Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-05-19
GENERAL FuNsToN's CAREER.

CONSTRUCTED III lHe lllelllue VI lle present
Observation-Disclosures News.
GENERAL FUNsToN'S CAREER.
Col. Frederick Funston of the Goth
Kansas, who has been appointed by
President Mckinley a brigadier general
of volunteers for his deeds of daring in
the Philippines, has had a picturesque
career. He comes as near being the
typical soldier of fortune as our present
civilization will permit. He is only 5
feet 3 inches tall and his top weight is
about 10 pounds. He was born in Ohio
in 1866, but his father, f. II. Funston,
soon moved to Kansas, where he became
a congressman.
Fred Funston entered the Kansas State
tor of the Fort Smith ARK Tribune, a
stanch upholder of the local democracy.
\ few days before the election the editor
in-chief went away, leaving the paper in
Funston's hands. His first act was to
write an editorial attacking the local
democracy. The worthy citizens set
about showing the young editor the
error of his ways by burning down the
Tribune building. Funston gathered his
staff about him and prepared to defend
the place, but the editor-in-chief hastily
returned and saved the property. There
was talk of tarring and feathering him,
hut he dared anyone to lay a hand on
him.
For a time Funston was out of a Job.
Then he became a%conductor on the Santa
Fe line. One day a cowboy full of rum
became rampageous in his car and
lying down OF his back in the aisle began
TO shoot holes IN the ceiling. The little
conductor kicked the revolver out of his
hand, yanked him along the aisle and
threw him off the back platform.
In 1892 he was in Alaska. He went
over ChilkOot Pass in a blizzard, reached
the spot where Dawson City now is. and
started down the Yukon alone in a canoe
which he had built. His canoe was
caught in rapids, split on a rock, and
that would have been the end of Funston
but for a missionary who CHANGED to be
going along with some Indians aud who
saved him. That winter he spent with
Indians hunting and exploring.
Then he wen flibustering to Cuba.
Gomez gave him Il commission, and he
became second in command of artillery
under OsgoOd, the famous Cornell foot
ball half-back. He made a record for
bravery at Guimaro, in October, 1896,
where his chief was killed, and he took
command. AT the head of his artillery
men and with a dynamite bomb in his
hand he charged the Spanish works, in
the assault which terminated. with their
surrender. At Bayamo he became a
cavalry officer temporarily, because there
was more for cavalry than for
artillery to do there, and was shot
three times, but such was his endur-
ance and physique that he was ready for
more fighting in a short time. At Las
Tunas he managed the Cuban dynamite
guns which wrought such havoc among
the Spanish troops, and was again
wounded. At the same time his, horse
was shot and fell upon him, badly iniur-
ing his hips. Wounded as he was he
hobbled to headquarters on learning that
that fifty prisoners, guerrillas who
fought on the Spanish side, were to be
executed, and begged for their lives.
The petition was refused.
Enraged at the %barbarity Of the
Cubans, Funston resigned his commits
sion, having fought in twenty-five bat
ties. With a letter from Gen. Garcia, he
went to the coast and fell in with "A mum.
Der of Spaniards. As it didn't seem
advisable to be found with papers signed
by Garcia upon him, Funston ate the
letter. 1t gave him indigestion, which
added to the malaria and the effects of
his wounds, left him in very bad condi-
ton The Spaniards treated him well
and put him aboard "A ship. For three
weeks he was in a hospital, and when he
came out he weighed but 80 pounds.
Shortly after he recovered his health
the war with Spain broke out and he Of
fered his services. An opportunity was
given him to go on Gen. Miles's staff, but
he chose rather to accept the command
of the Twentieth Kansas, after he had
failed of recognition in his project to
raise a regiment of Rough Riders. 1t
was a great disappointment to him that
his regiment did not get t. Cuba, but his
chance came later when they we're order
ed to the Philippines. On the way there
was a long wait in San Francisco, where
Col. Funston met, wooed and married a
young music teacher, all in two weeks,
and she accompanied him to Manila.
Since the fighting began he and his
Kansans have been prominent In many
battles.
Archie McCarter of Kansas, who de-