The times., 1899-12-24

) Frank W. Funk has been found guilty
Of the murder of William H. Brooks on
June 3, 1895 The jury reached a verdict
} after seventeen and one-half hours delib-
\ GRAFTON. and announced the result in Grim
inal Court No. / yesterday morning
, During The several days which the trial
} lasted Funk appeared to hold everything
\ and every person opposed to him in utter
contempt, and smiled with scorn at every
, effort Of the Government 10 fasten uron
) him the crime Of which he was accused. 1t
\ was different with the prisoner yesterday,
when he was called upon to face the jury
, which was about TO decide his fate. On Fri
) day afternoon. while the prosecuting attor-
ney was addressing the jury. the defend
ant, and for many days had laughed as the
) ( witnesses upon the stand told Of his con-
\ neclion with the murder Of Brooks, com
menced 20 break down, and yesterday
when he stood TO hear the result o. t-e
\ trial, ne collapsed completely.
The Prisoner NisibIy Affected.
He was pale and haggaId and tremb ei
) visibly; the brightness of his stsel-grey
\ eyes was gone. and the flashing glances
which were so noticeable dming the fl ST
days Of the trial were not seen as he faoeI
) The jurors as they entered the court rooms
! and took their seats in the jury box 1t
7 was evident that he CLEANED no co1s5l- ton
from heir faces and as he turned 10 look
at his counsel. who sat Immediately in
front of him, ne seemed 10 have lost /
\ hope.
? The twelve men who had listened to all
) the testimony in the case for eleven days
looked worn and tired, but there was
something more tnan this in thair faces
\ which struck Funk with terror. 1t was a
7 sternnCss which palmer than words 10 d
him that they believed him guilty. and ad
decided that ne must suffer the full pena u
Of the law.
\ When the jury entered the courtroom
few minutes after 10 O'Clock there was a
) large crowd OF spectators present who had
\ followed the trial closely since It's begin
ming. Justice Cole VINO presided noticed
) the presence o. the spectators and warned
them that under no circumstances, whether
, the finding OF me jury met their approval
) or not must they give expression 10 their
feelings
) When the roll of the jurors had been
called. Clerk Of Court William Z, Williams
? enquired
) "Gandemen, have you. agreed upon q YER
: Gi-?'
There was deathIike silence for mo-
\ mGnt or two. and Funk, trembling violently
sat WIKI lis eA Is Ilktitl LNbH Tit lbl =
) man. In respcHse 10 the question the answer
came. We have We ind the defendant
, guilty as indicted"
\ AS soon as The words were uttered the
Z defendant arose and started 10 return to his
cell in The basement OF The City Hall build
\ ing. He paused a moment on his way. how
ever when d. W Baker, his attorney. rose
) to address he court. Mr. Baker merely
gave notice that h would within the proper
: q m for q ~ " trial Funk
\ then continued his way 10 his cell where
Z he found his sister, Mrs Clark, awaiting
) him. The scene as they met was affecting.
For a moment the prisoner recovered his
? self-control and. in a strong clear voice
again protested his innocence of the crime
of which he was convicted.
q When ne arrived at the District Jail he
n went 10 bed Immediately, for he was shak-
e ing violently, as if he were suffering from
{ a chill. II was evident 10 those who have
Il watched Funk closely during the days Of
Z his trial that at last his wonderful nerve
had failed him and he had broken down
/ completely.
l. BaIIotfng on the Verdict.
!, The case was given TO the jury for
II consideration Friday afternoon at 4:45 p.
Z m, and at 8 p m, three hours and a
IS quarter later, when verdict was not re-
e turned, much surprise was expressed by
=, the spectators who were present waiting
h &c hear he result OF the consultation. AS
a to the cause of the delay In reaching yer-
10 dict very little could be learned. as the
jurors Immediately left the City Hall after
a being discharged by the court Ii was
p stated. however. that one Of them had said
IN that verdict or guilty had been practical
r. ly reached within a few minutes after they
retired 10 their consultation room. In or
der however, that no mistake might be
made which they could not remedy, it was
"A decided TO consider the matter during the
/ night, and If all were of the same opinion
announce their verdict in the morning AZ
ar ter breakfast yesterday, the jurors referred
c. to is said 10 have stated, another vote
D. was taken and it was found that all were
-. OF the same opinion-that the prisoner was
!, guilty as indicted.
, From another source it was learned that
, ! a verdict was not arrived at until yester-
1t day morning just a few minutes before the
n jury was called into court. The person
ae speaking stated that when the jury retired
=, / TO their room on Friday afternoon a vote
90 was taken and IL was found that they stood
ten for conviction CT murder as indicted,
and two for conviction with the Gualihca-
tions that the punishment should be i'm
prisCnment in the penitentiary for life.
From the decided tone in which the two
lie members OF the jury who held this opin-
n ion spoke ii was taken for granted
)e that they were unchangeabie, and no other
In vote on the question, il is said, was taken
- during the night. In the morning when the
- discussion Of the guilt or innocence oi
ie Funk resumed, TO the surprise of all,
IN the speaker stated, it was found that all
J. were OF one opiniOn-that the defendant
IN was guilty as indicted.
i History of the Crime.
= The crime for which Funk was convicted
was committed on June 23 1898, between
. the hours Of $50 and $50 O'Clock in the
evening at the home OF the murdered man.
914 Twenty second Street northwest Will
u liam H Brooks, q vetera8 Of the Civil War,
- lived with his Wife, Martha Brooks, and
~ his daughters, Maggie Brooks and Mrs.
- Sophie Brown. On the same day and at
pc the same time that William II. Brooks
was killed murderous assault was made
on Mrs Brooks and she was robbed of over
e 81 1000, her lifetime's savings. When dis
covered their bodies were found in small
- back room.
Mrs Brooks was unconscious She was
4 / removed to the Emergency Hospital, where
| after nearly two months treatment she
/ partially recovered She however, never
fully recovered from the terrific blows
| which she received at the hands of her
| husbands slayer. Her memory also has
been greatly impaired. At the time her
| 1 husband is supposed 10 have been killed II
1 ( is believed that Mrs. Brooks was standing
| in the doorway in the front of the house
| when she was struck from behind. She
| had left her husband but a few minutes be-
fore and was about to rejoin him when she