The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-20
THE PRELLER MURDER.
TAKING OF TESTIMONY in THE
CASE COMMENCED.
Evidence Of the Clerks and POrters
Of the HOtel-The Identification
Of the Remains.

81. LOUIS, Mo, May 19.-H. NJ.
Brooks, alias Maxwell, on trial for the
murder of O. Arthur Prelier, was
brought into the Criminal Court this
ct 10 O'Clock, and waited pa
tiently for Judge Van Wsggoner to
dispose OF important casts on bis
docket snd cal his own. The pris-
oner ma ntains his quiet demeanor,
and pIofessed great relief at having
been allo we'd by his attorneys to make
a tIus statement Of the manner in
which Preller came to his death, and
feels confident that public opinion has
acquitted him Of intentional
crime. ALI OF the witnesses for the
State were present in body and are
kept under strict surveillance by the
Sheriff.
L. x. HUNT,
present clerk OF the Southern Hotel,
was the first witness OF the morning,
and his examination and CROSS exam
inatlon consumed the greater part OF
the mornipg. He tesliti I'D tnst he was
cashier Of tire hotel at the time OF the
murder. He identified the prisoner
IS the man who in April, 1885, regis
tered as "W. H. nox-Maxwell,
MD; identified q photograph as that
Of O. Arthur Preller, who srrived at
the hons3 on April Sd. His tetti-
mony was a repetition OF the facts, 10
we'll known, Of the intimacy Of the
two EnglishmsD, MaxwelPs apparent
lack OF money, the disappe arance OF
Preller, the departure Of Brooks for
San Francisco and the discovery OF
the body in the trunk.
During the cross-examination the
witness admitted that he bad no
means OF knowing that the man who
registered as @ Arthur Preller did not
register that name as an alias; had
gore to the morgue after Preller's
body had been placed there, but could
not Identity; could not state positively
that the remains were those OF u
human beiDg.l
WILLIAM LYON,
a porter at the Southern Hotel, identi-
fed the trunks, hat boxes, etc, found
in Preller's aud Maxwell's rooms as
those belonging to the two men had
eeen them together o'ten; Brooks
seemed evineing a great desire to be-
come closely intimate with Preller;
the two men seemed always on the
best Ct terme.
JOHN NANYoE,
another porter, testified that the zinc
trunk in which the body was found
was among Maxwsll's baggage when
the latter arrived OF the hotel he as.
sisted in carrying the trunk down to
the office; wltnG ssed its opening. he
described the position in which the
body was when the trunk was cpsned
the finding of the paper pinned to the
lid Of the trunk, reading 80 die all
traitors TO the great cause"
WARREN OF WORCESTER, MAST,
testified that hs was acquainted with
the prisoner and Preller; had met
them on board the steamship Cephe'
lonis; had witnessed their instruction
to each other; they seemed to become
very intimate, but the prit ouer was
the more dem 0nstra'ive in his efforts
TO strengthen the friendship; Maxwell
gave il to be undefs God that he was
a physician, having graduated with
homer from an Eoglish medical col
lege he also professed t. be an at
iornsy, and stated that he had been
regularly admitted 10 the bar. The
prisoner had written to the witness
after they had both arrived in the
United StateP, stating that he and
Preller were about to engage in the
cattle business in Texas. The witness
had seen the remains found in the
trunk and identified them as those oil
q. Arthur PIeler.
The court then, at 1:l5 o'clock, ad
journed for one hour.
RRNKKcK BROWN,
who had change OF the billiard room al
the Southern III tel at the time OF the
murder, was the first witness OF the
afternoon session. He testified tina
he had known both Pieller and Max
we'll; they played pool together almos
every attern non; Preller bsing mex
perienCed paid for most OF the game
and drinks, and in doing 30 exhibited
money in large amounts; wheneve
Maxwell paid for anything It was gen
orally with small change; the former
seemed always to have plenty o
money, the latter q scarcely OF tn
same.
MAGGIE CUDDY,
a chambermaid at the Southern, mex
took the stand. She recognized tn,
prisoner as the occupant of room No
l44 during part Of the month o
April, 1886 she was shown photo
graph, which she said was that o
PIeller, whom she had often setn il
the prisoner room identified variou
articles found among Preller's an
Maxwell's bsgGagei prisoner was
late riser, and it was II o'clock befor
che could ever get into his room +
perform her dutiee, but on the Mon
day morning after the death OF Prelle
the prisoner had arisen very early, TO
she saw him in one Of the corridor
al about 6 O'Clock am. he appeare