The evening times., 1899-10-26
UNDER A SURGEONS KNIFE
An Operation on Frank w. Funk,
the Alleged Murderer.
Takea From the Jail 10 the Emer-
Eency Hospital and Placed Under
an ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS From His
Suffering The Patient Getting
Along Well and VIII Recover.

Frank William Funk, who is accused OF
the murder OF Wm. H. Brooks and of an
attempt TO kill Mrs Brooks, at their home
in Twenty-second Street. on June "a, 1898.
is a patient at the Emergency Hospital.
and will probably remain there until to-
morrow morning. There is a possibility,
however. that If the condition of the man
will permit he will be returned to the Dis
trict Jail this evening. Funk was received
at the hospital at IL o'clock this morning
and one hour later underwent a delicate
operation under the influence of an anaes-
thetic. The operation was successful, and
the present Indications are that Funk will
speedily recover from the effects of ii.
The operation was performed by DR.. w.
p. Carr, assisted by Drs. Sterling Ruftin
and w. n. Fischer and Drs. Whitson, Will
liams and Smith, OF the hospital staff.
IL was witnessed by DIR. ID. X. Shute and
other physicians who were interested in
the case. Though the operation was Of a
delicate nature. it cannot properly be call
ed serious. 1t was for the purpose of re-
lieving the man from long endured suffer
ing and will il is expected. result in
bettering Of his physical condition.
The operation had been contemplated for
some time and would have been performed
at an earlier date had the Jail afforded
the necessary facilities. Because of the
aggravated form of Funk's ailment and his
consequent i'll health, il was finally decided
TO take the man 10 a hospital and remove
the cause OF the suffering. After a con-
suItation between Warden Harris of the
jail, the Jail physician. and DR.. w. p. Carr,
OF the Emergency Hospital il was decided
10 perform the operation at the latter in
stituuon.
Accordingly, date was selected, and the
arrangements made. Early this morning
word was received at the hospital that
Funk's condition would permit of the oper-
alton contemplated, and that the men would
arrive at the institution at about II
O'Clock Warden Harris then took Funk
from the jail and seating the man by his
side in his private carriage, made the start
for the hospital. DR.. Shute, who has beer.
much interested in Funk's case. occupied
a seat in the carriage. There was no other
occupant Of the vehicle, except the driver,
who was mounted on the box. The trip to
The hospital was made without incident. and
even after Funk had entered the institu-
tion the fact was still almost an absolute
secret.
Those persons who were about the hospi-
tai saw. the man brought in. but did not
know him, and there was nothing about
the appearance of the carriage from the jail
10 indicate from where il came. Warden
Harris in answer to a question as 10 Funk's
behavior, replied the man was very tracta-
be, and then added. smilingly: Il never
take any chances"
After entering the hospital. Funk was
taken upstairs TO a ward, where he was
carefully examined by DR.. Carr and the
other physicians, with the result that an
operation was decided TO be the only ap-
parent cure. Funk was allowed to rest for
an hour while preparations were being COM
pleted in the operating room. He was then
placed on the stretcher carriage. and taken
10 the operating room. While en- route
Funk raised himself on his elbow, and
greeted Times reporter.
The same cold blooded stoicism evinced
by the man as regards his alleged crime
when he was brought TO this city from
Columbia. Mo-, by Detective Weldon.
was apparent this morning. The indiffer-
ence this morning, however, was to the
operation the man was about to undergo.
There was apparently no concern on his
part. He smiled and talked freely and
even ioked about IL, saying to the reporter,
You don't want this story, do you? 1t
is not worth thirteen cents" In answer
TO a question as TO his health, Funk re-
piled, Il feel fine
Funk was on the operating table for
nearly forty minutes, and when he came
out from under the influence of the an
esthetic was apparently in excellent con-
dition and vigorous. The man is possess
ed of wonderful vitality, and with the
nursing which he viii now receive will be
q greatly improved man in health when
he appears for trial in the Criminal Court
next month.