The times., 1899-12-11

Frank William Funk, charged with the
murder of William Brooks. viii be rut
on trial this morning in Criminal Court
No. . before Justice c. c. Cole. In addi-
tion to the murder Of Brooks it is also
alleged that Funk made deadly assault
on the dead mans aged wife, Martha
Brooks. and robbed her Of large sum Of
money, estimated at from 81 500 10 - 000
The crimes for which Funk is held were
committed on the afternoon of June %,
1898 at the Brooks home. in Twenty
second Street between Street and Penn
sylvania Avenue between and 6
o'clock. Within half an hour after
the commission of the crimes the deed was
discovered, but as no one was seen in or
about the premises the perpetrator Of the
murder and robbery had ample time TO
make good his escape. The suspicion
which pointed to Funk as the possible
murderer and which finally eliminated in
his arrest for the crime was due to two
circumstances. The facts in the case,
however. did not develop until the day
after the murder. and in the mean time
Funk was getting as far away as possible
from the scene Of his crimes.
According TO the stories told by Mary
Brooks and Sophia Brown, daughters of
the murdered man, they were on friendly
terms with Funk, and both had engage
ments TO meet him on the afternoon on
which their father met his death and the
murdeT0us assault and robbery was made
upon their mother 1t was not until the
day after the murder. however. that this
fact was developed, and then the Brooks
girls came TO know that Funk had made
appointments TO meet them in different
places at the same hour. He took care.
II is said. TO make the girls promise not
TO tell each other Of his engagement with
them. In this way both girls were lured
away from the house and kept away until
he had time to commit the deed he had
planned.
On the afternoon Of the murder. it is
stated by the police. Funk went to a cloth
ing store in Seventh Street and there pur-
chased new suit OF clothes. From there
he went 10 d small hotel near the Penn
sylvania Railway Station and changed his
clothes, leaving his soiled garments in the
room Half an hour later, it is said. he
purchased a railroad ticket for New York
and left Washington on the next outgoing
train. From that time until his arrest in
Columbia, No. last August all trace of
Funk was lost Several times the local
police were very close upon his trail but
be managed TO evade them and all others
who were seeking TO earn the reward Of
fereG for his apprehension.
When arrested IL Columbia Funk sd-
mitted his identity, bur protested his in
nOcence Of the crimes with which he was
charged. H. admitted however having
got possession of The money OF which Mrs
Brooks was robbcd. The money he said
he took from Mary Brooks in the Wash
ington Circle Park, where she met him by
appointment. Funk was a desarter from
The United States Army and he knew as
did also Mary Brooks. that the authorities
were pursuing him as deserter. When
the Brooks girl approached MIN in the
park, Funk stated she took a large roll of
bills from her pocket and handing him
2 $50 Dill, told him 10 leave the city at
once, as the military authorities had been
at her home that afternoon looking for
him. The sight of the large roll OF bills
was too much for him Funk said He
could rot resist The temptation, feeling hat
the girl had no, come by the money hon
estiy, and be snatched the roll of bills
from her and escaped. AS soon as ne left
her he said. ne boarded a street car 60
ing east and rode as far az Seventh Street.
There he got of the car and purchased a
new suit Of clothes, and d little while later
took passage for New York.
Two or three days later, while in New
York, Funk stated that he saw a Wash
lngton newspaper and then for the first
time became aware of the fact that he was
Of having committed the double
crime Of murder and robbery Realizing
that he was wanted by the military au-
thorities for desertion he decided not to
return to Washington and defend himself
against the charges.
1t is stated by the local police that the
clothes which Funk left at the down town
hotel where he donned the new suit he
purchased before leaving the city are very
bloody. At first Funk denied this state
ment Of the police. but later admitted that
if there is blood stains upon the clothes
he can reasonably account for them
The Government viii be represented at
the trial by District Attorney Thomas H.
Anderson and Assistant District Attorney
Thomas c. Taylor. The defendant will be
by Attorneys D. W Baker,
formerly one Of the assistants in the Dis
trict Attorneys Office; Newton C. Price,
and Alexander Wolf.