Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-05-11
PREllER MURDER TRIAL.
Maxwell in Court---TroubIe Se-
curing a Jury.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE PRISONER.
An Outline Of the Horrible Hotel Murde....
What Plan the Prosecution
Will Pursue.

Maxwell, charged with the murder Of c.
Arthur Preller, at the Southern Hotel, in
this city, on the 7th Of April, 1885, was
called in the Criminal Court this morning
The well known details Of the case had at-
tracied large crowd to the building in
which the court room is located, where the
case is being tried, but detail of police
prevented oil but few privileged persons
from gaining an entrance. The crush,
therefore, which was anticipated, was
avoided, and those anxious TO catch a
glimpse OF the prisoner were disappointed.
The latter was brought into the
court room at ll:30 o'clock. Physically
the prisoner shows no signs OF his long i'm.
prisonment. His mental condition, he
says, has not been impaired. and. judging
| from his cheerful bearing, no one would
imagine that he was about to be tried on
! the charge. OF having committed most
heinous crime.
The case was called at ll:i5, and, the
defense obiectipg that no list oil the special
Jurors had been furnished them Tor heir
inspection, vas continued until one clock
this afternoon when the task of selecting
a Jury was entered upon. The defense.
some time ago, claimed the privilege OF
trying the case before q special jury com
posed OF men Of more than average intel
lIgeuce, and the selection OF twelve from
this class OF men will undoubtedly occupy
the remainder o! this week.
HISTORY or the CASE.
On the Sd day OF February, 1885, Hugh
NJ. Brooks, yourg solicitor OF Stockport.
Cheshire, England, whence he had started
some days previous on an intended tour Of
America, was u passenger on the steamer
Cephelonia, bound Tor New York. During
the voyage he lormed the acquaintance Of
G Arthur Preller, n travelling salesman TOR
the firm Of j, b Dixon 4 Co, Bradford,
England, who WAS on bis way to ths
United States in the interests OF his
employers. The acquaintance thus
formed grew intimate, aud when the tWo
men separated at New York, Prellsr going
to Philadrlphia on business and Brooks TO
the West for pleasure, they parted as sworn
friends and promised to meet at ST. Louis.
Brooks arrived in this city a few days later
and registered his assumed name, W. II.
LennOx Maxwell at the Southern Hotel
On the third day Of April, Preller arrived
and WAS met by his friend and the apparent
friendship formed just two months previou,
became still more firm, 30 TINT each Was
accustomed to call for the Others key and
each occupied the other room at will.
Before Prrllers arrival from the ,..ast.
Brooks was known to have become short of
money, he having made several attemp Dts TO
dispose OF his personal effects 10 NEE, his
current expenses. On the morning OF April
9th he purchased q quantity OF chlorotorm
on prescription written by himself and
during the remainder Of the day little was
seen Of him and nothing OF hio com panion.
On the follosinR day, the former made sew
ersl large purchases. among other things
railroad ticks; 10 San Francisco and dis
played large sums Of money. That night
he had all bis baggage with the exception
Of one trunk, brought down 10 the Office and
after checking 1t, proceeded to the Union
Depot, where ho took n train for San Fran
CISCO accounting in the meantime for the
absence OF bis friend by stating that the
Litter had gone into the country on bust
ness. and would return in Q short time.
Nine days stterward q most horrible
stencil began TO be emitted from the tuLk
which Brooks had lett behind, and inye,ti-
CATION revealed the partial y decsyed body
oE ~ n mn ,nosad IN ka " 81. D..it.-
Suspicion Immediately pointed to Brooks
as the murderer, and upon arrival Of tho
steamer which bore him TO Auckland, New
Zealand, whittier he had sailed from San
Francisco, he was arrested and broupht
back to this city.
After the jury had been obtained and the
testimony taken. the State will attempt to
show that The body found IN the trunk wss
Prellers, that Brooks Was the murderer,
aud that the motive WAS robbery. The do.
fense, it is bslisved, will consist Of general
denial OF oil allegations. n reliance upon
the theory Of q reasonHble doubt, and do
NAL of the statement that the body found
in fbe trunk pss Pr.llers. The whole
case, OF course. rests upon the identity Of
the booy and many witnesses from all parts
Of the country. who had met Pfellss, will
testify on this point
PHOTOGRAPH OF PRELLER.
Tbs negative Of Pr.ll.r's photogrspb.
taken in Philadelphia, il now in poe.sss sion
OF Prosecuting Attorney Clover, ~so pur.
chased IT iron, the photographer An ab
solutslS faithful likeuess Of preller will bs
important evidence IN The trial. To obtain
q correct photograph the negative was
given by Clover TO Harry Nevbald. IN e1.
pert photographer, Who has gsinsd consid
ersble kno~ledse Of iLs uses of pho.a,-
graphy in CRIMINAL cssss through his po.i.
uon Of photographer in the kosuss Gal.
leTy.
Ia conversation Hr. Newboh said: Il
have been working upon the Preller pegs-
tive for several days. ard have suoee, ded
10 doing iasi shAt Mr. Clover wanted. The
negative Is . dry gelaiine plate. IL had
been retoucb bed by the sriist. In taking
photographs for The rogues' gallery never
rctouebed the negative. Every mole. wart.
ireekls or poekmG,k Is mirrored 10 photo
graphs taken IRON The uoto1ched negative.
and they form The only means Tor posi,iys
Identification, Now my work wa 70 re-
move the retouchiDg and to ksve ,he
negative with the piciuys OF Prell.r
ihs, the sun had printed on is
surface. To do thai 1t was only necesssry
10 wash the negative carefuIly in water
until tho pencil marks xere invisible under
msgniiying glssl Before doing 20
printed severI photographs from the TO.
touched negatives tor the purpose Of com
psrisSn With photographs printed from sbe
untoached plate The difference il uuk.
ing The retouched picture il p.aeh the
better looking. but not nes, a. natural an
the other, and there il DO doub, ihA, the
jury ard uitneeses vii BE- able 10 ,rsc- a
,rong likeness between ID. natural pho,v.
graph and the body. or the photographs
taken by ne Of tie body vhils Il was in the
Mosgas and later oat in Belletontsips Cen
lelery
How did Jou photograph it in tbs Gene,
'eryr
al "A