St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-19
The Slayer of Preller at st. Louis Makes
a Complete Confession Of His
Crime.
He Claims He Was Performing An Opera
tion on His Victim, Who Died
Under 1t.
An Overdose of Chloroform the
Cause of the Unfortunate Mans
Taking OF.
No Explanation Made of Ills Access
sion to Wealrh--The Trial
Proceeding.
Confesses His Cri me.
Special to tn e Globe.

| o1s 1LOO1S, Ihdy lO.-Au CNCuilS PdpCl
| publishes the following as a confession
from Hugh NJ. Brooks, alias Maxwell,
whose trial was begun to-day for the MUIR
der OF G. Arthur Preller, at the Southern
hotel, this city, April 5, 1884. The con-
fession foreshadows line of defense upon
the murder by imprudence," the theory
which was predicted in these dispatches
some months ago. The following is
| Brooks statement: 'sMr. Preler was Suf-
| fering from disease for which had pre-
| Viously prescribed, mixing the medicines
myself from the bottles in the medicine
case l carried with me, but his ailment had
reached stage where it was necessary for
me to make certain investigations. l was
obliged to use an instrument, and in using
it when the parts were iniamed l had pre-
viouSly applied chloroform in order to pro-
| duce a condition of narcotism. l used
| chloroform in this manner on man named
Harrison in Liverpool, without any serious
results. explained the process to Mr..
Preller, and told him what l should have to
do. He was not only willing, but was very
anxious for me to
TREAT HIM IN THIS MANNER.
During the day purchased four ounces
of chlorOform, which was standing in
bottle on the edge OF my washStand when I
was washing some surgical instruments.
This washing of the instruments took place
Sunday afternoon and was intended as
I preparation for the operation. In washing
| the instruments overturned the bottle of
chloroform and it went headlong into the
| basin, the cork coming out and all but
about one ounce and quarter or an ounce
and half going down into the sink. This
was probably 3 O'Clock, and after getting
my instruments ready, went out to secure
some more chloroform. I went to the drug
store, don't know whose, but the store
near the hotel (Farrow's) and asked for the
chloroform. The clerks or some persons
there have said that 1 was excited and in
hurry. This was not so. sat down in a
| chair in the drug store for more than quar-
ter of an hour, and was altogether very
| leisurely about my business. for there was
no hurry. If am not mistaken 1 had
| long conversation with someone in the
| drug store. When I got the chloroform
| REPAIRED TO MY ROOM.
Preller had been in and out off my room,
| and his own all afternoon. About p. m.
we began the operation. 1 administered
the chloroform in the usual way, holding a
saturated cloth to the nose. Preller passed
through the first stage all right 1t took
several moments, don't know exactly how
| long, then he entered the second stage, and
here the terrible result came. l discovered
too late that he was dying. Imagine my
horror when this fact dawned upon me. 1
was wild with fright, but had presence
of mind enough to cut the shirt and under
shirt from the body, and getting wet
towel l beat him around the neck and Shout
| ders for a half hour or more. | did not
| give up and l was ready to drop from ex-
| honStiOn and efforts not rployQ1
until he had been dead some time. All
the clothes he had on at the time were his
! shirt and undershirt; he had stripped to
| these for the operation. What did / do
when 1 saw my friend was dead? What
| could do? l did not know what to do eX-
cept drink and l drank freely; 1 drank
everything l could get, wine, whisky, every
thing. What were my thoughts?
| HADN'T ANY.
All that I remember is that I drew on a
pair of drawers, the first that fell into my
| hands, and put the body into my trunk,
from which l had removed everything. I
| put it in the trunk an hour after Prellers
| death. What was done beside this have
no recollection of. Liquor and consterna-
ton had possession of me and know only
| that my feelings were those of the utmost
horror. l remained in my own room, that
I IOOul, tilt SttulC lOOlu Ill w lUG
were, and it would be a lie for me to say
that I slept, for did not, and 1 was glad
when morning came. What I did after
leaving my room you know, for it has all
been printed"
'Was the instrument you mentioned
found among your medical Instruments"
| 81 don't know. l carried some of my
| instruments in valiSe and threw them into
| the Pacific"
Had you any plans about disposing of
the body?"
None whatever; I meant to leave it
there, expecting that it would be discovered
sooner than it was, and thinking that post
mortem would reveal the true state of facts,
that Preller had met his death while
| UNDERGOING SUCH AN OPERATION
as have designated"
| How about PreIler's money!"
81 know nothing about Preller's money.
had plenty of money of my own. or I
could not have made the long trip which 1
| did make"
According to his own story, the cutting
off of Preller's moustache, the inscription
about TRAITORS" and all the other queer
incidents connected with the tragedy, are
to be attributed to his liquor and fear crazed
| condition after the fatality. NOtwithstand-
|
usual after dinner. The assistant circuit at
torney opened for the state, and talked three
hours. Hell outlined the case for the state.
! wherein he expected to show Brooks con-
nection with Preller from the first meeting
on the Cephalonia; the prisoners long series
of falsehoods, including his claim of being
baronet, physician of the Royal college,
the purchase of the chloroform. the flight
and arrest. making perfect chain OF cir
cumstantial evidence. Merritt Noble, now
of TeXarkana, but formerly clerk at the
| Southern hotel, was the only witness ez-
amined to-day. He identified Brooks and
said the body found in the trunk was I'M
doubtedly the corpse of Preller. He testified
to Brooks strange and nervous action at the
time of the murder, and his sudden and I'M
accountable change from poverty to the
possession of large amount of money.
Brooks was evidently in great mental dis
| tress at the close of court, and would gladly
have recalled his confession and returned
the money paid him for it if he could.
| The Girls of CherrVValc.