The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-05-19
uaxusII's Defense.

ST.. LOUIS, May 1S.-The Post DispcteA
prints a statement made by H. II.
Brooks alias Maxwell. now on trial for
the murder of C. Arthur Preller
which will constitute his only defense,
and which will be urged by his at
torneys in the trial. In 4 word he win
confess TO killing Preller by accident.
while acting as his physician, and that
being excited and frightened he con-
cealed. instead OF making known the
fact OF death. He declares he has Away
wanted to tell the facts and was only
RETAINED BY the advice OF mis- at
torneys. Following is Brooks state
ment: MIR. Prelier was suffering
from n private disease. for which l
had previously prescribed, mix
ing medicines myself from bottles
in q medicine chest ! carried with me.
But his ailEient had reached the stage
when II was necessary for me 10 make
certain Investigations. Twas Obliged TO
use the catheter, and in using the
catheter, when the parts we're iffiamed
had previously applied chloroform in
order to produce a condition Of narcot-
ism. explained the process 10 Preller
and told hin what / should have to do.
he was not only willing, but was very
anxious for Inc TO treat him in this
manner" Brooks then tells OF the pur-
chase OF chloroform. which was spilled
in a sink on Sunday afternoon while he
was washing the instruments prepare
tory TO operations; of his going to
FernOw's drug store and buying more,
denying incidentally the statements
that he there showed evidences OF hurry
and excitement. and continues:
About ) p. M, He began the opera
ton. administered the chloroform in
the usual way, holding a saturated
cloth TO the nose. Mr.. Preller passed
through the first stage all right; it took
several moments. don't know exactly
how long. Then he entered the second
stage and here the terrible result came
| discovered, too late, that he was dy-
ing. Imagine my horror, when this
fact dawned upon me. i was wild with
fright. but had presence Of mind
enough 70 cut the shirt and undershirt
from the body. aud getting a
wet towel beat him around the neck
and shoulders for half an hour
or more l did not give up until was
ready 70 drop from exhaustion. and
my efforts were not relaxed until be
had been dead some time. All the
NAONnC1 AaQ ~ tlC tttLC MCNC ltlo
shirt and undershirt. He had stripped
for the operation What did-I do when
saw my friend was. dead? What
could / do7 / didn't know what to do
except TO drink, and drank freely.
drank everything / could get. wine,
whisky. everything. What were nv
thoughts2 / had not any. All / re-
member was that | drew on pair OF
drawers, the first that sfel into my
hands and put the body into my trunk,
from which / had removed every
thing. What was done besides this
have no recollection of. Liquor and
CONSERVATION had possession OF me
and knew only that my feelings were
those of the utmost horror. j remained
in my room that night-the sa-neIoom
in which the remains were-and il
would be lie for me to say l slept, for
did not. and was glad when morning
came. What i did after leaving my
room you know, for 1t has all been
printed" H.5t-
He says he supposed the pos.
norton examination, when the
body was found, would disclose
the nature of the operation and
the cause of death. According to his
own story, the cutting of Of PrelIer's
moustache. the inscription about
Traitor" found in the trunk, and al
other queer incidents connected with
the tragedy, are TO be attributed 10 his
liquor and fear-crazed condition after
the fatality.