The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-03
GENERAL FUNSTON
WELCOMED HOME
He and His Fighting Twentieth
Royalty Received.
BUSINESS WAS SUSPENDED
Whistles Shrieked, Cannon Doomed, the
Bands Played and People Cheered
Little Kansan Received Lii
on's Share ofAttention
BUSINESS WAS SUSPENDED

Topeka, Kan, November 2-Returning
warriors never received a more royal well
come home than that accorded today to the
soldiers of Kansas famous fighting TWEEN
tieth on its arrival from San Francisco to-
day. General Frederick Funston came in
for the lions share of attention shown to
the officers, and the little hero of Manila"
was literally taken off his feet by his adj
mirers in their eagerness to display their
regard for him.
At every station in Kansas, after the
Colorado line was crossed early this morn
ing, cheering crowds met the soldiers and
greeted them in unstinted fashion. The
schools and the colleges along the line were
closed. Business was practically suspended
and the people f1ocked to the trains by
thousands.
Snow in the mountains had delayed the
trains and it was 1866 this noon before the
first section reached Topeka The other
sections followed closely, the last squad Of
soldiers being landed shortly before 4
O'Clock. So many thousands of people were
on Inc platform and the railroad tracks
that the train had to fairly crawl into the
depot. Whistles Shrieked, cannon doomed,
dozens of bands played and 1.-THE cheers were
deafening From every car window leaned
soldiers waving their hats and yelling
ard whooping shrill hurrahs They leaped
from the car steps before the train stopped
and fell into the arms of friends, who
grasped and Rugged them and passed them
on ITO eager relatives and sweethearts Fa-
theirs and mothers pushed through the
crowd in frantic endeavor to find their
boy" and many affecting scenes were Wit
messed.
General and Mrs. Funston were in the
rear Pullman of the first section. When
the train came to a stop there was rush
to get to them, and it took half a dozen
strong men to keep the people off the car
platform A woman spied Mrs. Funston at
a window and pushed her baby up to be
kissed by the generals wife. Mrs Funston
complied promptly, and Immediately dozens
of mothers reached forward their babies
to be kissed.
General Funston was hardly off the car
before he was half dragged. half carried up
stairs into the dining ROOM Solid blocks OF
people filled every street leading to the de-
pot and the city was taxed to its utmost
to care for its guests. 1t seemed as II the
whole state of Kansas had come to town,
and 1t is estima ted that fully $4,000 out
siders were here. Tons of bunting had been
used in decora ting the buildings, and cleo
trcal and other decorations were used
with a lavish hand. The weather was glo-
riouS.
With the exasperating and unavoidable
l. delay in the arrival of trains bringing the
soldiers it was after 4 o'clock when the
parade to the city began. guard of hon
or for the boys of the Twentieth was the
civil war veterans, members of the nation
al guard and many civic organizations
There were thirty-two bands in the pa
rade, the performers numbering nearly 1000
musicians. The entire parade linked over
two miles, and was mass of cheering hui
manity General Funston, with his wife,
rode in the carriage of honor, while Colo
mel Metcalfe, on a white charger and
Lieutenant-Colonel Little, on a prancing
black, took their appointed stations at the
head of the regiment. ALI received ova-
lions at every point of the line.
At the state house Chef Justice Doster,
in brief speech, introduced General Hud-
son, who on behalf of the people of Kan
sas presented the beautiful $1,000 sword to
General Funston.
In a short speech of acceptance, General
Funston said he predicted that in one year $
time tlhe island of Luzon would be quiet
as Massachusetts.
II return to Manila" said he, land unless
I get sick disabled, l will not return
until the war is over
Later In the evening an elaborate BAN
quet served in the new state library
rooms to the soldiers and officers of the
Twentieth.