River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-19
). W. FAUNTLERoY."
err was officially in

civilized land and no power in the courts
or the authorities can save him. No, / will
not believe it,
STORY OF THE CRIME
Hugh NJ Brooks, alias w. IL L. May veil,
murdered C. Arthur Preler in the South
ern Hotel, St. Louis. April IA, 1885
On JANUARY 10, 1885, Brooks, who was OF an
adventurous turn Of mind apparently. left his
home in Stockport Cheshire; England. and
embarked for America >, On the STEAMER he fell
in with Preller, who was a travelling
salesman for the firm OF ]. b. Dixon & Co,
Bradford, and coming 70 this country in the
interest OF his employers. warm friendship
sprang up between them. Brooks first
misstep was in falsfying his name. He gave
il to Preller as w. II. L. Maxwell and repre-
sented himself as q physician. He played the
flute charmingly and his friend was an ardent
lover of music. This, together with his varied
accomplishments OF conversation-having a
smattering OF most modern languages and be-
ing a dabbler in science in a superficial way
wove a web Of complete fascination round
his fellow-voyager. Both were aesthetic in
manner and disposition, and drifted to each
other naturally. From New York they went TO
Boston, Prellers busine calling him thither.
There they separated for the time, Preller
making a tour OF Several Eastern cities and
the Canadas in the interest or the hrm On
April he arrived in St. Louis. Brosks
had preceded him. They bad correspondent
regularly, and he was apprised OF his
companions whereabouts. He met him al the
train, and registering at the Southern Hotel
the pair were together until thereafter the
murder. On Sunday, April5, Brooks purchased
four ounces of chloroform a prescrip-
.ion written by himself. On Monday he
bought q new trunk. On The same day he
invested in a ticket TO San Frahcisco shaved
on his beard, and left the hotel that evefis
ing, saying that his friend was out in the eouu-
try. On Tuesday, April IL the odor in room
-
followed. In the trunk purchased by Brooks
the body OF Preller was found, dressed only in
drawers, and pinned to them a scrap of paper
bearing the words:
$50 perish all traitors TO the great cause"
Inquiry was instituted for Brooks MAX,
welrs) whereabouts. He was traced TO San
Francisco. He found to have registered
at the Palace Hotel under the name of J. C..
dAuquer. April ~ he bought a steerage ticket
TO Auckland, New Zealand, and sailed in the
afternoon on the City Of Sydney. The vessel
arrived on May 5, but a cabIegram from Chief
Harrigan, of St. Louis, had preceded the fugi:
tive, and he was arrested when the vessel put
into port. He was brought back and lodged
behind the bars in St. Louis on August 16
The work had been expeditions and effective.
Meanwhile the body of Preller had been iden-
titled Notwithstanding the fact that his mus
tache had been shaved of. The drawers
found on the body were marked III. NJ.
Rrooksn scar on his forehead re-
eelNeu IN a view 4 OrK nArUCr-SnUfAa. huu "a To-
Tonto photograph prove the identity OF the re-
mains. Besides, an undershirt, which appar-
emily had been cut from body, aud number
OF collars and cuffs marked &C. A. Preller,"
were discovered in Brooks effects when arrest
ed at Auckland Thus chain OF circumstan-
tial guilt was woven about the murderer.
For long time Brooks maintained an air of
innocence, but finally was induced to make
quas-confession. He had felt that his safety
lay in silence, but at last Thought il WAS
a mistake and to q reporter told the story
OF Preller's death. The latter had been
suffering from disease, he said sad =
surgical operation was necessary. Chloroform
had to be administered. In the sec
ond stage the drug did its deadly work. Hor-
riied, he did not know what to do. II ciscov-
cred he would be accused Of murder. He
dumped the remains into the trunk and took
to drinking deeply. The cutting OF the mus
taehe, the inscription about traitors, and all
the other odd incidents connected with his ae-
tons he attributed to liquor.
The trial was tedious one the entire coun
try-the world for that matter-watched the
proceedings closely. He was condemned
TO the Supreme Court, but that body
refused to disturb thq rulings Of the
court below. The delay, however, post
poned the execution of the enlorOforrner. Id
the in terval his father came over from Eng.
land to intercede in his behalf He is a kindly
old gentleman and sincere in the belief of his
sons innocence. On March OF the present
year he issued long appeal ITO the American
People," asserting a belief in his sons
innocence. As result a monster petition
for interposition by the Governor of
Missouri was gotten up. II was signed
by people IN every walk in life and by six
of the jurymen who condemned the man to
death. Ga June Chief-Justice Norton. at
Jefferson City, Mo, fixed the date of his eKecu-
ton July IL 1t would have occurred on the 81
OF last August had not an appeal been made to
the United States Supreme Court.