Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-05-27

ing the man back TO Boston, and even
on board the steamship Cephalonia,
where the two men became acquainted
with each other. The evidence will be
brought out In full, and In such a
manner IS 10 make connected history
Of the case.
One of the most important witnesses
for the State arrived to-day In q Mr..
Warren Of Boston. He was housed, at
the Circuit Attorneys expense, at the
Southern, and got a room as far away
as possible from the celebrated IA. In
the morning he called al the Four
Courts, and had long talk with the
prosecutors, and was present when they
went over the baggage of both Maxwell
and Preller, Identifying articles hereto
fore presumed to be Maxwell's as be-
longing to Preller. Mr.. Warren came
over with the two men on the Cepha-
lonia, and was present at the inception
Of the fatal friendship, the event occurr-
will testify to the extravagant converse
tions Of Maxwell, his allusion to his
noble birth and family, and the tales
he told the gullible Prellerto gain his
confidence thoroughly. The defense
have not yet developed their line, but
1t is believed to lie in the direction Of an
overdose of chloroform administered
by Maxwell to Preller while treating
him for private disease. This was
indicated soon after Maxwell's arrivsl
here from Auckland, when in conversa-
tion with reporter who had taken
witness along, he outlined hypotheti-
cal case wherein two men were suppos-
ed to be travelling together, and one
should be treating the other for a disease
necessitating the use Of chloroform. An
overdorse should be given, resulting in
death; the survivor should become
frightened, do a good many foolish
things, and finally run away from his
ghastly companion. When asked at
the time, however. about the robbery,
he closed up with the remark that he
was only talking Of a hypothetical case.
This is revived this afternoon by a
publication in an evening paper ofwhat
purports to be a confession of Maxwell.
The confession does not bear the pris-
oner's signature, and Is not vouched for
by your correspondent, but, as it agrees
with his Hypothetical case Of last sum-
mer, it is believed to represent SUBJ
stantially the line of his defense. This
is the story:
. Mr.. Preller was suffering from a
disease for which had previously pre-
scribed, mixing the medicines myself
from the bottles in the medicine case I
carried with me; but his ailment had
reached stage when it was necessary
for me to make certain Investigations.
I was obliged to use catheter, and i'm
using a catheter when the parts were
inf1amed I had previously applied
chloroform in order to produce a condi-
tion of narcotism. / used chloroform
in this manner on a man named Harri-
son in Liverpool without any serious
result. explained the process to Mr..
Preller, and told him what should
have to do. He was not only willing,
but was very anxious for me to treat
him in this manner. During the day I
purchased four ounces of chloroform,
which was standing in bottle on the
edge of my washstand when I was
washing some surgical instruments.
This washing of the instruments took
place Sunday afternoon, and was in
tended as preparation for the opera
ton. In washing the instruments 1
overturned the bottle of chloroform,
and it went headlong into the basin,
the cork coming out, and all but about
one ounce and a quarter or an ounce
and half going down in the sink.
This was probably O'Clock and after
getting my instruments ready / went
out to secure some more chloroform. I
went to the drug store-I don't know
where, but the store near the hotel
TFernow's l-and asked for the chlOro-
form. The clerks or some persons
there have said that / was excited and
in a hurry. This was not so. I sat
down in chair in the drug store for
more than a quarter hour and was al
together very leisurely about my busi-
ness, for there was no hurry. If 1 am
not mistaken, had a long conversa-
tion with some one in the drug store.
When Igot the chloroform I repaired
to my room. Preller had been in and
out of my room and his own all the
afternoon. About 5 p. m. we began the
operation. / administered the chloro-
| form in the usual way, holding a saturat-
ed cloth to the nose. Preller passed
through the first stage all right; it took
several moments don't know exactly
how long; then he entered the second
SJdkC duu hClC tilC IC5tllb CdSiIlc,
I discovered too late that he was dying.
Imagine my horror when this fact
dawned upon me. l was wild with
fright, but had presence ofmind enough
to cut the shirt and undershirt from
the body, and, getting wet towel, I
beat him around the neck and shoulders
! for half hour or more. Ibid not give
up until was ready to drop from ex-
haustion, and my efforts were not relax
ed until he had been dead for some
time. All the clothes he had on at the
time were his shirt and undershirt.
What did I do when I saw my friend
was dead? What could do? 1 didn't
know what to do, except drink, and
drank freely; drank everything I
could get-wine, whisky, everything.
What were my thoughts? I hadn't any.
All remember is that I drew on
pair of drawers, the first that fell into
my hands, and put the body into my
trunk, from which l had removed
everything. I put it in the trunk an
hour after Preller's death. What was
done beside this have no recollection
of. Liquor and CONSERVATION had pos
session of me and know only that my
feelings were those of the utmost hor-
ror. remained in my own room that
night-the same room in which the re-
mains were-and it would be a lie for
| mo RI COW fhof clopt for didn't ond