the murderer? and the depositions of Noble, Hunt, Stith, Brown, Cuddy, and Castle would go to show that prisoner was that man. The prisoner and Preller were together about 3 p.m. on the Sunday on which the murder occurred, and it would appear from the esidence of Katie Clark that Preller did not sleep on his bed that night. The evidence of an expert identified the writing in the trunk as being the same as that of Maxwell. As to how the murder was committed, they had the evidence of Fernow, who supplied Maxwell with four ounces of chloroform on the afternoon of the day on which the murder was committed. Evidence was given to show that the trunk in which the body was fo >nd belonged to Maxwell, while the statement of Allington, captain of the waiters, threw some light on the conduct of prisoner on the night of the murder. The motive for the crime ap peared to be of the most sordid kind, the only apparent reason being a desire for the possession of a few hundred dollars which Freller had in his possession. Preller appeared to have been the cashier, while the accused seemed* to have very little money. The identification of the prisoner was rendered complete by the discovery in his possession of field-glasses and spectacles with the name of Aloe, optician, St. Louis, upon them, pencil, blotting book containing several blots of hia signature, a diary supplying the dates of his arrival at and departure from St. Louis and arrival at 'Frisco, a diploma, dressing-case, dose book, and shirt and flannel, etc., which had evidently been cut from a body. These, and also a quantity of cuffs and handkerchief s,had the initials C.A.P. worked upon them. A portrait of Maxwell in his robes as a medical student would also assist to prove his identity, while a diamond ring found on the accused's finger would be identified by Detective Tracey as having been purchased by the prisoner in St. Louis. He thought this formed a chain of circumstances sufficiently damning for His Worship to say whether or not the murderer was identical with the man before him,

Detective Tracey's Evidenoe. Detective Jas. Tracey, detective of the Metropolitan Police, City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, deposed that he had been stationed at St. Louis for 18 years. He knew the Southern Hotel there. He was in St. Louis from the 31st March to the sth April, and knew of two persons named Prellev and Maxwell Btaying there then. He knew the prisoner in the dock as Walter H. Lennox Maxwell, a late guest at the Southern Hotel, St. Louis. He remembered a murder being discovered there. The duty of investigating the case devolved upon him, and he attended the inquest. He was acquainted with all the witnesses, and identified the documents produced, including original warrant of the Sheriff of St. Louis for Maxwell's arrest, (Signature verified. ) (Warrant read. )

The Depositions. Mr Hudson Williamson then submitted the depositions, which included the statements of upwards of 20 witnesses. They were very neatly got up, and were all printed. The reading of the depositions by Mr Stoney, Clerk of the Court, occupied about an hour. The following is an abstract of the depositions : —

Arrival of the Couple at the Hotel. Merritt M, Noble, clerk at the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, deposed that Dr. Walter H. Lennox Maxwell arrived at the hotel at 11 a.m. on March 31st, 1885. Witness was at the desk at the time, and saw him write his name on the hotel register. He noticed him very particularly while he did so, for the reason that he wrote the name in a very cramped position. Shortly before the arrival of Maxwell, he received a telegram

, dated Rochester, New York, and signed «C. Arthur Preller," asking if Walter Maxwell had arrived at the hotel; The reply was in the negative, but before it had been transmitted by the operator, Maxwell arrived at the hotel, and thej message was recalled at hie request. Another was sent stating that Maxwell had just arrived. Witness noticed that Maxwell appeared to be very nervous, and did not want to stay in the hotel office, so he assigned him to room 144, to whioh he immediately retired. Preller came on the following Saturday, April 3rd, and was shown to room 385. He took the keys of both rooms from the office that morning, and witness saw the two men about the hotel together for several days. The last time he saw Maxwell was about six o'clock on the evening of April 6th (Monday). He came to the office and asked for the key of 385, which was Preller's room. Witness gave it to him, and noticed at the same time that ho emiled and turned quickly away. He thought nothing of Maxwell asking for the key of Preller's room, because ho knew them to befriends. He did not remember the key being returned on Monday moruing, or being called for on the preceding afternoon or evening. He did not remember seeing Preller after Sunday, April sth, until he saw his dead body in the trunk taken from room 144 on the 14th April.

The Cashier's Evidence. L. E. Runt, cashier at the Southern Hotel, deposed that Maxwell'sfirst week's board was due on April 6th, and was paid by him on the forenoon ot that day. He did not indicate when he was going to leave the hotel. Preller registered on April 3rd, and was assigned Wo. 355. His board bill was not paid by Maxwell, and still remained unpaid. Maxwell also owed for a week's board in lieu of notice. He could not say when he last observed Preller about the hotel.

In the Billiard Room. Kenwick Brown, employed in attendance on the billiard and pool room of the Southern Hotel, deposed that Preller and Maxwell frequently played billiards at his tables, and he had often seen them together in the rotunda of the hotel. Preller resembled a Jew somewhat, and witness at first took him to be such, but when he heard him talk he discovered that he had a very strong English accent, and this atti acted his attention, and caused him to observe both him and Maxwell very cioseiy during j their stay at the hotel. Preller was very polite and kind with witness, and he had several conversations with him, but never talked with Maxwell. They played pool together at his tables for about live days, and it was their custom to come in two or three times a day and play for an hour or two each time. They drank considerably ! while playing, the drinks always being ordered by Preller and paid for by him. Preller also paid for the billiards or pool, except on one occasion, -when Maxwell payed for the game. Preller displayed a good deal of money, and on one occasion witness saw him take out a large roll of bills. He never saw Maxwell with any great amount of money. On Saturday, April 4th, Maxwell came to him in the billiard-room, and asked if his partner Preller was there, and he replied "No." Shortly afterwards, Preller came in, and told him to hold the first vacant table for himself and Maxwell. They played for some time, and then left, and he did not remember seeing Preller again alive after

that. The Watchman's Statement. Robert R. Stith, employed as watchman at the dining-room door of the Southern Hotel, deposed that Maxwell and Preller I were almost always together, and appeared to be very friendly. The last time he saw Preller was on Easter Sunday, April sth, at 1 p.m., when he was at dinner. He was not in the dining-room again after that.

Chambermaid's Evidence. Maggie Cuddy, chambermaid at the Southern Hotel, deposed that it was her duty to make up Maxwell's bed and keep his room clean. She saw Preller frequently in Maxwell's room, and the last time was on the afternoon of Eastoc Sunday, April 5, about one o'clock. Preller was sitting at the window smokiog, white Maxwell was sitting at the table in the middle of the room. They in 1 uriably appeared to be great friends, and seemed to be friendly at that time. About nine o'clock next morning, she went to clean up Maxwell's room, and found no uae the^e. Maxwell, however, came up the stairs as though from breakfast, fust as she was leaving the room. Shortly afterwards she saw him come out of tho room with a valise and hatbox in his hand. When she first entered the room on Monday morning there were a zinc trunk, wooden trunk, and two valises in the room From that time until the body was found no one occupied the room. She' visited it each day, and several days after Maxwell had gone she noticed a strong stench in the room. Later on it became in sufferable, and she then found that it came from the zinc-covered trunk. She called the attention of the officers of the hotel to it, and Tony Frietag, one of the porters, carried it from the room out on to the side walk. This witness and John Lyons, night-porter, identified the zinc trunk in which the body was found as the one which Maxwell brought to the hotel with him. Katie Clark, chambermaid of the third floor, also gave evidence to the effect that Preller's bed was not slept in on the night of Easter Sunday.

Purchase of Chloroform. J, W. Fernow, druggist, Fifth and Market-streets, St. Louis, deposed that Maxwell came to his atore and introduced himself as an English doctor, saying at the same time that he thought of practising his profession in St. Louie, and asked where would be a good location for an office. Witness told him Olive-street, and gavehim some of hisblank prescription forms. After that he called again and purchased some small articles, and on the third or fourth visit he bought some chloroform. The witness then proceeded as follows :— He was in my store as many as ten or twolve tames altogether. On one of these occasions, he told me his partner was coming, and on my asking, he described him as a doctor. I told him to bring him over also, as I would like to make his acquaintance. On Saturday, April 4th, he came to the store and said his partner had arrived. I again asked him to bring him over. That was the last I saw of Maxwell until about one o'clock on Easter Sunday, when he stepped in and said, '*' Mr Fernow, put me up four ounces of chloroform." I did so, and gave it to him, and he got Borne absorbent cotton at the same time, and after talking for a few minutes, left. About five o'clock the same evening, while I was busy with prescriptions, Maxwell came in again and I sent my little boy out to see what he wanted. Maxwell said to the boy, '♦ Put me up some chloroform." I don't allow the boy to do that, but attend to it myself, so I said to Maxwell, " Have a chair ; lam busy just now." Maxwell said, " No ; lamin a great hurry j you must attend to me first." I only had five ounces of chloroform left, and I gave him two ounces. He Baid, '• Is that all you have ?" I Baid, " I have only 3 ounces now, and I cannot give it to you. " He replied, ' • Give it to me. >r I said, "I cannot do itj I wouldn't be without chloroform in the house." He then left without having the bottle wrapped up,

(Maxwell »s a Dootor. I put a label on it, and he said, " What do you put that on for ? I' am a dootor, and don't want it." He tore it off, threw it away, and went off in a great hurry. I waja at Hickman's barber's shop one day getting shaved, when Mr Arno, the barber shaving me, told me he was not feeling well ; that a doctor had been in there, and had given him a prescription, and stated that the doctor had told him to come to my Btore and have it filled. He showed me the prescription, asked me if I knew the doctor, and explained that he was an English doctor, stopping at ' the Southern Hotel. I saw that it was written on one of my prescription blanks, and recognised it as having been written by Dr. Maxwell. I have never seen Maxwell since his visit to my store at five o'clock on the afternoon of Easter Sunday. I have learned since that Arno shaved Maxwell's beard off before the latter left the city.

Tne Evening of tbe Murder. Henry Allington, captain of the waiters at the Southern Hotel, deposed : I saw Preller and Maxwell frequently while they were stopping at the hotel. On Saturday afternoon, shortly after they took dinner together, I saw Preller playing the piano in the parlour. Maxwell was present. This was the last time I saw them together. I saw neither of them again until the next night (Sunday), when Maxwell came into the dining room alone a little after ten o'clock with his hat and overcoat on. I said, " I will take your hat and coat," and he said, "Never mind, I will put it on a chair," After ordering some beef and tongue, he called for a wine card and ordered a small bottle of champagne. I noticed he wrote the order with a gold pencil, which I thought was of an English make because I saw a crest on the top, the crest being a lion with one paw raised. He showed me this pencil afterwards. The wine was brought, but he drank very little, taking a mouthful only, and telling the waiter to drink the remainder. He was under the influence of liquor, and was more than halfdrunk. Ho acted silly. Ho told me he was a pasha in the Turkish army, and also eaid : - " My friend Preller has gone out into tbe country, and he won't be back, and I am going to pay his bill. Will his luggage bo safe in his room ?" I said, " Most certainly*) it will be all right."

A Strange Question. A friend came into the dining-room just then, and I walk< d towards the door, when Maxwell called to me, and said, "Bay, suppose a man kill a man in this community, would it cost him over 500 or 600 dollars to get off." I replied, "My friend, you care in a civilised community," to which he made no further reply. I noticed that he pulled out a largo I roll of money and laid it on the table. I had no more conversation with him until he left the room, fie then stood near the door, and talked to me quite a while. lie said, "I guess I will change my English wardrobe, and put on a Western attire," and at the same time pulled out a large revolver and said, " Ain't it u daisy ?" I said " Where are you going ? What are you going to do ?" and he said, " We are travelj ling, me and my partner Preller, and we [are thinking of going to Cape Coast," as he thought of trying to get a position as physician or surgeon on board one of the mail steamers.

A Hot Time. He said : " You go out with me to-night, and we'll have a h— ll of a time. I don't mind spending 50 or 60 dollars." Butl deI dined to go. I didn't see him again until Monday evening, April 6, when 1 saw him sitting at the last table in the dining- toom. I waited till I thought he had finished his meal, when 1 went over and tapped him on the shoulder. He started and looked around at me, and I asked if we were going Ito have that good time to-night, and he said, "No, I have had a despatch from Washington, and am ca'led back to Turkey." He then skinned out pretty quick, and I saw nothing more of him.

Purchase of the Trunk. Frederick Bergir, carrying on the trunk business in South Fifth-street, St. Louis, deposed that a small built man about five feet five inches in height, -with sandy beard and moustache, asked to see some trunks at his store on the morning of April 6th, explaining at the same time that he wished to take some clothes out West. He purchased a large packing trunk, for which he paid 15£ dollars, and also a canvas-covered taunk. These were sent to No. 144 at the Southern Hotel. He asked where he could get some powder and shot, and witness directed him. In about an hour he came back with a packago in his hand, and bought two straps, and again in the evening he called and bought a valise, which he took with him. When he paid for the trunks, he had a nice roll of money, including fifty, one hundred, and two hundred dollar bills. The trunk which he had examined at the police head-quarters was the one he had sold to the accused. When he sold it there was no tray in it, but when he saw it at the police office there was a tray and also a partition which was not in it when sent to the hotel. Neither thie partition nor the tray fitted the trunk which he sold, but did fit the zinc trunk in which the body wa's found, because they corresponded in size and pattern with the lining of tho zinc trunk, while the partition was broken, and showed signs of having been violently torn from the trunk in the morgue.

Opening the Trunk. Charles Bieger, brother of the last witness, deposed that on the morning of the 14th April he was called to the Southern Hotel to open a trunk which was on the sidewalk, and which smelt very badly. The trunk waa a large zinc one, and had stamped upon one end the initials W. H. L. M. There were two straps around it, and having unfastened these, he cut the rope and commenced to open the lid, when he saw the leg of a man come up out of the trunk. He then opened it fully, and saw the dead body lying in a very cramped position. He had to pußh the leg back in order to close the trunk, which was taken to the morgue in a waggon by the police. The straps were so full of blood or something that had run through the trunk underneath, that it was hard for him to recognise them, but he was pretty positive they were the same straps the young man purchased from them.

Statements by the Porters. Wm, Frain, porter at the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, deposed that about 8 o'clock on the morning of April 6th two new trunks came to the hotel to be sent to room No 144. One was a yellow packing trunk, and the other a square Bample trunk. He took the two trunks to room 144, but found no one there. There were a lot of clothes and tools scattered about over the floor in great con fusion. These were lying in the middle of the floor, near the zinc trunk, and looked as if they had been tossed out of it. The zinc trunk was all roped and tied up. Returning to the room about 9.30 o'olock, he found Maxwell there, who told him to take one of the trunks down. Maxwell appeared to be very much excited and nervous, but as it was time for the omnibus to call, he thought this was the reason he was excited. The clothing and articles he had seen on the floor at his first' visit had disappeared. He said at first that he was ;

in a hurry to catch the train ; but eubeequeutly said that he was not going away; but only wanted to get that baggage on the train, when he would come back. It was the Vandalia train going east that he alluded to. Tony Frietog, another porter, deposed to taking the trunk which smelt sd badly, and in which the remains were found, from room JNo. 144 down to the sidewalk, !

Altering bis ippenrauc*. John B. Anno, employed as barber at Hickman's, North Broadway, St. Louie, deposed that on the evening of Monday, April 6th, the accused came into the shop to be shaved. He told witness that his name was Maxwell, and that he had been a physician in the Turkish army. He said he would be in the oity until Wednesday, and gave witness a prescription with his name signed to it, which was afterwards filled at Fernow's drug store. Witness shaved his face smooth, excepting his moustache. He had a beard all over his face when he first came, and his beard, moustache, and hair were light. He asked witness to take all his beard off, but said he had not time for a shampoon. While witness was cutting his hair he eaid he was in a hurry, and ought to be going at 7 o'clock. When witness had got through with him, he said, 11 Would you know me now if you had not seen mo with my whiskers on V Witness replied, " No, I would not know you unless I had taken your whiskers off." Maxwell said, " Do you think they will know me at home?" Witness replied, "I don't think they will unless they are' very close observers." Maxwell was very talkative and very nervous all the time that he was in the shop, and while reclining in the chair as he was being shaved he would raise himaolf up and look around every time the door of the shop was opened and anyone came in. Purchasing Coloured Spectacles. J ames Johnston, salesman at the store of Aloe and Co., opticians, St. Louis, deposed that Maxwell and Prellor called at their shop on April 4th, when Maxwell offered a magic lantern for sale. Mr Aloe was to havo sent to the hotel to value the material, but in the afternoon Maxwell came back and said he would not bo able to show those articles, as some of his baggcige had not yet arrived. He came by himself on Monday, April Gth, and asked for a pair of goldframed spectacles, inquiring at the same time for lenses with a smokish tint. They had no lenses done up at that time, but they got them ready for him during the morning. He called again at eleven o'clock, when the spectacles were ready for him, and purchased a pair of field glasses for 25 dollars. He pulled out of his pocket a large roll of bank notes, and gave a 100 dollar bill in payment for the glasses When Maxwell took the change, he said he did not like to have so much money in his possession, and that he was going to break it all. He looked at j some surgical instruments, and called a stethoscope by its name, explaining at the same time that he waa a doctor. j

The Last Seen of Preller. Fred. Castle, attendant at the cigar stand ; at the Southern Hotel, deposed that Preller \ and Maxwell bought cigars from him i several times. The last time he saw them together was between 9 and 3 o'clock on the afternoon of Easter Sunday, April sth. They purchased a box of -Arettas, Preller giving a 10 dollar bill in payment, and requesting that the cigars should be sent b- No. 144 Maxwell came to the cigar-stund on the following day just before the passengers for the Vandalia railroad left the hotel, and purchased a couple of cigars. "He did not see either Preller or M«ix« ell again.

Alter the Murder. Stephen Sibur, waiter at the Southern Hotel, deposed that he was on the night watch on Easter Sunday. Maxwell came in about 10 p.m., and he served him with cold beef and tongue. The accused ordered champagne, and after drinkina about half a glass of tbe wine, gave the rest to witness. Maxwell was just about drunk, and did not touch his supper. He talked with Mr Allington, the captain of the watch, about his having been in the Turkish army, and I showed him a large pistol Maxwell had a largo roll of bills in his hands, and said, "wouldn't that get a man out if somebody were to kill somebody ?" Witness then went on with his work, and paid no further attention to Maxwell, who had told him that he intended to leave that evening, but did not say where he was going.

Contents of the Trunk. John F. Ryan, Superintendent of the St. Louis morgue, evidence to the effect that a srinc trunk containing the corpse of a man was brought from the Southern Hotel on the 14th of April. He took the body out of the trunk, and placed it in the room used for post-mortem examinations. There were twostraps andalotof rope around the trunk, and on the rope was sealing-wax. The trunk was marked on its end with the initials "W.B.LM." The body was in a very cramped position in the trunk, and was clothed with only a pair of drawers. Upon one end of the trunk inside was pasted a paper about four by six inches, on which were written these words : So Perish all Traitors to the Great Cause. Charles Luedeking, analytical chemist, and instructor in chemistry at the Washington University, deposed to making an examination of the stomach and contents of one C. A. Preller, After describing the precautions taken, the witness proceeded : "My instructions were to look for all poisons, organic and inorganic. In these latter years it has been demonstrated, especially by Italian chemists, that by the process of decomposition of animal matter there are formed a class of substances which present in nearly all their re-actions and in their physical, as well aa physiological properties and actions, the closest analogy to the alkaloids and other potent substances of vegetable origin, so much so that we today must confess ourselves to be unable to work with that certainty in their department of toxical analysis which must be the characteristic attitude of scientific inquiry. There are a great number of substances which, therefore, cannot be detected with such certainty as is necessary for positive results, except, perhaps, through a most exhaustive investigation. Accordingly, this part of the work, the most laborious, and, as stated, tbe most uncertain of all, was not brought to a close because it would promise so little. However, I will state that thiß part of the investigation has been undertaken, notwithstanding all tbe difficulties that hampered it. After a careful examination of the stomach, I was unable to reach any conclusion as to the presence of chloroform in it.

Chloroform in the Lungs. Because the results of my examination of the stomach for -chloroform left me in doubt as to whether it was there present or not, I determined to examine the lungs for this substance — the organs.because of their richness in blood vessels, being especially suited to settle the question finally. First the lung was introduced with some water into a large flask, after having been properly reduced standing in a warm bath. The cork of the flask was doubly perforated, arid through one of these perforations .a , tube bent at right angles

reached to the surface of the mass, whilst through the other perforation there extended a tube bent at right angles twice to jußt below the cork. The first tube was connected with a gasometer filled with air, and by means of it a gentle current of air was parsed through the flask during the entire operation, The other tube was heated to a redness by a Bunsen lamp, and further on it contained a piece of iodised starch paper, while its extreme end was dipped into a solution of nitrate of silver. By this well-known method, after the contents of the flask had been made.alkaline, a very decided indication of chloroform, was obtained, for the starch paper burned a deep blue colour, and the nitrate of silver gave a white, curdy precipitate. The other lung was distilled in a current of steam for some time, and a distillate not clear thuß obtained about 6ozs. This was mixed with some alcohol, and subjected to distillation from the water bath. The discillate would contain in its first portions all the chloroform in alcoholic solution. With it the Hoffman test was made, and the odour of phenylcarbylamin observed. Another portion of the alcoholic distillate gave a perceptible cuprous oxide, with Fothiing's solution. From the above analytical tests, I am prepared to say that there is chloroform in the lungs which I examined, but I am at present not able to make any definite statement regarding the quantity.

Another Link in the Chain of Evidence. C. 0. Bißhop, lawyer by profession, and at present clerk to the circuit attorney of St. Louis, deposed that in one of the trunks found in room No. 144, of the Southern Hotel, he discovered a number of blank sheets of paper. He had made a careful examination of the piece of paper found in the trunk containing the dead body, and on which paper the words wore written, "So perish all traitors to the great cause." After comparing it with the sheets of paper found in the other trunk, he stated positively that in shape, size, colour, quality, texture, and general description, the paper on which the said words were written, and the sheets so found by him, were identical and the same.

Identification of Handwriting. F W. H. Wiesohahn, professional penman and expert in handwriting, S 4 ;. Louis, deposed that he had made the study of handwriting specially for more than 20 years. He. had made a careful examination of the piece of paper on which were written the words, "So perish all traitors to the great cause." He had also carefully examined a number of letters addressed to Preller and signed by Maxwell, and also several prescriptions with Maxwell's name appended to them. He had also examined the register of the Southern Hotel, where Maxwell had entered his signature After having made a careful and thorough comparison of all the above-mentioned writings with each other, and subjected them to all the tests of comparison in his art, and upon the basis of his experience, he pronounced them all to have been written by one and the same person.

Verdict of the Jury. Appended is the certificate of verdict by the Coroner :— " That the said Walter H. Lennox Maxwell is responsible for the 'death of the said C. Arthur Preller." This concluded the depositions.

Continuation of Evidence. Detective Tracey was recalled, and identified the signature, verifying the truth of the depositions, and also the seal of the Court, certificates of the Judge, clerk, «&c. The towels produced were similar to those used in the Southei-n Hotel, St. Louis, and were marked with the name of the hotelkeeper. He examined room 144 of the hotel, and found two valises there. One bore the name of Maxwell on a tag (produced)^ the address being "Walter Lennox MaxwelJ, s.s. Cephalonia." He produced a portrait of prisoner with the words, " With the compliments of W, Lennox Maxwell," written upon it. Witnessos at the St. Louis inquest had seen the picture, and had acknowledged the likeness. (Mr Napier objected on the ground that this was not evidence.) Messrs Johnston, Ailington, Anno, and Stith had recognised the portrait as that of Maxwell. Detective Twohey deposed that the articles produced in Court and referred to in a previous witness's evidence, were found in the prisoner's possession at the time of his arrest. Mr Napier said he failed to see that anything had been shewn to prove that His Worship had jurisdiction over the prisoner. Certain documents must be produced before His Worship had power to deal with the case. He quoted frem "Best on Presumption " to shew that nothing could be presumed in a question of extradition. Clark, who was the principal authority on extradion, said the Police Magistrate could not deal with a case unless the order-in-Council was produced, while nothing had been shewn to prove that any arrangement existed between England and America for the surrender of fugitive criminals. Therefore he contended that His Worship could not deal with the case. I Mr Williamson submitted that the pro- j duction of the Order-in-Council was not necessary, and mentioned a recent case in Wellington as an authority. His Worship ruled that the production of the Order in-Council was not necessary. The evidence having been read ovor, the prisoner was warned in the usual way and asked if he had anything to say. Maxwell replied, in a slightly foreign accent, "I reserve my defence, sir ; that is all." His Worship: Walter H Lennox Maxwell, — You now stand committed to the Mount Eden Goal to await a warrant from the Governor for your surrender. You must understand that you will not be surrendered for fifteen days, and in the meantime, you have the right of applying for a writ of habeas corpus