Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-16
Large Attendance Today at Trial
of Frank Funk.
THE ABSENCE OF DIRECT TESTIMONY
Mrs, Sophie Browns Statements
When on Witness Stand.
TESTIMONY HEARD TO-DAY

cution have been examined and large
amourD of testimony has been introduced,
1t is claimed by his attorneys that the de-
PENDANT has in no manner been directly
connected with the commission of the
crime. Proof has been presented to the
jury showing that Funk was at the
Brooks house between and 5 o'clock the
afternoon of the day the homicide was dis
covered; that he ate supper rather hurried
ly early that evening at his boarding house.
and did not return there; that he made sug-
gestions that old Mr.. Brooks leave his
home and go to a hospital for treatment;
that Funk was in hard luck immediat ely
prior to the homicide and needed money
that he stated that If he had money he
would leave the city; that he remarked
that he did not understand why the Brooks
family complained of being poor. when
Mrs. Brooks was in possession of large
sum of money. and that he knew this
money was kept in the Brooks house
The attendance today was as large as on
the previous days of the hearing, number
of ladies being present. The case is being
conducted most carefully in every respect.
and the examination of the witnesses is
decidedly searching.
Identifies the Defendant.
Mrs. Sophie Brown, while on the stand
late yesterday, identified the defendant as
the man she knew as Frank w. Funk. The
eyes of the prisoner and the witness met.
but the features of each remained unruffied.
Mrs. Brown said that from the time she
left Funk at 21st street and Pennsylvania
avenue, at AS O'Clock the 23d of June,
1898. up to the time of the trial now in
progress, she had not seen him.
On Cross-eXamination Mrs Brown told
that she is married, has had three chill
dren, all now dead. and that she has been
Separa ted from her husband for nearly ten
years She admitted that she was in com
pany with Funk nearly every evening he
was residing with his sister and at Mrs.
Buckley'S.
They would usually take a walk She
was never with him later than o'clock of
evenings.
The witness denied that she said the
night of the homicide that she had seen her
mother counting money time and again
She also denied that she had expressed the
opinion that the death of her father was
the result of suicide. 1t was admitted that
she had said that no one had called at
the house the afternoon of the homicide.
Makes Denial.
The witness denied that after visiting her
mother at the Emergency Hospital she said
10 her sister on one occasion, Lets kiss
the old lady; it will look better" She also
denied that she was ever in Washington
Circle with Funk
Ida May Buckley, Mary Margaret Heard,
Mary S. Suit and Mary White We're called
as witnesses late yesterday afternoon.
Nothing of special Importance however,
was developed by their examination.
Testimony of Maggie Brooks.
The first witness to testify today was
Maggie Brooks, daughter of the man
murdered, and sister of Mrs Sophie
Brown. Miss Brooks told of the visits of
Funk to her home. described the interior
arrangements Of the house and of the first
notification the crime NOfbirJpr
TALLY different from what had already been
told In court was noted i'll the testimony of
Miss Brooks.
Mr.. Harry B. Parker of the firm of
Parker Bridget & Co., who next took the
stand, stated that the I'D Of June 1888,
the establishment of the firm was located
at 315 9TH street About go or 80 O clock
that evening. afteI the usual closing hour
the witness sold suit of clothes to a man
who had on a suit that resembled the gar
ments shown N court having been the
property of Funk.
Discovery of the Clothing
Detective Henry Lacy next told the Jury
that the 2Jch of June 1885 he found GER
tain clothing in a back room on the third
floor Of a hotel conducted by John LYNN. On
Pennsylvania avenue. The witness identt-
ned the garments shown In court a 5 those
located by him at the hotel referred TO-
There was blood on The trousers, coat
shoes ana the cuffs of the shirt.
On cross-examination Detective Lacy fail
ed to point out any blood stains on the coat
when requested to do so by Attorney Ra-
ker The witness also failed to positively
point out any blood stains on handker-
chlet that; he had testified, appeared when
ne found it the 18th of June, 1895 to have
been used for the wiping of bloody hands
Detective Lacy remarked that he was not
an expert as regards blood.
Funk's Story Mt Hotel.
AFTER recess John Lynn, proprietor of
the Keystone Hotel 4S2 PENNSYLVANIA ave-
nue.. was called to the witness stand. The
sd of June, 1898. he said, Funk called at
his hotel, registered as Harry A Nicholson
and asked to be assigned d room, remark
ing that he had been on train all night
had come from Cincinnati was nervous
and wanted to go to bed at once He had
bundle under one arm. Two days later
the chambermaid reported that some cloth
ing had been left in the room occupied by
the man. As the witness took the clothing
from drawer a card fell from one of the
pockets The name Funk was on it. The
witness thereupon notified the police
Discovery of the Clothing.
Mary Jackson. colored. chambermaid at
the Keystone Hotel, testified that the morn
ing of the oath of June. 1885, she went to
room 20 at the hotel. The bed had not been
disturbed. There were a large sheet of
wrapping paper and some clothing tags in
witness
visited the room. She noticed the gas was
burning low. The witness did not remen
Der whether or not the gas had been burn
ing the morning of the oath. Some cloth.
Ing was found in the bureau drawer in tho
room the morning of the 18th. She re-
ported the find to Mr.. Lynn.
George W. Ribble, manager of the post,,
Telegraph Gable Company in this CITY was
called 10 testify regarding a certain tsles
gram filed in Philadelphia and addressed n
Funk in this city All he knew was Thai
the telegram shown was received by him
from the officials of the Philadelphia Office
Next 70 appear was Jennie Beederbeck
who stated her address to be Hatter,s
court Philadelphia. Pa. She testified that
she knew the defendant as Frank Finley
and later as Frank Funk. While in PhiIa
delphia in June, 1895. the witness said she
received letters from Funk one the 18th or
9th of the month, another the Goth and
still mother the I'D. N
In the letter of the latter date the de-
PENDANT notified the witness that he was
going to leave Washington, as he was get
ting Known. and that he wanted To SOC
her TO make arrangements about the baby
HE directed the witness to notify him when
and where he could meet her, and fnr-
nished key so she could telegraph to him
in cipher.
About O'Clock the-exening of the DAD of
June, 1898, Miss Beederbeck testified ST.