The Meeker herald., 1886-05-29
The Southern Hotel Murder.

that was mad. by II. 81. Brooks, alias
Maxwell, who is now on trial for the
murder OF 4. Arthur Prellcr, which Will
constitute his only defense, and which
will bc urged by his attorneys In this
trial In a word he will confess 10 kill
Ing Prcller by accident while acting ms
his physician, and that being excited
and frightened lie concealed instead of
making known the fact Of his death.
lie declares that he always wanted To
tell the facts but WAS restrained by the
advice OF his attorneys.
The following is Brooks statement:
mir, Prcllet WAS suffering from private
disease. for which hal previously pre-
scrib.l, mixing the medicines myself
irum the bottles In medicine chest
which | carried with me. but his all
mcn,s had reached stage when II was
necessary for me To make certain inyes-
legations. was obliged 10 use cath
c,er. ANA In using III. cathcter when
the parts were inilamci | had previously
app,irn chlprofoIm In ori-r to produce
u condition of narcu,ism, explained
the process, to prrllcr and told him wla,
| should have to do. lie wa, not only
willing, hut lie WIS very ANXIOUS for me
To treat him la this matter
Brooks then tells OF the purohas. o!
the clilurolurin. which was spilled In
III. sink on SUNDAY nt.rn son while he
was washing the instruments p:crara.
tory /. his operations; OF his going Ia
fcrnow's drug store and buying more.
and denying incidentally the statements
that h- there showed -,idcnci.s of hir-
~ aud excitement, and continues:
"Ah1u, = y. IN. We began operations.
administered the chluroform In the
usual way, holding a saturated cloth To
his muse. aud Mr.. Prcllct va~~rd through
his nrss stage nil right. II tcak several
moments: | don't knoS exactly how
long. then h. entered the second stage
and when the terrible result camr |
discovered. too late. that he w.s dying.
Imagine my horror when this fact
dawued upon me. WAS Wild with
fright; but had presence Of mind
enough 10 cut the shirt and uudcrshiri
from his body, and getting wet towel
hrat him around the neck and should
.r- iur half an hour or more. ! dti not
give up until was ready to drop from
exhaustion. and my efforts We're not Fe.
iaxrI until hu had been dead some time.
Al the clothes That lie had on ut the
tmc We're his sliii, and und.tshitt. Us
he had stripped for the operation.
What did do when saw my friend
was ieady What could I dog I did
not know what to do. cXccp; to drink,
and driuk freely. drank everything
could get wine, whiskry. every thing.
What were my thoughts 7 had not
any. All that remember is that
drew on pair Of drawers, the iirsi that
fell into my hands, aud put the body in
To my trunk. from which had re-
moved everything.
"Wha, was done besides this have
no recollection OF. Liquor and consicr-
nation had possession of me. and I
Knew only that my feelings were those
OF thc utmost horror.
Il remained in my room that night,
the same room in which the remains
were, aud 1t would he lie for me 10 say
slept. for l did not, and was glad
when morning come. What did after
leaving my room you know, for 1t has all
been printed.
lie says he supposed that the post
mortein when the body WIS found
would disclose the nature Of the opera.
ton. and the cause OF death. Accord
ing TO his own story the cutting of Of
Preller's moustache, the inscription
about traitor" which was found in the
trunk. all the other queer incidents con-
nccted with the tragedy. are to I've at
tributcd TO his liquor and his fear-crazcd
condition after the fatality.