The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1885-08-29 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE MURDER IN ST. LOUIS.  A Chester correspondent says: The most extraordinary speculations are current at Hyde, Cheshire, regarding the young man who has been arrested for the murder of Mr. Preller, the Bradford commercial traveller, at St. Louis, U.S. Every conceivable trait of the character of Mr. Brooks, junior, the solicitor, has been raked up by assiduous local journalists, and the general conclusion arrived at is that Maxwell and Brooks are one and the same person. Mrs. Brooks has been "interviewed," and she gives it as her deliberate opinion that her son is not the man in custody, despite Reuter's telegram to the contrary. These circumstances may be taken as absolute facts—namely, that young Brooks, who had been living a somewhat chequered life in Hyde, suddenly left there for America early this year, and that there his identity was lost until details of the terrible trunk tragedy reached this country, and that there he passed under the names of H. M. Brooks, and subsequently T. C. D'Auguier. The corroborative testimony pointing to H. M. Brooks as the name of the alleged murderer is furnished in this way: When "Maxwell" was arrested, he wore a brand new watch, and that led the authorities to the conclusion that he must have either sold or pledged an old watch. Investigation led to the discovery of the missing watch, the number of which, 3262, with the name written inside in ink, "H. M. Brooks," has led to its recognition at Hyie, the watch having been in the possession, or one exactly tallying with it, of Mr. Thomas Maddock, jeweller, Market-place, Hyde, and was by him sold to Hugh Mottram Brooks some years ago. Mr. George Spencer, Hyde-lane, jeweller, has also in his diary an entry of the same watch having been cleaned by him for Brooks, shortly before the latter left England. Brooks had on several occasions taken part in dramatic performances at St. George's School, Hyde, kept by his father, Mr. S. M. Brooks, and curiosity brought to light the peculiar fact that " Maxwell" was one of the characters taken by him on one occasion, and that " D'Auguier" was the name of a French tutor under whom he studied. Brooks' friends, while confessing that this is testimony of a remarkably confirmatory character, still assert that it will come out by and by that his name has been most unjustifiably and cruelly used by Maxwell. There is further this irrefutable fact that an Easter card was posted from St. Louis the week before the murder to a young lady in Hyde, with whom Brooks had been on terms of intimacy, and as she had no friends at St. Louis, the probability that Brooks had sent the card was very strong. Then again the ticket taken from St. Louis by the alleged murderer " Maxwell " is said by the railway authorities to have been "Hugh M. Brooks," and that they possess his signature. The endorsement on the ticket, and the name T. C. A'Auguier signed on the hotel register, are the same, according to the authority of the American detectives. It is thus clear that D'Auguier is either Brooks, or Maxwell going under the alias of Brooks.  It happened when "My Awful Dad was being played at the Gaiety. Charles Matthews had turned in for 40 winks after dinner, having given his servant orders to wake him in time for the performance. The faithful servitor went round the corner to see a man, and forgot all about his master, who slept ion. Waking at last of his own accord, Matthews went to the theatre, leisurely, as was his wont, to find the audience waxing impatient at the delay. Undisturbed by the clamour, the cool comedian proceeded to attire .libstelf for his part. Just before the curtain was raised, a voice was heard—the voice of the usual Miff in the pit—and this was what it said: "Pull up the rag. If you don't do it soon Charley will be too old to play the part."  th