Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-19

ST. Louis, May 1Sth.-The Post Dispqtch
prints statement made by II. NJ. Brooks.
alias Maxwell now on trial for the murder
of c. Arthur Preller, which will constitute
his only defense, and which will be urged
by his attorneys in the trial. In a word,
he will confess TO killing Preller by acci-
dent, while acting as his physician, and
that, being excited and frightened, he con-
cealed, instead Of making known the fact
Of his death. He declares that he has al
ways wanted TO tell the facts, and only re-
trained by the advice of his attorneys. Fol-
lowing is
BROOKS STATEMENT:
Mr.. Preller was suffering from private
disease, for which | had previously pre-
scribed, mixing the medicines myself from
bottles in a medicine chest, which | car
ried with me, but his ailment had reached
a stage when it was necessary for me to
make certain investigations, and l was
obliged TO use catheter In using the
catheter, when the parts were infamed, L
had previously applied chloroform in or
der to produce a condition of narcotism.
| explained the process to Prelcr. and told
him what / should have to do. He was
not only willing, but was very anxious for
me to treat him in this manner.
Brooks then tells of the purchase of
chloroform, which was spilled in the sink
on the Sunday afternoon while lie was
washing the instruments preparatory to
the operations; of his going TO Fernow's
drug store and buying more, denying incl
dentally the statement that he there
showed evidences of hurry aud excitement,
and continues About ) P. N. we began
the operation. administered the chloro-
form in the usual way, holding a saturated
| cloth to the nose. Mr.. Preller passed
through the first stage all right 1t took
several minutes. l don't know exactly
| how long. Then he entered the second
| stage, and here terrible result came
discovered. too late, that
HE WAS DYING.
Imagine my horror when this fact dawned
upon me. l was wild with fright, but had
| presence of mind enough to cut the shirt
and undershrt from the body, and getting
a wet towel, beat him around the neck and
shoulders for half an hour or more. did
! not give up until l was ready to drop
from exhaustion, and my efforts were not
| relaxed until he had been dead some time.
,, All the clothes he had on at the time were
| his shirt and undershirt He had stripped
| for the operation. What did do when l
saw my friend was dead? What could l
! do? didn't know what TO do, except to
drink, and l drank freely. drank every
thing | could get-wine, whisky, every
thing. What were my thoughts? l had
not any. All l remember is that l drew
on pair of drawers, the first that fell into
my hands, and put the body into my
trunk, from which had removed every
thing. What was done beside this have
no recollection.
LIQUOR ANp CONSERVATION
! Had possession of me, and ] knew only
that my feelings were those of the utmost
! horror. l remained in my room that
night-the same room in which the re-
mains were-and it would be a lie for me
to say slept, for did not and was glad
| when the morning came. What did after
| leaving my room, you know, for it has all
been printed He says he supposed the
post-mortem, when the body was found,
would disclose the nature of the operation
! and the cause of death. According to his
story, the cutting off of Preller's mustache
the inscription about traitor" found in
the trunk, and all other queer incidents
connected with the tragedy are to be at
tributed to his liquor and fear-crazed con-
dition after the fatality