The evening times., 1899-12-20
FUNK TAKES THE STAND
Defendant in the Murder Trial Tes-
tifies in His Own Behalf.
lie Relates His Movement. ON the
Day That William Brooks Met His
Dcath-Confcsses to Switching the
Money From sophie Browns Hand.
Important Statement of Reporter.

= defence. which introduced a witness whose
testimony contradicted that of a number Of
important witnesses on material points in
the evidence.
The witness was John W. Drew, wto
stated that on the day OF the murder he
was engaged in special work for a local
newspaper. Mr.. Drew testified that en-
The afternoon of June 23 1898, the Gay
William Brooks was murdered, he arrived
at the scene of the crime about 6:l5
O'Clock. He found Maggie Brooks ani
Sophie Brown at the house. The other
witnesses on this point, including Sergeant
Keefe, who were positive as to the tine,
stated that the Brooks girls did not arrive
at the house until after 6:3S p. N.
MIR. Drew further stated that VIXEN he
arrived at the Brooks house Mrs Brooks
had been removed TO the Emergency Hos
pital. This would have made the removal
of Mrs. Brooks from the house some time
before the police department was notified
of the crime.
Mr.. Drew said that on the night of the
murder while ne was at the Books house,
he heard one of Brooks girls say that her
mother had money and had tried TO Keep 1t
hidden.
Il.
trict was called TO testify as 10 the de-
fendant's general reputation. which he said
was good Thomas L. CAN'T and William
Osborne. carpenters, VINO had worked with
the defendant testified that they had
known Funk by the name of Frank Wilson.
The climax in the trial was reached te-
fore noon, when the defendant took the
witness stand in his own behalf. He said:
.-On the 23d OF June, the day William
LIN t,I 10 hon /
went to the house twice that day. On the
second visit l made an appointment 10
meet Sophie Brown in the | Street park
at about 4: 80 or 4:45 o'clock p. IN.
AT few minutes after o'clock l went
around to the Brooks house. As | walked
in. Sophie said to me. hold on She SEEM
ed calm but cold toward me. | saw col
cred man in the back room. She told me
TO go to the park and wait for her. did
SO and she soon came. She told me that
the authorities we're after me and advised
me to leave town at once. She offered me
Two $50 bills. | then snatched the roll OF
bills she had in her hand. She asked me
to give it back but ted her it was no:
hers and that I'd keep it. ! then jumped
on a Capital Traction car going east. After
buying some clothes got a ticket and went
10 Philadelphia and frcm there TO New
York the same night
When I got TO New York | deposited
81 200 in a bank
On being asked by counsel why he did
not ccme hack when he knew he was sus-
pectcd of the murder. Funk said he real
lied that everything was against him.
IF | had known that the money | took
from Sophie Brown was that of that old
couple" continued the witness. referring
TO TIE BrooSses. Il would have suffered
my right hand to be cut of before | would
have touched it"
From New York. the defendant said that
he went &c Altoona Pa, and there he was
arrested and put in Jail for on-paymeht
of board bill. His sentence was for thir-
- days. While in Altoona. Pa, he met
his father and he proposed to take him 10
Washington and receive the reward offered
fCr his arrest
ne went TO Columbus, Ohio. then to Gin
cnnati. Ohio. and then to Columbia NO..
where he was arrested for the murder
Il got s1.3se from Sophie Brown the
defendant stated, and all that tine l had
some money of my own. During my wan
derinSs | went TO Chicago, st. Louis, and
other places. aud went under different
names"
He then told of his going to board with
Policeman Tyson. al Columbia Mo-. where
he was arrested: of his being taken 10 jail
and the coming OF Detective Weeion. He
had 10 desire to come TO Washington the
defendant said. but knowing that it was
useless to resist, he agreed TO come with
out requisition papers. While in the police
station III this city his photograph was
taken. He resisted. lie states, because hs
was advised by an attorney that the police /
had no right 10 compel him TO sit for a
picture This. he claimed was the only !
resistance he made.
1t was not until Funk arrived here in |
Washington that he realized how serious !
a fix he was in.
Funk continuing said. that he came to |
Washington in May. 1895 and within day .
or two went TO work for Mr. Burgess, on !
The Conduit Road. He worked under the 1
name of Frank L. Wilson. A man vino !
worked for Burgess of the name OF Thomas /
CAN'T knew his name was Funk. and when !
he learned this he quit work for Burgess. |
After that, the defendant said, he went TO !
live with his sister Mrs Clark, and stayed !
there until the latter went to Baltimore.
L met Sophie Brown" the defendant |
said, when | went TO stay at my sisters I
house. | saw her every day and night 1
while there. | also saw her when | went
10 live at Mrs. Buckley's house. Sophie 4
came there every afternoon, and she often |
visited me in my rom
The defendant then rscounted his visits !
Immediately preceding the death Of William /
Brooks. Sometimes. he said, he went /
there two or three times day. His story
Of these visits was substantially the same /
as that told by the members OF the Brooks I
family.
At this stage of the defendants testi-
mony he was made to stand aside in order !
that Miss Mary A. 0Connor, a very old |
lady. might give her testimony. The wit 4
ness stated that during the months of May ,
and June. 1898. she lived with Mrs. Clark. I
the sister of the defendant. During that 1
time Sophie Brown visited the house every
day
II was testified both by Mrs. Brown and /
Mrs. Clark that during the absence CT the
latter in Baltimore Mrs. Brown was en-
gagged TO come to the house and make up
the beds.
On the Monday before the murder OF
Brooks Miss O'Connor stated. the de-
fendant came to Mrs. Clark's house and
broke in one of the windows in the rear
part of the building. This occurred, the
witness said. after dinner time.
At this point the court took a recess with
the understanding that Funk would again
take the stand at l:30 p m.