The times., 1898-06-25
FRANK FUNK IS ACCUSED
.COrOner's Jury Believes He Kill
ed William III. Brooks.
ALLEGED MURDERERATLAEGE
Damaging Testimony Against the
AfternO0n-Fhe Evidence of the
Dead Mans Daughter-RObbery
Was the Motive.

A coroner's jury yesterday afternoon
decided that William II. Brooks, the aged
soldier who. with his wife, Martha, was
found slowly bleeding to death Thursday
evening at his home No. sl4 Twenty-sec-
ond Street northwest. was murdered by
Frank Funk.
Following the determination Of the jury.
Detectives Phillips and Weedon renewed
their efforts to trace the alleged murder
er, but up 10 a late hour last night he
was ct large.
DR.. Larkin ". GlazebroOk described the
condition OF the body of the dead man.
1t was just as if some one had taken
an instrument and cut six strokes in the
head" he said. The mans clothing was
covered with blood"
DR.. William II. Maddox testified that
he was called TO the house at 6:4o p. m
A hurried examination showed that the
old man was beyond recovery. He had
a depression of the skull in which one
could lay three fingers. The woman's
clothing had been partially torn off and
was spotted with blood. The clothes
had been torn loose at the waist
and pulled down from the body. Her
hair was matted with blood.
George l. Larsen, who discovered the
victims, was the next witness. He called
at the Brooks house Thursday. When he
got TO the house he knocked twice and,
getting no reply, he walked into the par
lor, when he heard a groan. he saw that
door in one corner of the room was
locked. There was another groan and he
shot the bolt back and looked inside.
Mrs. Brooks was there covered with
blood. he said
William J. Pagan, of No. 9O3 Twenty
second Street, testified that Mr.. Larsen
was in the house about three minutes.
He said he did not hear any sound inside
the house.
Miss Maggie Brooks then entered the
court room, supported by a sister.
when ] came home and learned that
my father was dead" she said, i thought
that he had killed himself, but he had
not
Did your mother have any money!"
Coroner Carr asked.
Yes, she had eight or nine hundred
dollars"
Where did she have it?"
In false pockets, fastened on a belt
about her waist"
Did she keep the money anywhere
else2"
''she kept small change in a drawer in
the room and had key to il around her
neck"
Who was at the house yesterday"
Frank Funk, who was there from
about O'Clock until about o'clock"
+'Who Is hep
ne -asS btcu mere ABOUT 2 month. We
knew his sister, and that IS how we met
him He Is boss carpenter and has
been Al work at the observatory He
was ont Of work this week and that is
why he came TO the house. He has been
there frequently this week He never
rang the bell but would just walk in.
He wanted 10 come ana board with US
and once remarked that If nv mother
did not open boarding house her money
would soon be gone and she would not
have any as no money would be coming
in Mr. Funk asked me If ] was going out
and wanted me 10 so around and see if
his sister had come home"
What time was this?" sne was asked
About 4 O'Clock"
Was anyone there at the time?"
"A Mss Mechan, who came 10 tell me
about making will. Funk heard her
and remarked that he would like 10 meet
somebody who had money like she had"
Mrs Sophia Brown followed her sister
She said she went to the circle and met
Mr. Funk, and they sat there and talked
until 8 o'clock 4 was with him from 4
until O'Clock" she said.
coroner.
he went TO his home"
when he left you, did you say where
you were going2-
Yes. was to meet him again at
D
Where were you going to meet hiIn?''
''At his sisters. When ne did not come
sent around TO his boarding house. but
he was not there. He received a letter
from his wife yesterday and wrote to her
saying he was going to Pittsburg."
DO you know where he went?'
Indeed, ] do not"
Mrs. Ella Maria Buckley testified that
Funk came TO his dinner about $40
O'clock, and was there about ten minutes.
After he went out about 10 O'Clock a tel
eEram came for him which was kept
until morning. Il turned it over 10 the
police" she said.
How about his friendship for Mrs.
Brown asked DR.. Glazebrook.
Mrs. Brown came to the house to see
Funk every night he was there, except
last night"
''Did he ever talk about money mat
ters?"
He was very anxious to go to the
hlondike and was talking about that
three days ago." she replied
Mrs. Laura E Chamberlain No q2i
Twenty-second Street. testified that she
saw Mrs. Brooks between $50 and C D. m.
m.
Joseph T. Johnston. a letter carrier
who lives next door to the house in which
the murder was committed, was in from
Of his house watering some flowers from
about $40 p. m. TO until 6:l5. He said:
mo one passed into the house during that
time"
Police Sergeant Keefe told the Jury
about finding the two pencils in the room
when the body was brought out The
pencils were identified as similar to those
in Funks possession. The sergeant also
explained the telegram, saying that If
was from Philadelphia and signed p. P"
II was addressed TO Funk and read:
'-WiH be at No. ) Ches. tomorrow at
$50 a. m
Detective Phillips explained the finding
Of another pencil in Funk's room which
answered 10 the description of the two
pencils secured by Sergeant Keefe Then
all three pencils werep laced before the
jury and compared. There was not the
slightest difference between them. 1t was
noticed that the pencils found in the
house Of the murdered man were sharp
ened with some instrument not knife
and that they gave the impression of a
chisel having been used.
Immediately after the testimony Of the
detectives, the jury held private ses-
sion, and half an hour later announced
its verdict
I was seriously afflicted with a cough for
several years, and last fall had a more
severe cough than ever before l have
uSed many remedies without receiving