Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-05-19
"MAxwElL's" PLAN OF DEFENSE
He Says He Killed Preller During Medi-
cal Operation.

He Says He Killed Preller During Medi
cal Operation.
ST. LOUIS, May l8.-The Post Dispatch
prints a statement made by H. N. Brooks
alias Maxwell now on tr;aI for murder Oi
C. Arthur Pfeller, which will constitute
his only defense and which will be
urged by his attorneys in the trial. In
word he will confess to killing Pfeller
by accident while acting as his physician,
and that being excited and frightened, he
concluded to conceal instead OF making
known the fact Of death. He declares he
has always wanted to tell the facts and
only refrsined BY advice Of bis attorneys
The following is Brooks sta'ement:
Mr.. Preler was suffering from q
private disease, for which | had
previously prescribed, mixing the medi'
ciues myself from the bottles in the medl,
cine chest | carried; but his ailment had
reached q stage when it was necessary tor
me to make certain Investigations. was
Obliged to use catheter, and in using a
catheter, when the parts were inHsmed, l
had previously applied chloroiorm in or
der 10 produce a condition Of narcotism
[ explained the process to Preller, and told
hun what should have to do. he was
not only willing but wss very anxious fer
me to treat him in this manner" Brooks
then tells Of the purchase of chlOroform,
which was spilled in the sick ou Sunday
while he was washing the instI Iuments
preparatory 10 the operations; of his going
to Pernow's drug store and buying more,
denying incidentally the statements that
be there showed evidences of hurry ead
excitement, and continues: "Ahout 8 p.
IN. We began the operation. | administer
ed the chloroiorm 10 the usual way, Ecld'
ing a soaked cloth to the
nose. Mr.. Preller passed
through the first stage all right. 1t took
several moments-I don't know exactly
how long-then he entered the second stage
and here the terrible result came. | dis.
covered too late that he was dying.
Imagine my horror when this fact
dawned upon me. | was wild
Isith- fE;shs, bat had presence Of mind
enough to cut the shirt and undershirt
from The body and getting wet towel, |
beat him around the neck and shoulders
for halt hour or more. | did not give up
until was ready to:drop from exhAust on
and my efforts were not relaxed nntil he
had been dead some tine. All The clothes
he had on at the time we're his shirt and uL-
dershirt. He had stripped for the opera
rion What did | do when | sew my
friend was dead2 What could do? |
didn't know what TO do hpt drink aud |
drank freely. | drank everything | could
get-Wine, whisky, everything What were
my thoughts ] hadn't guy. All re-
member is that dew on o pair Of draw.
ers-the first that fell into my hsuds -
and put the body into mY trunk, from winch
had removed everything put il in the
trunk an hour after Prellsr's death. What
was done besides this | have no recolec
ton Of Liquor and CONSERVATION hsd
possession Of me and | know only
that my feelings were those Of the utmosr
horror. Iremsiaed in my room that night
the same room in which the remains were,
and it would be a lie for me to say slept
for did not and ! was glad when morniug
came. What did after leaving my room
you know, for it has all been
printed. He says, he thought the postmor-
tenn wouli disclose the nature OF the ope
ration and cause of death. According 10
bis own story, the cuttirg eff Of Prel!er's
naus,scher the inscription about traitor"
found in tho tiguk, and all other 4neer in.
cidentG CONNECTED With the tragedy, are 10
be attributed to his liquor and tear.crszed
condition ate. the fa,ality.