Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-22
NEARING THE END
District ATTORNEY Closing the Argu-
ment in Funk Trial.
The ROOM CROWDED With SPECTATORS
Close Attention Paid to the Re-
marks of Counsel.
VERDICT EXPECTED TODAY

United States Attorney Anderson at 3
clock Inns afternoon was nearing the end
IF the concluding argument to the jury IL
the cas- of Frank w. Funk. After he has
t'ken HI seat Justice Cole will deliver his
eh''rEe, and the twelve men will then retire
/" decide the fate of the defendant,
Th='c"uTt room was Gensely packed with
spectators throughout the day the closest
attention being paid to the remarks of
counsel Funk remained cool and COM
posed even when under bitter arraignment
- tne part OF the prosecuting attorneys
not showing 4 change Of color or esrres-
sion
y verdict may be returned this evening
For the Defense
ANt"rHey Baker asserted TO the jury that
ne government has been conducting more
Of a persecution than a prosecution, in that
iA-E failed 10 follow w any clues in con-
Lection with Tie case other than those that
tended u" prove Funk guilty Counsel also
declared that the government had not been
iaIr III the trial of The case Mr. Baker,
Without IHlu'ing words, charged that As
s'stIIt Hlted States Attorney Tavlor mad
made L" the jury statements as false as
were ever uttered
/ Ne witness Degges. who testified that he
s,tW FlIuk IL company with a woman the
ID I'll june. lSlfs. in Washington circle
argued Mr.. Baker. had not been contra
ti' TED He then attempted to show that it
N'IuQ Rave been impossible for Funk to
IaVe committed the crime unaidtd IL had
Hn' been proved. according to Mr.. Baker
That Funk at any time had more than
Sl'tsO In his possession Mrs Brooks testf-
tied that the money stolen from her
amounted TO $2.OI0 1t was significant said
MI Baker. that Sf.as0 is exactly two-thirds
OF $2.OIu We
Il do not believe said Mr.. Baker. in the
course If mis- argument. that there is a
juror in th= box who does not believe. when
Nj Parker left the stand. that MIR. Parker
sold Funk 81 suit Of clothes about 6.1p
" clock the evening of the sd of June
l>is- Vt 1t was ltter shown conclusiyely
hy another witut - for the government
WAT the clothes We're not sold by MIR
iAiker- / nat Is the class of testimony az
basis on which the government asks Won
20 convict this defendant"
Mr. Baker closed with an appeal 10 the
.Niy I" carefully consider the case and to
make rp mistake.
Il being l2:lU o'clock. a recess vas taken
antlI ] ".rlock, AT which time United States
Attorney Anderson began the closing ad-
HyvSS 50. the case He seemed to direct his
Efforts largely toward arpusine the s,-u
T-tthteS o. the jurors
United States Attorney Anderson made a
c"nllHet" and earnest recital of the case
t:urn the standpoint of the prosecution H.
lid not spare Funk. but faced and pointed
IN the direction OF the latter when he deN
~IeJ 70 emphasize his utterances
ne Arguments of Counsel
In his address to the Jury late yesterday
afternoon Assistant United States Attorney
Taylor declared that there could not Dassi
bly, oe stronger testimony than the circun-
stantial evidence against Funk Drod1tced
D. IAe government. and, ne argued the
defendant was either guilty. or fnrocen+
The government considered thar his p,,iir
had been proved, and therefore the pxtTenn.,
lrHa!ty ought 70 be imposed. Mr.. TAYLOR
defended the character of Sophie Brown.
and in brief, said there was no nossihIa
-s''tpe for Funk The assistant United
states attorney spoke for two hours. He
was followed by Attorney Alexander WlIf
who opened for the defense
Mr.. NOIf referred to the ontradtctor,,
testimony of certain witnesses for the gov
eminent Honest witnesses, ne declared
make no mistakes. The alleged unrelie.
GiHty OF clrcumstantial evidence was also
discussed at Sorae length The attorney
impressed on the jury that Funk was nor
OF trial Tor bigamy nor for desertion from
me army. but for murder. and for murder
only Inc government, Mr.. Wolf continued
had failed in its attempt to prove the de-
Il ndant guilty Of murder. Counsel for the
defense had never attempted to show thar
tunk was a saint, said Mr.. Wolf He had
frankly admitted everything he knew of
the case. The failure of the government
70 produce certain articles referred to dur
ing the trial was also made the subject of
Comment The theory OF the defense re-
n
garments was made plain to the Jury
POINTED reference was made to SophIe
brown. Mr. Wolf declaring that had it
been his duty he could easily have woven
about her network Of circumstantiaI evf-
cence decidedly stronger than that which
the government had placed about Funk
Her attitude from first TO last. the attor-
rsy commended. had been one of conceal
ment- Attorney Wolf discussed the rea-
Sons for Funks flight and for his using as
stunned names. No one he said. had been
produced who saw Funk Kill William H
Brooks.
Fails to Prove Guilt.
The government had merely pointed out
certain circumstances. and those circurn-
stances in the opinion Of the defense had
failed 10 show that Funk was the guilty
party.
Next all the evidence was carefully con-
sidered and analysed. showing the uurelia-
b;iity of circumstansial evidence after which
Attorney Wolf quoted the very circum-