The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-05-28
BROOKS DEFENCE.
The Alleged Murderer OF G. A.
Preller at st. Louis
Outlines His Defense to Local Reporter
He Admits Trelier's Death nt His
Hands. Isut Declares 1t wasa
Professional Accident.

ST.. LOUIs, May l9.-Pertincnt to the
trial of Hugh NJ. Brooks, alias Maxwell,
which has just begun in this city, the
following statement, the first that the ac-
cused has ever made, will be of interest.
1t is made by an attache of local news.
paper:
Ivisit-d Hugh ". Brooks. mor, widely
known ~ W. IL l. Maxwell. in ttil yester-
Gay, ms l have frequently visited him in the
interest of the Post Dispatch, and und him
rs calm. composed. self possessed and self
reliant rs he was on the SUNDAY morning
when he left the train nt the Union Depot
after his long. tedious. and. might say. tri-
umphant trip fiOm Auckland.
He came from his cell with a more than
usually cheerful smile upon his fa.e. AMI,
though he wore new white straw hat.
pIexion and made n little more pronou need
tire soft melancholy OF his features. anI the
effeminate deii"acy of their outlines. he
still lookel well, and was in all essentials
lie Is wcaring his beard short cut. dow n
to almost the same proportions a. he wore
ie during his stay mt the Southern In Holy
week OF last year. md he tells me lie looks
now very much as he looked then, 81 that
the question of his personal Identification
by the attaches of the house and all whc
be rendered all the easier
II anything. Maxwell Is much improved
since his advent in st. Louis. not, perhaps,
physically. but In such traits IA are readily
recognizable Nv the casual observer. He is
a little more subdued in his sreech and does
not run to flipDancy and sarcasm much ~
he did In the first few weeks when he WIS
called upon to breast his earliest nOtoriety
In his talk, and frequently in his ccnversa-
lions with me has to some extent disregard
ed the ban placed upon him. first by Napier,
his New Zealand attorney; next nv Lawyer
Quincy I'm san Francisco and latterlv by his
attorneys here. each OF whom told him in
most positive language that. innocent or
guilty, his safety Law in silence.
In my opinion the great mistake OF the
whole thing-after the crime, of cOurse-was
made in accepting Napier'S advice IL it
hadn't been for this, and II Maxwell hadn't
come 70 It. Louis committed TO policy
which his Auckland attorney shaped for
him, the story of the killing of Charles Arthur
ard the frt,htful shadow that ,s HING over
the prisoner ever since might have been
lifted, or frightened at least.
Maxwelrs explanation of the death Of
Preiler Is his only defense. That explanation
was made In writing TO his attorneys.
Messrs. Martin and Fauntleroy. many months
ago. and NJ 'xwell will go on the witness
II he makes the statement on the stand in
the same candid, free and convincing
manner in which II. made IL tn Inc. do not
j
jury.
He gave me the statement yesterdav-not
I'm IFS entircsy-pecause he expected that his
LAWYERS would consent to give me the state
meut which he wrote for them-and IL has
not differed materially from the Impressions
I gathered concerning his defense from all
the bits and shrcds Of facts that he gave me
on other occasions.
In giving it lie said his desire all along hal
been to unburden himself to the public. and
allow his actions previous to and after the
crime TO substantiate his declarations These
actions show that he neither prcmedtated II
crime or tried to conceal one. for from the
moment Of his arrival at the Southern Hotel
until his departure for San Francisco every
act and almost every word of his had been
the property Of the public. and these acts
and these words form the strongest links i'm
the chain o: circumstances which they have
forced to hold the culpr.t to his crime.
'''rhe only act" said Maxwell. about
which there has been any doubt mt all has
been the act Of which l am now accused.
j recognize now ~ much rs anybody could
that I made mistake in withholding my
defense; bur what could 1 do? I was here
alone in q strange world, with M one tn adj
wise me but my counsel. and followed the
advice thew gave me. to the letter Messrs.
Martin and Fauntleroy told me that should
have made a statement when ] WAS first
rested. but rs ! hal not done this. and as 7
had been In st. Louis some days before they
had time TO consult with me. had bctt.I
continue the policy which had started in
on and say nothing ut all about my case"
has told me over and over that I've wanted &C.
give out HIS defense hut cOuid not afford &c
ignore the advice OF hi. lawyers. and 50 tha
public would he Obliged to- wait for the case
to come to trial before learning th. defense.
After Il little talk Of this kind Yesterday
Maxwell came to the conclusion tint ~ the
trial wouid begin TODAY. il would ic best To-
say >o,ncthin. about his dc.ensc. 81 he toll
me in 81 many words that his ATTORNEYS
would not deny the identity of the remains.
~" WomIl n,.Inmwi,.,i.c me H'll. o. i'reiier
.. si ~ e, n'nus. sm' ISL .I''' thc
He.'.n "a. 49,, ~ cT ,i,, |sa> m C..
c.mS'''ecs ""'c" ire''er ia "''hsci' III
W.xo,r ,o,os., e. ..,o..o, f., ,,o 10,
lowing letter which he gave me to hand 10
~, .,y ,Cr 'hc piP -" "xn.
VII. !. ", , ~ nic ."e "i"'c" s'"'e
"F5UE Corrrs. CRY. M.vi,-
"D NJ F,USrIEWOy. IT Won tbinE IL al
visa bile TO make nh. dcfens. pnbiic 7 sh,iJ
he very glad II Won will give the .t,femcnt
OF mine 10 Mr. Jennings Of the p,sf y,;snrfch
Jennings has been very friendly To- us SOME
time ago promised that wonId give nm
the defense when IL wa. To ne made I-n,,ar
nj the circumstances 1 think il advis,hIe ,n
SIR yery faithfully YOURS
IN. ar. ERooKs
"P II. Fauntleroy, ESQ.,"
His ntiYncnt and FEELINGS In re~ar,l IN
the statement are fully set forth in the last
sentence OF his letter.
After RECEIVING the letter ana before de-
partinv from th,. inii. Maxwell fold me the
story Of the tragedy.
"Nr PrelIer suid he not uyjng cxoctIv
sa,e Ianvua 20 hcre n ii but sd tn him bnt ey
nressin,, tLese i,ieos. ..Mr PrcIier was snf
ierinv from n nrivate disease for which had
previously prescribe. mixing the medicines
saIe frC,r the ho,ttc. in the ,nciic;n. cas-
I sc"rr,nS Viii, nc Int lie n;Iment had
reached a STAGE when he Was neccss,rv 10,
me 70 make certain invcstjsotions was