THE ST. LOUIS MURDER. How an American Detective Trapped Maxwell.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 161, 17 July 1886, Page 5

THE ST. LOUIS MURDER. How an American Detective Trapped Maxwell.

Dun ing the hearing of the charge of murder againet Maxwell, who was arrested at Auckland, for killing his travelling companion Preller at St. Louie, some extraordinary evidence waB offered by J. F. MeCullough, a detective, who, under the direction of Detective Furlong and District Attorney Clover and his assistant, McDonald, forgeda check, on an Eastern house and piesentedj ie at one of the city banks. He was arrested and placed in gaol and assigned to the cell adjoining that of Maxwell. He testified that immediately after hia incarceration he, introduced himself into his confidence, and about ten days afterwards he became engaged in conversation with Maxwell about the latter'ej case. Duriner this conversation, the defendant told witness that the only point in his case about which he felt uncertain and uneaßV was concerning money. He said that if be could only prove that he had plenty of money when Preller came to St. Louis he would have no anxiety about his speedy acquittal. The witness offered to fix this all right, but told the defendant that he must know all about the case or he would do nothing. Maxwell then made a full confession of. all the particulars of the case, beginning with his first acquaintance with .Preller ; how on ship-board he noticed that Preller had in his possession a largre amount of money ; how they separated in Boston Prellar going to Philadelphia and Maxwell coming to St. Louis. Defendant in this confession said that Friday night, after Preller joined him in thi3 aity, he told him (Maxwell) that it would be impossible for him to pay defendant's way to Auckland, whither they bad arranged to go together. This, eaid delendant to witnese, angered him. greatly, and he determined to "fix" him for his meanness. On the following night he and Preller were .sitting in the former's room, when the latter complained of some severe p c ains in his side. Maxwell said r "Oh, 1 can fix that all right; I have, treated such cases before." He then injected hypodermically into his friend's arm a sufficient amount of morphine to render him unconscious. After he had been in that condition for some time he bound a cloth completely saturated with chloroform about his victim's lioad, t and this, he confessed to witness, ''ended the bueiness." He then took off his clothes, took his money and cut oif his undershirt; and shirt, and took off his drawers. He threw the things out and put him in the trunk and left the things in the room. This was 4or 5 o'clock in the afternoon. He said he then stayed around until Monday morning, wheu he went out and, bought several things, trunks among th6m, He then packed hie own trunk, and put, things he had taken from Prellor's body in hife trunk. He bought a ticket for San Francisco, for which he paid $116. McCullough continued, saying Maxwell told him he had aboul §700 before he started for San Francisco. He spect £36 here, $2G> on the journey, and loaned a confidence man in San FrancL-co §S0 dollars on a watch, in a hou?e of ill repute to which he went. The girl went out of the room, and he didn't like the looks of it. He met her with a cocked revolver when she returned and said : "It's a good thing you are not a man." McCullough testified further that Maxwell told him that he bought a steerage ticket at San Francisoo for §100, had a pleasant trip, and had £160 letfi when he reached Auckland ; that the clothing taken, • from Preller's body was in a trunk in the. steerage, and he could nofc get at it or h$ would have made away with it. McCullough asked Maxwell what he wanted, and Maxwell explained that he wanted a witness to prove that he had a laige sum of money before he^left Boston^ Maxwell said that the witness could say tuat they had mot him in the club room at Young's Hotel and had called at his room,, They could state that they were with him, and that on the day he left Boston they dropped into Murphy's to take a drink and Maxwell, treated ; that he had a large roll ot bills and one of thorn suggested that he was careless in carrying hia bills so loosely in his pocket. They could swear that thoy saw $3l)0 or §600 in bills. It was agreed that Uiey should arrange for a meeting byfixing certain means ot identifying each, other On a card Maxwell wrote "Frank Dingfielder," with " 2\v " under each end of the name Tne witness explained that "2w " meant two v ltnes^es. 'S he card was torn in two pieces, Maxwell taking one and putting it in his drawer in hi* cell and thft witness* taking thu other. The cards were shown by the witness. The witness continued : ',' As the defence would probably be accidental killing, J said something about the money that my friends were to swear to, and Maxwell eaid there would be no trouble about perjury, as there was a bartender at the Southern Hotel who would swear that he had $700 with him< He said he wanted this sworn to, as it was a missing link. A few days after I got in gaol a man was shot Dr. Coates I believe. The prisoner said that if he had a man to kill he. would not do it in that way ; that chloroform was so much easier." McCullough then testi* fled that be wasreleased from gaol on a bond, and went to New York and Indianapolis under Furlong's instruction?. McCullough testified that he wrote a letter from New York to the prisoner, saying that the two witnesses arranged the secure would arrive at the Laclede Hotel, St. Louis, on the 29th, and a«ked if his attorneys could meet them. The witness received a reply, which he produced and which was shown to the defence. The witness then stated that on receipt of this retvly he wrote another letter, this time to Martin and Fauntleroy, to which he also received a reply. This letter was also produced,, with the envelopes in which both letters had been received. The witness then, on Ma,y 7»"h, wrote a letter to John J. Martin, on* of Maxwell's attorneys, to which he had not* received any reply. This practically closed the direct examination. On the cross-examination the witness, admitted that he would resort to falsehood and lying and various other means in thej rosecution of his Business to ascertain the* guilt of criminals?. The letters produced iuthe direct examination were brought ou(}» again, and at first the Couitiefused to admit them, but subsequently reversed its decision, and admitted the first two letters, and lates on they were all read. Maxwell, in his defence, declared McCullough'a evidence to be; a tissue of lies.

_ At one of the stations on the Erie Railwaylives a New York book-keeper, who is fQucd of green food. A gentleman recently ptQ^sented him with a pine apple, which h» gleefully took home. The next clay thd gentleman asked him how he liked iti. " Well," said he, "we boiled if for two> hours with a chunk of corned beef, but £ can't say it was as good as cabbage,"