GIVEN A GOOD EDUCATION.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 121, 26 September 1885, Page 4

GIVEN A GOOD EDUCATION.

' Yes, I remember Hugh Brooks. Ho is the eldest son. There is a younger brother and unmarried sister. Only to think that Hugh should havo the nerve to pack the dead body of his friend in a trunk and steal his money! i hardly believed it when I read the story in the Manchesior "Examiner" this morning. The father looked after Hugh's schooling when he was a boy, and then sent him to the Manchester Grammar School. He r-eceivecl the finest education. No expense was spared to promote his welfare. After leaving school Hugh was articled to Browne & Ashworth, solicitors, at Stockpo t-on-the-Merscy, not far from here. When he became a solicitor himself, a year and a half ago Hugh opened an office here with a younger brother as clerk, bxit did not seem to take to the routine of the law.'

HUGH AND THE FESTIVE CURATE. I then visited the police office. "Do you know Brooks V was asked of the Chief of Police. " Know him ? Yes: but I always thought him useless. Ho practised here on two or three occasions." " Did you know his curate friend?" " Yes; Valentino Evans is his name. Ho was at St. Thomas' Church. He came from a thcologieal college in the south of Wales. He used to go tricycling to Manchester with the hunt. I think they drank and visited questionable places." " Was Evans a fluent preacher V " Yes—of other men's sermons. He disappeared after Hugh left without saying good-by. Jam church warden at St. Thomas' and was a good triend to him. Ho made things so warm with his habits that ho could not stay. Ho had no influence here whatever. Hugh's gay habits got him over head and ears in debt. His poor father spent £100 in paying his debts. Hugh was fond of dabbling in photography, medicine, and magic lanterns, and gave entertainmonts." I next saw Dr. Sidbotham, who said, " I did not know Hugh intimately, btit knew his father well. Last winti r Hugh came to borrow a pair of stcreoptician lantern**, valued at £10, and said his lantern was damaged, and ho was going to a Sunday-school entertainment, I next heard fchnt Hugh had gone away. 1' I interviewed many neighbours and tiadesmen who have known Hugh since ho was (i child. All say ho was carefully brought up, took part in Sunday-school work, and they never noticed anything wrong about him in Hyde; but lie went to Manchester very often. He was frequently seen at church. He was engaged to Mary Whittaker, a very pretty Sunday-school teacher, the daughter of a cotton spinner living in Hyde-lane.

WHAT HIS FAMILY SAY. An interview was then sought with Elder Brooks, who owns a block of small houses in Chapel-street, in one of which he lived, but he was absent from Hyde. Hugh's young sister opened the door, followed by Mrs. Brooks, who was neatly dressed in black silk. She was courteous but firm in he< refusal to give information. She said, however, " Remember, I do not believe the man Maxwell is our son " She cut off further discussion by closing the door, and she could not be persuaded to return. She looked very much broken. Returning down the street, I learned frqm several p* aplc that a copy of the Washington Police News, with a portrait of Maxwell, has been everywhere shown and always recognised as that of Hugh, and they are certain he and Maxwell are one and the same man. They also asserted that tolegiauis have been pasßinc between Brookes family and the St. Louis police.

THE TRAITS OF A BORN ADVENTURER. The officials at the Donton Railway station were noxt soen. One official said ho know Hugh well, and remembered his leaving there by tram one afternoon in January last. He had a tricycle and several'boxes. Hugh told him a Welsh client had given him chargo of his case to be tried in Dublin and ho was going to Liverpool. Ho had not seen him since. A solicitor, who refused to allow his name to be used, said Hugh was a born adventurer and too restless for steady work. He also said that if Morrison had identified the psoudo Maxwell as Hugh Brooks there could bo no doubt of his identity. The solicitor added that doubtless more witnesses will go from here to identify him. He thought Brooks would confess his identity,

A TALK WITH PRELLER'S FATHER. The correspondent again called on Mr Prellei 1 at the Warehouse in Wood-sti'oet, Cheapside, this morning handing him a copy of tho Daily News containing a dispatch from St. Louis which stated that Maxwell or Brooks stated that ho had chloroformed his travelling companion. "It is said your unfortunate son and Brooks wore acquainted," said the reporter. " That is a mistake," was the reply. "I am sure they met first on the steamer or in America. Taylor, who identified my son s remains in St. Louis and who returns tor the triad, is of the same opinion. Taylor was here tbis forenoon, but has left town. I have been certain that Maxwell was Brooks for months post, but kept quiet, first in the interests of justice and second becau-e there we c threats or defamation suits from Brooks' relations. You see the disappearance of Brooks and the description of Maxwell, largely copied m English papers, led to the probable identification whioh started the inquiry." Mr Preller, sen., wears 'an anxious and troubled look, more pronounced than when,the corres-