The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-25
Funston 5 FRAT PIN
Its Strange Finding in the
City of Washington
AFTER HAVING BEEN LOST
In an Alaskan River kMany
Years Ago.
AT TER HAVING BEEN LOST

Washington, March 24.-Here is a very
Interesting story of Kansas General Fun
ston, told by a local paper: Captain
Charles w. Filler, of the pension office
has been the means of returning to Gen
Sral Fred Funston, the gallant Kansan
of river-swimming fame, a lost fraternity
pin under conditions as peculiar as they
are mysterious. The pin is the emblem
of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and
was lost years ago by the capsizing of
Boat while General Funston was in
Alaska on a government mission The
pin wa attached TO a vest, and the vest
was in a knapsack. When the boat up
set Funston and his Esquimo companion
saved themselves but all their belong
!. sngs We're supposed to be at the bottom
= the river. One day last summer work
-hen were tearing up the floor Of the old
fee rink in Convention hall, and a negro
found a peculiar badge with the name
Frederick Funston engraved upon its
back. Captain Filler heard Of the incident
on the very day that the story of Fun
stems swimming episode was given to the
world The identity Of the names struck
him as peculiar, and it occurred to him
that the pin might belong to the Kansas
fighter. When he heard that Funston
was returning to the states, he wrote a
letter that met the general at San
Francisco. In this letter was a pencil
sketch OF the pin and the story of how
1T was found. Captain Filler received no
answer to his letter, and had about for
gotten the circumstance, until a few days
ago when a letter reached him that
bore date of last October. 1t had been
returned through the dead letter Office,
and Mrs. Funston had made inquiry as
to who Captain Filler was and redirected
it. The letter was from General Fun
st0n and was as follows: THE badge of
which you speak in your recent letter
was lost by me in Alaska several years
ago. Il is certainly very much of a mys-
terry how it ever reached Washington. 1
recognize it from the description YOU
have given me. 1t is the badge Of a col
lege fraternity to which l belong
would be under the greatest obligation to
you if you would get hold of it and send
1t TO ME; even if it is necessary to pay
something to the man who cow has it.
although he is in no way entitled to it,
and has no right to wear the badge of a
society Of which he is not member
Captain Filler hunted up the negro who
had found the pin, and secured possession
Of it by paying him 50. 1t is now on its
way to General Funston. How it found
its way from an Alaskan river to a
Washington skating rink is a mystery
, that may never be solved
Speaking Of the Sheldon edition. of the
Topeka Capital. Senator Harris of Kan
sas is quoted as follows in a recent issue
Of a Washington paper: MY judgment
IS that the Capital as a newspaper was
stale fiat and unbeatable. No one ever
made a success by going to extremes
No doubt more care might be exercised
10y some newspapers regarding the mat
ter they print, but when it comes to
leaving out the timetables of the rail-
roads because Mir. Sheldon believed the
roads ought to be owned by the govern
ment il is going a step too far. I be-
lieye in government ownership o: the
railroads but certainly I would be look
ed cp0n as very foolish if I should pro-
pose law to prevent railroad guides !
from being published. would not re-
ga~5 # a crime, either TO publish ad- |
Nemisements Of ladies' goods Indeed. I |
think there was a good deal of the SEN |
satonal in Mr.. Sheldon's effort, and that |
the controversies which have been occa-
stoned Will do the cause of religion more !
harm than good
Delsgate Flynn, as a member of the |
committee Of Indian affairs, attended the /
commencement exercises at Carlisle In
dian school last week. Miss Flynn and !
Miss Strarg accompanied him
Among the recent pension allowances
are the following: William II. Brooks.
Fort Dodge; Anapies J. Ramey. Wichita;
Hugh ". Hendricks, Mayfeld; Jennie L.
Wagner, Syracuse.
The senate has passed the bill enlarg-
ing the power Of the Choctaw. Oklahoma
and Gulf railroad r. II. FAXON.
NEW CARNEGIE-FRICK COMBINE
Some Details of Organ zation and
: Plans for Operation.
Pitts5urg. Pa. March 23.-Au the par