Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-27
He Repeats fn Detail ON the Stand the
Confession Pubii~hed Recently.

He Repeats in Detail on the stand the
Confession Pnbiished Recently.
In the Maxwell trial, ~ ST. Louis, yesterday,
Mr.. Fauntieroy, for the defense, m ade bis OPEN
ing statement to the Jury. He said that he
wished to impress them with the fact that no
one knew how Prsller came TO his death except
the defendant. and he proposed to disclose to
the jury all the circumstances attending it,
After stating the manner in which Preler and
the defendant became acquainted, and the
ciossnsss oil their friendship thereafter, be
stated that the defense intended to prove that
Mr.. Preller Was suffering from a structure, and
that the defendant foolishly undertook TO re-
move it. The defendant was unwilling to per-
form the operation, but Prsller did not wish
the nature OF his ailment To be known and in
sisted that Maxwell should perform IL: to
lessen the pain he administered chlorOform.
bull in too large quantity, and death resulted;
he cut the Clothes from his friends body and
attempted To resuscitats him, but tailed. He
said the defense would prove that Preler knew
Maxwell had no money, and had promised tn
pay his expense, to Auckland Robbery,
therefore, could not have been a motive for
causing his friends death, which was at any
rate accidental.
MAxwkLL's STORY.
Maxwell, or BROOKS, was then placed on the
stand. He said his full name was Hugh Max
well Brooks, and that he was 20 years old.
After telling how he had met Preller on the
steamer A ppa. snisI, and how they became VAIN
friends, he contiuued: 1--WE reached Boston Feb
ruary 81, and after three Iour days Preller
started on business trip. i had conversation
and correspondence with PrelIer about going 10
New Zealand. We agreed tn meet in 81. Louis
and 20 there trgether. 1 told him about my
financial condition, teliin. him in a letter that
had $1UO, AL told. treated Preiier several
times medically III Boston, aud by letter and
he Acknowledged having received decided ben
eht from the treatment; lie knew that / had
never practiesd medicine regularly. The Wit
ness then told OF their arrival III st. Louis, and
\ -
reached here; oil his visit TO Fernow's drug
store, where he bought chlOroiorn and caTbolic
acid Tor bad loot and Of his efforts to sell his
magic lanterns. Preiler arrived ON the Friday
prior 10 Easter sunday. PROM the time that
MIR. Prciler arris ed in st. Louis down 10 Easter
sunday We SAN ii great deal of eacn other. On
Easter SUNDAY, before 1 went to the drug store
he aud had a COW CREATION about the pefofn-
ance OF the operation heretofore a!luied To, and
also a day or two before. On sunday SIR. Prefer
described 10 me his symptoms, and concluded
he Was sUieIin. from a structure, and the best
method OF treating. him was by passing CATH
eter. Alter smokin. for q while and discussing
the proposed operation Mr.. Preller went To his
own room, returning shorty, after having re-
moved Ills walstcoat and replaced his coat with
u dresslny gown Preller removed his trowsers
and drawers and lay down upon the bed. |
placed a iour-Ouuce bottle OF ciiIuroforn on the
wIsnstand and poured out nuid .ramme of
the liquid on = plece OF lint, which i folded
three times, then walked TO tine bed and held
the lint about ak inches IrOfn my patients lace,
~ that the vapor from the chlorOiorIn might
become mixed with the air and produce not a
too violent effect. 1t all evaporated In q few
minutes, and turned around to- get more and
found that the bottle, which / had placed on
the washstand. had fallen into the basin, and
" large portion OF the contents had flowed out
and not enough was lett TO produce an;es.
thesia. then wes,t to burrows drug store
TO get more, telling MR.. Furnow L had
four ounces, but he only had two and L took
that. ! then returned to my room. / placed
aSd Inn III II s ndiu On sne sH mt See
lruIn his face. continued TIL. some time until
4 Thought Inconsistencies or insensiDility to
pain had teeu reached. ! then took up the
eatheteT and Proceeded TO Insert it. Mir. PreiIer
lniae a. peculiar p0ise, WincIIg as II he Ielt
p,iia. / came 10 the conclusion. that had not
administered - sufficient amount OF cnioro-
form. ami poured "a gramme d gramme and
ANAL ot the ciliOroiorm upon the lint, whicn /
again placed before his lace. Almost before
knew II PreIleTs breathing became very
issbored, and at once suspended the admins
dition was serious i seized pair o1 my sur |
seons scissors and al once cut his shirt and uu-
uersbirt from hi. body, aud tried ali means of |
resuseititlon with which Was familiar"
The witness proceeded with voice i'm |
pressIveiy husky; II continued these efforts |
10 revive my friend for over halt an hour |
but ii Was useless. Eyen after L Was satisfied |
he Was dead continued my efforts My first |
Impulse was To notify the authorities. / was |
IN d strange land, stranger / did nol know "A /
IMAM could nli,Ae "A statement in his own be-
hail. thought the same rule Prevailed here |
as in Ing anu, anu that would hot te allowed |
10 muke my statement, and thought / would /
go away. had that large trunk, the only one |
had up 10 that time / empIIed il out. 1t |
would be impossible gentlemen, 10 describe to /
you my ieeiIuss, my nUrrOr, when / knew my |
friend Was dead. fhe prisoner paused and |
brushed away the tears from his eyes aud pro-
eeeded- drew The empty trunk up to the |
sue oi The bed, anu after dra wing ms drawers.
The nrst that Came To my hand, upon
The body, Tor common 0ecency's SAKE
put Mr.. Preller in IL. i was in "A
dreadful state oil mind, and tried To drown
thought by drinking. i can't be sure oil any
thin. that happened after the sad occurrence
OF Mr.. Preilers death. stayed in my room all |
night i waited Tor the morning. / then
Thought the only thing TO be done was to get |
away. i took Slr. PrelIers pants and looked |
through them. liound ID QuaIItily OF money in |
ellis. cSu' say how much. There was prob
ably SoOU or S6Uo. i took IL aud went to the |
ticket ortce and bought ticket for San FRAN
Cisco. On the saine morning made several !
other purchases-a nuIe AND a diamond ring at |
. p4wuDrokeTs, u pair Oi field glasses and |
sp-et4ci~s ~ Aloe, the Optlci4n, two trunks |
and a Sallse- The trunks / ordered carried Id |
my rooin, and placed III OF them lhe |
clothing ana luce Things lying around the |
room which lad been removed from the trunk
In which had placed my friends dead |
body"
Q--"Whst DO you know about the piece of
paper reading, so perish all traitors to the
great eause. Al wrote IL. My ides, was
tnat the authorities would find il aud that
would pQxxlo them until an aUtlpsy Shauld no