The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-15
BY A PISTOL SHOT
Will Funk Committed Suicide
at Hutchinson Yesterday
NO CAUSE Is KNOWN
Had Recently Purchased a
Drug Business.


by shooting himself in the forehead with
a 3s-calibre revolver. No cause could be
surmised unless it were sickness, and Mr..
Funk left no message nor gave anyone
any intimation Of what he INTENDED &c do
or why he took the step. He had recent
ly purchased a drug store in Hutchinson
and was doing a good business, unusually
good for new firm. He went TO the
store yesterday morning apparently in
excellent spirits. In filing q prescription
that came IN he found that he didn't
have al the ingredients. He put on his
hat and stepped out Of the store ostensi-
bly, TO get what other drugs ne needed.
He did not return. Instead he went to
his room in the Brunswick hotel, where
he was found about II o'clock lying
across his bed with a bullet hole in his
head and the revolver held tightly in
both hands. He had aimed fatally, and
though not dead when found, he was not
conscious and lived only a few minutes.
The physician who was called said the
young man must have been temporarily
insane. The action was a strange one
10 every one Of Mr.. Funk's friends here
usually large number Of them, but his
purpose was so evident that the coroner,
when he saw the body, said it was use
less to hold an inquest.
Mr.. Funk was only about % years of
age. He was skilled pharmacist, hon
orable in everything in life and popular
wherever he was known. He had a
promising business career before him for
professional success had come 10 him in
an unusual measure in a. place and occu-
patton Of his own choosing He won
friends rapidly and held them firmly by
the charm Of a gracious address and po-
lite, considerate ways, the overflow Of a
kindly heart Everybody who knew him
liked VIII Funk He had been a Wich-
tia boy, popular in Wichita's best social
circles for years before he went to
Hutchinson, in the employ of r. S. Treat,
two years ago. His parents, Mr. and
Mrs ]. w. Funk, live at 236 North Law
renee avenue and his brothers, Claude
and Harry Funk, are in business here.
He was an Elk and his funeral viii
probably be in their charge The body
will arrive here at II o'clock this morn
ing over the Missouri Pacific, accom-
panied by Claude Funk, who went to
Hutchinson yesterday. Funeral arrange
ments viii, be made later
A dispatch from Hutchinson says:
''W. G. Funk, the bright young man
who recently took charge of the Red
Cross Pharmacy took his life this morn
ing at 10 O'Clock by firing a revolver held
close to his forehead. The suicide of
Mr.. Funk is as unaccountable as it is
sad. So far as could be learned by his
intimate friends there was absolutely no
cause for his strange and terrible deed.
About two weeks ago together with Mr..
Ed Poehler of this city, he purchased the
John c. Boyd drug store. Mr.. Funk had
up to this time been working for other
druggists and seemed very happy at be
Ing started in business with prospects so
promising. A few weeks back he had a
bad seige of rheumatism and during this
time had been quite respondent He had
partly recovered from this and appeared
to be exceptionally happy and contented.
AS a business venture the new store was
very promising. He had received a good
trade and the business had every indica-
ton of being money maker. His init
mate friends say he was much pleased
with the two weeks business. Yester-
day was an. exceptionally good day
There were many hundreds Of people here
for the show and the soda fountain trade
at Mr. Funk's place was exceedingly
large. This morning the youn man
arose as usual. came down from his room
at the Brunswick and ate his breakfast
He went to the store and as he was
handling the money taken in the day be-
fore remarked that It had been a great
days business. He said I've got more
money here than I know what to do
with
\ "a little before 10 o'clock he started to
fill prescription and found that he did
not have all Of the ingredients required in
the store. He put on his hat to go to one
OF the other stores. Instead Of doing this
he walked to the hotel and went to his
room. Just about 10 O'Clock pistol shot
was heard on the third floor Of the
Brunswick but no one happened to he
near and it was not located at once. 4
girl who passed near Mr.. Funk's room
heard terrible groans and called the at
tenuon of others 10 il. One Of the girls
ran down stairs after the proprietor and
another who remained in the hail, hear
ing groans as though the occupant OF the
room was in great distress opened the
door and looked in. Mr.. Funk lay upon
his back in the middle OF his bed The
blood was streaming from an awful
wound in his forehead and in his hands
was clutched in n death Strip a 3S-calfore
revolver Mr. Holland. proprietor of the
hotel, and Others, arrived immediately
and Or. kEppel was summoned as quick
~ as possible. a glance showed that the
shot was fatal From appearances he had
thrown himself on the bed upon his
back. The stock Of the revolver was
clutched IN his left hand, the other hand
clutched the weapon just in front OF the
left. The thumb Of his right hand was
On the trigger and had been pushed IN
so tightly that il was hard TO eNt-icste
T. With the revolver held in both hands
he had brought the point OF the barrel
down close to the center % his forehead.
end had discharged the weapon with the
thumb
Coroner Taylor made an Investigation
and decided than an inquest would not %
necessary. The only possible explanation
that his intimate friends could ofer this
morning was temporary derangemert
brought on by sickness.
MIR Funk was n young man about =
years OF age. His parents live ~ Wich-
Sta and are among the most highly re-
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