Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-27
Maxwell Voluntarily Confesses that
he Killed Preller, but Says it was
UnintentionaI.
He was Acting the Role of Doctor. and
Gave an Overdose of ChlOrOform.
Which Caused the Death.
The Placing of the Body in the Trunk,
and Other Acts. were Done while
Crazed with Fear and Liquor.
THE PRELLER MURDER CASE
Maxwell Confesses he did the killing

ST. LOUIS, May 19-The Dispatch
prints a statement made by II. NJ
Brooks, alias Maxwell, now on trial for the
murder of G. Arthur Preller, which will
constitute his own defense and which will
be argued by his attorneys in the trial.
In a word he will confess the killing of
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 always
wanted to tell the facts and only refrained
by the advice of his attorney.
The following is Brooks statement
Preller was suffering from a private dis
ease, for which I had previously
prescribed, mixing the medicine my
self from bottles in the medicine chest.
I carried with me, but his ailment had
reached a stage when it was necessary for
me to make certain Investigations.
was obliged to use a catheter, and in
using the catheter where parts
were involved [ previously used chloro-
form. l explained the process to Preller
and told him what I should have to do. He
was not only willing but very anxious for
me to treat him in that manner. Brooks
then tells of the
PURCHASE OF CHLOROFORM
which was spilled in the sink on Sunday
afternoon while he was washing the
instruments preparatory to the opera
ton. Of his going to the drug store and
buying more and denying the incidental
statements that he there showed evil
dence of hurry and excitement and con-
tinues: "About p. N. we began the OPP
Grafton. I administered the chloroform
holding a saturated cloth to the nose
Preller passed through the first stage all
right, it took several moments-I don't
know exactly how long. Then he entered
the second stage, and here the terrible
result came. I discovered too late that he
was dying. Imagine my horror when this
fact dawned upon me. | was wild with
fright, but had presence of mind enough
to cut his shirt and undershirt from his
body, and getting wet towel I beat him
around the neck and shoulders for half
an hour or more. I did not give up till I
was ready to drop from exhaustion, and
my efforts were not relaxed till he had
been
DEAD FOR SOME TIME.
All the clothes he had on at the time
were shirt and undershirt. He had strip
pSu 1OI u16 OpOIdU1Ou' hudU NlIu l. w
when I saw my friend was dead? What
could do? I did not know what to do
except drink and drank freely. I drank
everything I could get, wine, whisky
everything. What were my thoughts?
I had not any. All re-
member is that I drew on
a pair of drawers, ithe first that fell
into my hands, and put the body into my
trunk, from which [ had removed every
thing. What was done beside this [ have
no recollection of. Liquor and
CONSERVATION had possession of
me, and I knew only that my
feelings were those of the utmost horror.
[ remained in my room that night
same room in which the remains were-and
it would be lie for me to say 1 slept, for
did not, and I was glad when morning
came. What [ did after leaving my room
you know, for it has all been printed"
He says he supposed the post mortem,
when the body was found would disclose
the nature of the operation and the cause
Of death. According to his own story
the cutting off Of Preller moustache, and
the inscription about ''traitor" found in
the trunk and other queer incidents con-
nected with the tragedy are to be attribut-
ed to his liquor and fear and his crazed
condition after the fatality.