The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-12
TRAGEDY AND JOY
BADLY MIXED
Meets Missing Daughter and
Then Tries to Com
init Suicide.

Philadelphia. Aug 12-nn the
beach al Townsend's Inlet, Sea Isle
city, Swear old girl was caught up
in the arms of a man. who kissed and
carossed her and called her his Little
Dot He told a frightened young
woman who accompanied her that the
child was his daughter, that he had
NOT seen her since she disappeared
before last Christmas and that her
mother had since died. Then after
kissing the child again, he walked
away on tha bridge spanning the in
let he paused y moment later.
mounting the rail, he plunged into the
water.
He fought the life guards with the
FRENZY Of a mad man. hui 1hey finally
got hi mashore The man. who gave
his name rs Fritz Funk of poyiest"Wn.
is now being watched closely To pre-
Vent another attempt At suicide.
The dramatic meeting of father and
child and the latter'S attempt ~ kill
himself adds an illuminating chapter
TO the history of the lirtla Waif picked
mp by the police of Camden Just be
fore Christmas Until now nothing had
>eed known of the little girl 5 past,
although the police cf three states
spent months in trying to tind her par
ents
Was tffectinnatc Child.
When the little girl, apparently
abandoned. was found by q policeman
in Camden. she told him her name
was Dot hut could throw n" furth-
er light on her identify. The child was
taken tn headquarters. and 50 attach
ed did the policemen hecama To her
that they kept her there in charge Of
the matron for three months. The
search for har parents was unsuccasS-
ful She was adopted hN a resident of
M"rcla anfNllla
In company with her foster fathers
dauehter. tn" girl was wnlkinc on tn"
beach at Sea Isle CITY this afternoon.
When near ToWnsends inlet a man.
unknown tn either of them. approach-
ed, He stopped down ana srasped
the baby in his arms III" other girl.
believing he meant To harm The child,
rushed toward him. The man quick
ly reassured her
Tot Recognizes Father.
Dot. my Dot. don, Nou know me.
don't YOU know father? ." h. asked the
child
l.ish, of recognition f,el>aretl in the
little girl s eyes and she threw her
arms around his neck
The older girl was still uncopvinced
Il mean no harm" said the man
If this child has seven marks on her
body she is my daughter
The older girl admitted that the
child had the marks he described
Dear little Dot. its been SO long
since I've Seen YOU. said the man.
But l see YOU are being Well treated
and l will not take YOU away.
Then turning 10 the older girl. he
said:
MY little daughter disappeared aft
err my wife and l separated last De
cember l had been unable TO trace
her. You have been good to her l
know and l will not destroy your hap
piness by reclaimine her
Tears glistened in his eyes. and in a
low tone he confded that since ne and
his wife separated. his wife had died.
Fathers Farewell
Kiss YOUR father eoodhy. Dot he
said, as he again clasped the child in
his arms. Their lips met and the
father placed the child back on the
sand.
Without a backward look. he walk
ed straight TO the bridge and While
his child and the girl. she now calls
sister. looked on in horror. jumped in
to the waters of the inlet.
After he had been calmed by the
lifeguards. who rescued him. the man
gave his name as Fritz Funk. and said
his home is in poylestown. His busi-
ness. he said. is that of travelling sales
man. Beyond saying that he separat-
ed from his wife, and that she has
since died. he refused TO make any
statement. The police of Camden
have not divulged the name of the
Merchantville man who adopted the
child After the dramatic incidents
on the beach the older girl hurried
away with the child without revealing
her identify