, 1886-05-27
MAXWELL ON THE STAND
He Tells How He First Met
Preller.
Of Their Intention to Visit New
Zealand.
And Graphically Describes the
Cause of Death.
Maxwell's Story.

pldCcu On the Stunu. ne showed lttlt
evidence Of feeling, though there wa.
some degree Of nervousness both in his
face and hands. There Was a rustic
through the cour room and the judge, in
a brief speech, demanded absolute quiet
in the audience. The witness then, in
reply to questions by Fauntleroy, stated
in substance as follows: MY full name is
Hugh Nj. Brooks; | am % years old, born
in Hyde, Chester, England; | commenced
to study law with Brown at Stockport,
near Hyde, in 1873; remained there four
years; | am a lawyer by profession; | also
studied medicine and surgery at the col
legiate school at Manchester, but | lm
not a licensed physician; | FIRST met Prel-
Ter at the Northwestern hotel. at Liver
pool, but did not get acquainted until |
met him on board the steamer Cepha-
lonia: also met Warren on the steamer;
Mr.. Preller and | were both Englishmen
coming to a strange land, and our ac-
quaintance ripened into warm friendship;
we told much about our plans and pur-
poses for the future, and our acquaintance
and friendship continued after our arrival
in this country; we reached Boston Feb.
3, and after three or four days Preller
started on a business trip; | had a
conversation and correspondence with
Preller about going to New Zealand; we
agreed TO meet in St. Louis and to
go there together; told him about
my financial condition, telling him
in a letter that [ had 500
all told. [ treated Preller several
times medically in Boston, and by letter
he acknowledged having received a deci-
ded benefit from the treatment; he knew
that | never had practiced medicine reg
ularly; [ never used any deception with
him in this regard The witness then
described various events, about Preller
leaving Boston for Canada; about his own
aud Preller's arrival in St. Louis, and
stopping at the Southern hotel; that he
had $50 or 800 when he arrived here: that
he had tried to pawn some of his things
before Preller came; his visits to Fernow's
drug store and his conversation with Fer
now; his purchasing various articles of
him, among them chloroform and carbolic
acid, which, which in combination, he
used himself in treating a bad cold that
troubled him; that Preller arrived on the
The Friday prior to Easter Sunday; how
they went together to try to sell his magic
lantern and slides, and various other oc-
currences which took place between FRI
day and Sunday. all of which is familiar
to nearly everybody.
The court then took u recess, after
which the examination of the witness was
continued.
I'VE, Mr.. Preller and IT, he said,
made two trips between the Southern
hotel and the Union depot, where VT at
tempted to discover the cause of the de-
tention of my trunk, which contained the
lantern, and were told by the baggage
master there, thati was probably detained
at Port Huron, Can, by the customs Of
telals. We visited also, an optlcian' In
the endeavor TO ascertain IL he would pur
chase the lantern ana SIDES when they
hould arrive. From the time that MIR.
Preller arrived IN 81. Louis down TO Eas-
ter Sunday we saw a great zeal oil each
other. We we're as iogmer witnesses
have stated, almost lnseparable. We Wis
tied his room several times, but when we
were not walking around the city or play
ing pool, we spent most oil our lime IN my
room. We played pool a great deal but
whoever lost the game, paid Tor 1t. we
played about even so expenses were
equally divided; we drank some, but not
much he paid ioI most oil me drlnSs'
Ircllcr was accustomed TO call at my
room early IN the morning and we would
go down to breakfast together, return 10
my room, converse and smoke Tor awhile
and then go dom to the rotunda. on
Faster Sunday before went to the drug
store. he n had a conversation about
the performance OF the operation hereto
f%orcalluded to, andalso a day or before
Sunday MIR. Preller described to me hl'
symptoms and concluded that he was
suffering from structure and that the bes'
way of treating him was by passing O
catheter. took my authorities on medl'
cine and read to Mr.. Proller directions as