The times., 1899-12-21
FRANK FUNK GGS7IFIES
The Accused Man Denies the Kill
ing of William Brooks,
The Prisoner Smiles and Gives Inn
pertinent Answers During His EN-
uminntion-AIHISes CaUstic Remarks
About observation-disclosures Taking
the Money From sophie Brown.

With a smile upon his face Frank ".
Funk, who is on trial for his life for the
murder Of William II. Brooks yesterday
took the stand to testify in his own behalf.
The sea Of faces which he saw had no ef-
feet upon him him. Not alone by the
smile which wrcathed his countenance did
he show his utter indifference to the Sc
robustness of his position, but also in his
replies 10 questions asked. To many OF
these his answers were glib and pert and
even impeTtinent He rallied at District
Attorney Anderson al times and spoke Of
newspaper reporters and detectives as in
fernal things"
He spoke very disparagingly of the po-
lice, stating that they would say anything
to further their own ends, and when asked
by his attorney if he believed the detectives
would make untrue statements in their own
interest he glibly answered That 5 no lie"
Again, when asked if he had not lived a
very fast life for a short time after the
murder of Brooks he said with smile,
You bet l did-a little too fast"
Funk, on the whole, as a witness, did not
make a good impression. All who had
noticed the great nerve which he has eX-
hibited during the nine days since the
commencement of his trial expected that
he would at least retain his composure. He
did not. He became what is described as
ratified" He was inclined to argue mat
ters with the District Attorney and at
times shouted his replies TO questions.
Admits He Is n BIgamist.
When questioned as to his marriage with
Jennie Beederbeck, Of Philadelphia. the
defendant admitted that he was a bigamist.
and in reply to an enquiry as TO why he
left her he said I'D rather she'd answer
that" Funks testimony was practically
the same in substance as the interview he
gave out and which was published the day
after his return TO Washington from Co
lumbia, No. He stCuuy maintained that
he was in the Brooks house about 80
o'clock on the afternoon that Brooks was
murdered, and that while there he saw
} Sophie Brown and a coIored man in the
/ back room Of the house The story he told
on his direct examination he insisted was
] true, and a long and searching cross-ex-
animation by District Attorney Anderson
failed TO mark any contradictions. He con-
tended that the man seen in the room with
Sophie Brown was the bTicklayer's helper
who had been at work about the house
on the day before the murder was COM
the bricklayer's helper who was al the
/ Brooks house on the day prior to the muir
der, the defendant failed to identify him as
the man whom he alleged he saw with
Sophie Brown
The only ether witness whose testimony
attracted any attention was John W. Drew
| a reporter who stated at the time Of the
Brooks murder he was doing some special
work for a local newspaper. He stated
f-1.- 40 H. s..g,N
Brooks was murdered. he arrived at the
scene about 6:15 o'clock, and at that time
the body of Mrs. Brooks, who had been
assaulted and Robbed, had already been re-
moved from the house. and that the
Brooks girls had returned home. All the
other testimony on this point is TO the effect
that il was much later than this time when
the commission Of the crimes was report
ed to the police and IL was even sulI later
when the body of Mrs Brooks was removed
to the Emergency Hospital.
The Prisoners Statement.
The defendant. Funk, was called to the
witness stand at Il o'clock and. with the
exception of the noon recess and five
minute rest granted by Justice Cole ne
was under examination until 4:5O p. m.
After answering a few preliminary ques-
tons ne told the following story Of his
movements on June 23d, the day on which
Brooks was murdered at his home, at
/ 914 Twenty-secoud Street northwest. Dur
Ing that day he said he went TO the Brooks
. house four times-the first was at a. m.
the second between 10 a. m. and II a., m.
the next about 80 p. m, and the last
/ some time between Is and 5.3O p. IN.
/ During his visit at 1:3O O'Clock he stated
that he made arrangements to meet Sophie
Brown in the l Street Park at the corner
Of Pennsylvania Avenue and TWeuty-frst
Street. He took his supper at Mrs. Buck
leys about ; O'Clock and Immediately after
went to the Brooks house
He entered the house without knocking
and when he got as far as the door be
tween the parlor and the summer kitchen
ne declares he saw Sophie Brown standing
near the sideboard and near her was
, cOlored man sitting on a chair Mrs. Brown
he said. seemed calm and the coloTed mar
was quiet. II was a surprise 10 him, the
defendant said, that Sophie Brown should
greet him coldly, and he turned 10 wall
out of the house When he got as fan
as the front door. however. he stated thai
Sophie came after him and said, Go up Il
the park and | will meet you In abou
. ten minutes" While he stood in the Brook
house two or three minutes in all, Funl
. stated that he thought he heard some on,
moaning. The sound he said, seemed t
come from the second story back room
) He thought it was old man Brooks ant
while he heard the sound he also hear
footsteps upstairs.
5 After leaving the Brooks home the de
, ! fendant said that he went immedi
+ ately to Washington Circle Park II
! was there but short while when Sophi
Brown Joined him. Her first words were t
the effect that the officers were lookin
, for the defendant as a deseTter, and sh
q advised him 10 leave town at once Mrs
! Brown took a roll of bills from her pocket
. and. handing him two $50 bills, told hill
to go.
As she was unrOlling the bills from th
q, others the witness said Sophie Brow
? seemed TO have trouble 10 get them sepa
= rated and he stretched out his hand wit
= the intention of helping her. When h
touched the roll of bills he said the tempta
tion to keep them was too great for him
q resist and he took the bills, saying 10 Mr.!
- Brown, Where did you get this money ?
and told her that he knew IT was not her
and that he intended to keep il few day
to find out where she got it. Mrs. Brown
the witness stated. became frantic and saiC
y "Oh. my God give me the money" Fun
e then stated that he continued his talk wit
e Sophie Brown for some minutes and whe
|. he saw a Capital Traction car come alOn
: going east he boarded 1t and went dow
+ town.
story of the Flight.
Funk then told of his buying a suit c
clothes in Pennsylvania Avenue. betwee
Ninth and Tenth Streets, and putting
on at the Keystone Hotel, where he lei
his old clothes. His story OF his flight frol
Washington on the night Of the murde
was practically the same as that told b
the detectives and newspaper repOrters II