Huntsville gazette., 1888-07-14
THE MAXWELL CASE.


The Mother and Sister of the Condemned
Man at jefferson City to Plead for His
Life = Their Interview With Governor
Morehouse-The Attorneys Efforts To-
ward Communication.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, July 9.-Mrs.
Brooks and daughter, mother and sister
OF the condemned man, Hugh M. Brooks,
alias Maxwell arrived here yesterday
morning in company with their attorney,
, T. w. Fauntleroy, and registered at the
Madison House. In the afterRoon your
correspondent sent in his card for an in
terview and he was cordially admitted.
Mrs. Brooks and her daughter were seated
in the ladies' parlor, and both appeared
glad of an opportunity to speak with some
one belonging to the city concerning the
object Of their visit. They both looked
careworn and troubled. The near ap-
proach of the execution of her son bears
heavily upon the mothers mind, and her
sadness of heart and depression of spirits
are strongly indicated in her general ap-
pearance. To your correspondent she
said:
1--WE have come long distance to ap-
peal to the Governor for justice ia behalf
Of my boy. I am sure that he never COM
his heart to do it. The boy has been
well raised; his moral training has been
good; he was always full of life and fond
of amusement, but never gave evidence
of a cruel heart We have but three chill
dren. He is the eldest. I have a son
at home, my daughter here is the young
est, and until this event we
were happy family, enjoying life
as well as any people could desire who
move in our social circle. / think 1 know
the nature and character Of my children
as well as any mother can, and | speak in
all good conscience when l say that MUIR
der was never in my sons heart. OF
course, he did the deed, but not with in
tent to murder, and when he stated that
he gave Preller chloroform as medicine,
| am sure that ne spoke the truth. l feel,
of course, great interest in this result.
My child is as dear to me as is the child
of any mother. believe that public feel
ing and newspaper reports have had
much, very much, to do with the convic-
ton of my son. He ought not to hang
for this crime, and [ have strong hopes
that the Governor will interfere in the be-
half of justice.
Mrs. Brooks expressed herself as well
pleased with this country and its people
Said she: awe have been very kindly
treated since our arrival, and feel satis-
fed that, however strong public sentiment
has acted toward convicting my son, am
equally sure that public feeling is rapid ly
softening toward him. The circum-
stances of his trial, the character of evi-
dence admitted against him, is not in
dorsed by the thinking class of people,
and it is this that | base my strongest
hope Of Communication upon" The daugh-
ter had but little to sVy, but occasionally
made some remark touching upon the
subject on which her mother was talking.
Later in the afternoon they called upon
the Governor at the Mansion, but not find
ing him at home, they called upon him at
his Office in the Capitol. There they found
the Governor, his private secretary, Mr..
Yantis, his private clerk VIM. Reese
Hon. George w. Allen, of st. Louis, and
your correspondent. The ladies were
cordially received by the Governor, who
shook hands with each of them, inquirine
after their health, how they stood the
trip, etc. He asked after Mr.. Brooks
health, and said he was very favorably
impressed with the old gentleman during
his visit here; he found him a pleasant
and agreeable conversationalist, and was
glad to hear that he was in good health.
These kind illusions served as pleasant
introduction for the ladies. Mrs. Brooks.
after some further passing remarks con-
cerning her trip, said:
Governor, l have come from my home
in England to ask you to save my son and
to beg of you to consider every circum-
stance of his trial when you come to make
up your decision"
The Governor remarked that he had
come home to devote tomorrow and
longer if necessary to hearing every argu-
ment that she and her attorneys had to
offer, that he had been carefully reading
all the testimony connected with the trial
and had just finished a close reading of
the whole subject, and that in passing
upon the petition he would be guided by
his honest convictions Of duty as they ap-
peared to him upon a full hearing of the
whole subject.
Mrs. Brooks then wished to know if it
would be necessary for her to come be-
fore him again, to which the Governor re-
piled that if she desired to be present
when her attorneys presented the case to-
morrow, or that if she felt like adding
any thing further he would gladly listen
to her. Nine O'Clock tomorrow was
fixed for the hearing of the case.