Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-08-10

Hugh NJ Brooks. alas W II L. Max
well. who murdered G. Arthur Prrller in
the Southern hotel. 81 Louis. April IA
$50. maintained marvellous stolidty
throughout his long imprisonment. In
view of the varying shades of his trial.
the enormous gravity of the crime with
which he WAS charged. his slight frame
and nervous temperament, this is one OF
the remarkable features of the case. A
brief resume OF the story of the crime
that rang round and started the world at
the time is apprlstc nov.
ON January 10, 1885, Brooks, who was
of an adventurous turn of mind appa-
rrntly. left his home in Stockport, Che
shire, England, and embarked for Amer
lea On the steamer he fell in with Pref
| Ter, who was travelling salesman for the
| firm of ! b Dixon Il Co, Bradford. and
coming to this country IN the interest Of
his employers A warm friendship sprang
NJ between them. Brooks first misstcp
was in classifying his name. He gave il
to Prcller as W. II l.. Maxwell and rep
resented himself rs a physician. He
| played the flute ChArmingly, and his friCrd
WAS an ardent lover of music This, 10
gether with his varied accomplishments
of Notwithstanding II smsttering OF
most modern languages and being a dab
bier IN science in superficial way-wove
"A web of complete fascination round his
fellow vovagcr Both We're aesthetic in
manner and disposition, and drIltef To
each other naturally From New York
they went to Boston, Prefers business
calling him thither. There they scpara
ted for the time, Prellcr making tour of
several eastern cities and the Cnnadas in
the interest of the firm On April } he
arrived in ST Louis Brooks had preceded
him. They had correspondent regularly,
and be WAS appriscd Of his companion S
whereabouts He met him at the train.
and Registering at the Southern hotel,
the pair were together until thereafter the
murder. On Sunday, April 5, Brooks
purchased four ounces of ChlnrofOrm on
"A prescription written by himself On
Monday he bought new trunk. On The
same day he invested in ticket to San
Francisco. shaved of bis beard, and left
the hotel that evening, saving that his
friend was out in the country. On Tues.
day, April IA, the odor in room 144 be.
came So offensive that an investigation
followed. In the trunk purchased by
Brooks the body OF Preller was found
dressed only in drawers, and pinned Il
them scrap of paper bearing the words
so perish all traitors to the great cause
Inquiry was instituted for Brooks MAX
well's) whereabouts He was traced Il
San Francisco. He was found to hav,
registered mt the Palace hotel under tn,
name of J. C. d'Auquer. April IL h,
bought steerage ticket TO Auckland
New Zealand, and sailed-in the afternoon
on the City of Sydney. The vessel ar
rived on May ), but a cablegram from
Chief Harrigan, of st. Louis, had pre-
coded the fugitive, and he Was arrested
when the vessel put into port. He WA
brought back and lodged behind the bar
: in St. Louis on August 16.
The work had been expeditions an,
effective. Meanwhile the body of Prelle
had been identified, Notwithstanding tb
! fact that his mustache had been shayet
of. The drawers on the body wer
marked H. M. Brooks q A scar on hi
, forehead received in New York barbe
e shop and Toronto photograph prove,
| the identity of the remains Besides, al
{ 'undershrt, which apparently had bee