Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19
Prisoner in Columbia, Mo. Identified
as F. W. Funk. -
CONFIRMED BY His OWN ADMISSIONS
Charges Others With Murder for
Which He is Held.
WILL ARRIVE HERE MONDAY

| There is no longer any room for doubt
| concerning the identity of the man arrested
! at Columbia, Mo, on suspicion of being
| Frank William Funk. That he Is the man
who left here the night of June % of last
year, after the horrible crime was commit
| ted, is shown in dispatch received here at
4:1S o'clock yesterday afternoon from Chief
| Slate of the Columbia police force. This
| dispatch reads:
"Weedon has positively identified the man
as Funk. He refuses to come, but will have
| him in st. Louis Sunday morning. Have
| Inspector Boardman meet him there
| An hour later a message was received
| from Detective Weldon. This message
| stated:
| Identify man held at Columbia as F. w.
| Funk. He has admitted and confessed.
| Telegraph reward of $500 to L. ]. Slate
| through Boone County National Bank
| This dispatch is somewhat misleading in
| view of the statements in still later dis
patch received by The Star this morning,
i which is to the effect that Inspector Wee
| don will leave St. Louis Sunday morning
| with Inspector Boardman. Funk admits he
| knows who killed Brooks, and says he will
| tell all when he gets to Washington
Trouble Anticipated.
| In view of the statement of Chief Slate,
| Major Sylvester and Acting Inspectors
| Boardman and Helan anticipated some diff
| ficulty in getting the prisoner. Believing it
| might become necessary to make showing
] in court Detective Weldon was asked by
| wire if he wanted a witness, who could al
| so positively identify Funk. His answer to
Inspector Boardman was:
| Il need no one but you, and my prior
| dispatches will make plain that Funk has
| consented to come. Will meet you at police
| Headquarters in St. Louis Sunday morn
| ing"
| 1t was apparent from the tone of Detect
| i've Weedons first dispatch that the ques-
| ton of reward was causing some annoyance
| and this was further shown by the receipt
from Detective Weldon of the following:
He wants money sent tomorrow morning
| by telegraph, without fail.
This telegram convinced the officials that
| the prisoner would probably not be sur
rendered without the payment of the re-
ward and the money was sent as directed,
| though not by telegraph Under special
! arrangement draft for the amount was for
| Warded by mail. Inspector Boardman start
| ed west on the Ito train last night in or
| der to reach St. Louis tomorrow morning,
when. as stated in of the dispatches,
| Funk will be there The inspector would
| have taken the reward money with him had
| 1t not been that he will be unable to reach St
| Louis today. and Detective Weedon's mes
| sage indicated the necessity of having the
| cash there before tomorrow.
Now that there is doubt about the
| prisoners identity Mesa ges of congratula-
| ton are being received at police headuuart-
| crs for both Major Sylvester and Inspector
Boardman.
Credit for the Arrest.
| The capture of Funk as heretofore stated
| in The Star, is due entirely to the efforts
| of these two officials in flooding the coun-
| try with the descriptive circular, which
| rendered mistake In the Identification
| practically impossible. Detective Weldon
| also comes in for a share of the glory, be
| cause of his activity in the matter Major
| Sylvester was not chief of police at the
time the murder was committed. Soon
| after he took charge of the department he
| made the declaration that he would have
Funk within twelve months, and his pre-
| dictton has been verified.
| In addition to this capture, which is con-
| sidered one of the most important in the
| history of the department, other lawbreak-
ers who committed offenseS months ago
| have been apprehended. Members Of Major
| Sylves,er's staff are confident that in due
| time Dorsey Foultz will be apprehended
| if he is alive.
| Major Sylvester is very much pleased
| over the prospects Of getting Funk back
| here without lengthy legal contest. This
result was no doubt accomplished by De-
| tective Weedon's diplomacy, for, as stated
| in the first dispatch received yesterday
Funk refused to return without the neces-
| sary papers. When Detective Weldon
| learned this and considered the trouble
ana expense IHaC "Oulu Ne lHNOiNtu llc
! saw Funk after the latter had consulted
| counsel and this interview resulted in
| change of opinion on the part of the pris-
oner.
Funk's Statement.
In addition to accomplishing this Detec-
| tive Weldon also got from Funk a state
ment concerning his life and movements
| This statement the prisoner signed. 1t
reads as follows:
Jy &c William r Funk I was
| born in Harrisburg, Pa, in 1874, and lived
| there until 1888. Then father and l moved
| to Hagerstown, Nd, and work being
scarce we stayed there about three months
About that time he advertisement
| calling for man to fill the position of
| superintendent of planning mill in WASH
ington city. He worked there few
months and went into business himself
and continued there for ten years, when
| he failed. Then, in order to evade debts
which he was unable to meet he went
with our family to Philadelphia. Three
years before leaving Washington l was
married to the daughter of wealthy mer-
| chant in Laurel. Nd eighteen miles from
| Washington We went directly to Wash
! ington, where we lived happily for about
| thirty months.
about this time 1 began to play the
races at Alexander Island, a Washington
suburb, where, finally, I lost every dollar
! l could procure. My wife and baby were
| in need. My wife became dissatisfied, and
| left me because l had mistreated her. This
was not done because of any fault of hers,
| but because l had grown ill-tempered
| on account of my ill-luck. Two days after
she left me, l grew desperate, and, wish
| ing to rid myself of the past and ma Ike
| a new start in life unhampered. l enlisted
| in the 4th Artillery of the United States
army.
Cause for Regret.
| II soon regretted this act. I did not
| leave Washington as I expected; but daily
| came into contact with my former associ-
| ates, whom 1 had hoped to avoid. After
| serving two months 1 took French leave Of
my regiment and went to Harrisburg, Pa,
| and the first day there obtained work at
| my trade carpenter. Here l lived quiet
| ly for six months
| Father at this time had contract
awarded him to build house at Muirkirk
So