New-York tribune., 1886-05-19
THE ST. LOUIS HOTEL MURDER.
MAXWELIjS TRIAL BEGUN IN EARNEST.
AN ALLEGED CONFESSION BY THE PRISONER
HOW PRELLRR DIED.
q TRIBUNH.
r TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

fBY TELEGRAPH TO The TRIBUNE
ST. LOUIS, May 18.-The trial OF II. Nj.
Brooks, alias Maxwell for the murder Of e. Arthur
Preer at the Southern Hotel April s. 1885, began IN
in the Criminal Court this morning The jury
sworn. and c. Bishop, the Assistant Prosecuting
Attorney made the opening for the State He spoke Tor
three hours and submitted In moderate manner the
facts which the State would prove. The prisoner
grow pale and red during the recital and made every
effort to suppress his emotion.
Merritt X. Noble testified that he was formerly CLERK
at the Southern Hotel that while duty on March
3D. 1885, the prisoner arrived and registered as '" H.
Lennox Maxwell ~ D., OF London. "shortly before tho
arrival Of Maxwell at the hotel" said the Witness IL
received telegram dated at Rochester ~ w. and signed
C. Arthur Preer, asking IL Walter H. Lennox Mah"en
had arrived at the hotel While 1t was being answered
Maxwell arrived. noticed that Maxwell seemed TO DO
very nervous and did not want to stay In the hoteI
office, assigned him TO Room No. 14i, To which ne
Immediately retired On April g. 1885. Preller arrived
at tho hotel, and assigned 10 Room No. $50 On
Saturday morning April 3. Preler and Maxwell came
ND TO tho Office and Preer called for the Keys 10 Rooms
Nos 1856 and LA. saw them about the hotel FOR sew
eral days. did not Preller after Sunday. April D.
On April ii tho trunk and the dead body taken
from Room No. 14i and believe the body 10 DC tnat VI
Freller."
An explanation Of the trunk mystery and Prefers
death given this afternoon, and Is attributed 10
Maxwell. Ii was made in writing to his attorneys. lie
beyan by saving that Preller was suffering from a
private complaint for which he treated him. Prelcr
was suffering much and Maxwell proposed an operation
for his relief and it painful advised Prcier 10
take chloroform. He agreed to do so. Maxwell
continues: During the day purchased four ounces
OF chloroform. which was standing In bottle on the
edge of my washstand where washing some sursi-
cal Instruments Sunday afternoon In washing the
Instruments the hottie Of chlorofom and
went headong into tho basin the cork coming our ana
all but about ounce and quarter or anounce ana
half going down In 'he sink This was prooaDIy $
O'Clock and after getting my instruments ready went
out some moro choroform went 10 the arug
don't know where bu( the store near the nool
Fernow's) and asked for the chloroforn When got
the choroforn repaired to my room Preller had Deen
In and out of my and his all afternoon About
5 | began the operation. | administered the chloro-
form the usual way. holding saturated coth % tne
nose Preer passed through the all right IL
then he the second stage and here the terrible
result l discovered too late that
he was diving Imagine my horror when the TACT dawneo
upon me. was wild with fright, but had presence OF
mind enough cut the shirt aud undershrt from the
neck and shoulders u half hour more. did not
give up until ready TO drop from cxhauston ana
my efforts were not relaxed until he hau oeeh ue'u o
II didn't know what to do. except drink and drank
freely drank everything could getwwihu. -
everything. put the body into ny trunk from when
had removed everything put 1t In the trunk an honr
after Preers death What was done beside tuis nave
recollection OF. Liquor and cOnsteruatlon nt pos
OF me- and know only that my feellhEs were
those OF the utmost horror remaned IN my own room
that nght-the room In which the remains were
and 1t would a lie for 20 say that slept lor
| didn't, and was glad when morning cane NhaI uu
after leaving room you know, for IL has al Deeh
Had you any plans about dsposing OF tho boiy ,
None whatever; meant to leave IT there expecting
thinking that post-morcm would reveal the state Vi
| facts" go
81 know nothing about PrellerS money | had plenty
| OF money OF my 0Wn'