The evening times., 1898-06-24
FRANK FUNK SUSPECTED
Believed TO Have Murdered
William II. Brooks.
LEAD PES.CILS IN EVIDENCE
He Is a Carpenter. and Was Seen
Yesterday Afternoon at the Home
of the Old Couple-A General Po-
lice Order Sent Out for His Ar
rest.

Suspicious have been aroused as to th
person who is guilty of the brutal murde
and probable double killing which wa!
perpetrated at No. 91i Twenty-secont
Street yesterday afternoon about
o'clock. William II. Brooks ard Marthd
Brooks. his wife, as detailed in tbs
morning Times, were fiendshly assaulted
with an AK and their skulls crushed by
numerous blows of the weapon. The
tagedy took place in small storeroon
about eight feet square and six feet high
There william Brooks was lured and dis
assailant felled him with a terrible blow
from an AK. This was followed by six
gashes on the top and side of the head,
and the old man lay dead in a pool of
blood. By this time his wife, attracted
to the place, entered the room. The MUIR
derer felled her with blow of the
weapon and completed the assault by
mashinG her skull in five different places.
Then he stole from her body nearly a
thousand dollars in money, and leaying
the little room bolted the door and d:sap-
peared Ii was only a short time later
that George Larsen, a friend of the faml-
ly, went to the house to see Mr.. and Mrs.
Brooks. He entered the front door, and,
seeing no one walked to the rear. Sud-
denly a groan from the storeroom ad-
joining the dining room startled him
He approached the entrance. A bolted
door was before him. He heard the groan
again, and then sliding the bolt, opened
the door and peeped inside. He recoiIed
at the horrible sight before him. The
room was covered with blood. The old
man in half-sitting position had his CASH
ed head resting on a pile of broken fur
niture. The glaring eyes were fixed in
death. Right at his feet lay Mrs Brooks
face downward and covered with bruises
Her skirts were torn and showed that
robber had been searching for the pock-
cts Larsen lost no time in notifying the
neighbors.
DIR. w. r. Maddox and Sergeant Keefe
of No. police station, We're quickly on
the scene. A telephone message next
brought the Emergency Hospital ambu-
lance and DR.. Morhart. The latter pro-
nounced the old man dead and quickly
placed the woman on a stretcher and
took her TO the hospital. Meanwhile the
police began a searching investigation
Sergeant Keefe was Joined by Detective
McGlue and Policeman Van Horn.
The little room was searched for any
clew to the perpetrator of the crime.
Sergt. Keefe was rewarded by finding
two red lead pencils. The ak was also
taken in evidence. Both articles had
~ Nod
ger prints. that were unlike those of
either Brooks or his wife The old couple
have three daughters, two of whom live |
at home. They are Mrs. Sophia Brown |
and Miss Maggie Brooks. They arrived |
home half an hour after the discovery of |
the crime, and at once declared it a mur- |
der. At first the police thought it proba- |
BILE that Brooks had attempted suicide, |
and had been interfered with by his wife,
whom he had also killed. This theory |
gained some credence, from the fact that |
Brooks had on several occasions endeav-
ored to kill himself, but had been pre-
vented each time by his watchful wife. |
she is powerful woman. and undobted-
ly struggled fiercely with her antagonist
The daughters declared that she was the
possessor of large sum of money, prob
ably a thousand dollars, which she had
in two false pockets. These
were bed-ticking bags, which were tied
about her waist, and hung just inside
of her skirts.
Today there were important develop
nents which showed conclusvely that a
murder had been committed. Detectives
Weldon and Phillips from headquarters
we're assigned to the case, and co-operat-
ID with Precinct Detective Barnes First |
IN ha 1
Morhart had been careful to note the
condition of Mrs. Brooks clothing. She J
wore four skirts. The outer one was of
sreen velvet and had a pocket hole but
10 pocket. This skirt was torn from the
,and down. The next was black satin |
10 pocket and was not torn. The third
vas of blue serge, and was torn from
'and down frp.t and back, while the |
ourth, faded blue flannel, was similar
Y torn and stained with blood. The mon
Y bags and string had disappeared. The
PIPER garments were not torn at all.
The daughters were the first to form |
as to the guilty man, and the
olice have succeeded in confirming their
uspicions. 1t was about a month ago
hat Mrs. Brown married daughter,
nade the acquaintance OF carpenter
rho lives near the Brooks residence. She |
he succeeded in getting considerable 1
york for him TO do at her parents home !
nd he was frequently seen round there.
When Sergeant Keefe exhibited the lead
encils found In the bloody room, the
aughters instantly exclaimed, why,
hey belong to Mr.. Funk Then began
n inquiry about Funk. He is the car
enter whose acquaintance with Mrs.
'rown brought him to the house. He
as a sister, Mrs. Kate Clark, No 903
Jew Hampshire Avenue, and 1t was
here that Mrs. Brown met him. Funk
'as at the Brooks house about 2 o'clock
nd saw Mrs. Brown, who nad an errand
the War Department. Half an hour
lter she left the house. Funk promising
D meet her in the Washington Circle
everai squares away. He was to be at |
he circle at 6 o'clock. but did not arrive
ieanwhile Funk talked 10 the other
aughter. Miss Maggie. my sister is
ONE home this afternoon, will you go
1und see If she has arrived?' he asked
She replied that she did not feel like
DING out but Funk seemed urgent and
ne decided TO go. She left the house at
o'clock and went to Mrs. Clark's where
he remained until she returned in the
fternoon. Frank Funk, as the man is
nown. boarded with Mr.. and Mrs Buck
y at 2li5 / Street, about a square away
ON the Brooks. AT $40 he was at din
er with Mrs. Buckley. He left there in
hurry about $50 or twenty minutes TO
X. AT this time neiShbor saw Mrs.
rocks in her front yard. 1t was a few
inutes after that Lawsen discovered
lie crime. Funk had promised Maggie
} be at his sisters and had told Mrs,
rown he would be in the circle, but fail
to keep either appointment. He has
,t been seen since he left Mrs. Buckley
ter dinner last evening. He gave no
,tiee of an intention to leave and his
'sence was particularly noticed by the
uckleys. His room was searched today
Id in some of the drawers were found
.ncils identical with those found by