Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-03
A SKETCH OF FUNSTON.
Life and Characteristics of the Man Who Took
Aguinaldo.

on account of his brilliant feat in the
capture of Aguinaldo and because of
other services no less meritorious,
President Mckinley has seen proper to
appoint General Funston a brigadie:-
general in the regular army. In an
exchange, we find the following inter-
esting sketch of the generals career:
General Frederick Funston, the cap
tor of Aguinaldo, is 35 years old. Born
in Ohio, his father moved to lola, Kan,
and there the future warrior grew up
on a farm.
He graduated from the lola high
school and became teacher of a dis
trict school. Then he gave up this and
became a candidate at the Kansas uni
versity two years, leaving before his
senior year. While at the university
he learned the Spanish language from
fair senorita, with whom, for time,
he was said to be in love.
In the summer of 1889, while still a
student at the university, he went to
Colorado, and after exploring some
places in the Rocky Mountains that
were difficult Of access, he became a
guide to earn money to help pay his
expenses.
Two years after this his father,
while q member of congress, secured
his appointment as a botanist to ac-
company a surveying party sent out by
the United States government to ex-
plore Death valley. He spent seven
months in that desolate region, where
the bones Of emigrants Of other days
were still bleaching in the fierce white
heat of the sun. 1t was accounted a
dangerous thing to do. He not only
did all the government expected of
him, but he won praise by the scope
and thoroughness Of his report.
His going down into Death valley
was sufficient to make his friends and
acquaintances of lola wonder They
knew he was no coward, but his quiet,
retiring manner had concealed from
them his adventurous spirit.
1t was the report written by Freder-
lex Funston Of his exploration Of Death
valley that earned for him an appoint
ment by the democratic secretary Of
agriculture under Cleveland's second
administration in 1893, as commission
er to explore Alaska and report on the
flora of that country.
The second daring adventure Of Fun
ston was that which followed his ap-
pointment to visit Alaska. He pene-
trated the frozen region wherever his
presence was needed in the discharge
OF his commission. On on occasion he
took some Indian guides and travelled
200 miles over snow and ice to the res
cue of ship that was icebound. He
went as far up the Yukon river as any
man has gone since, and he visited the
places where gold has since been found
to excite the whole country.
He camped the winter Of 1S93-'94 in
the Klondike. 1t was in the district
where gold has been found in greatest
quantities since. He heard Of gold in
the vicinity from Indians. but was
busy with the duties Of his office and
paid no heed to the stories further
than to make them a subject Of his
report. He had a companion In the
lonely camp in the person Of an Epis-
copal missionary.
After his return from Alaska, Fun
ston became in turn promoter of cof-
fee plantation scheme in Central
America, lecturer on Alaska and a
clerk in a railway office in New York.
He was also a newspaper reporter in
Kansas City for a time.
Next he became an insurgent in
Cuba, leaving New York in the spring
of 1896 for that exciting work. The
first filibustering expedition was then
being outfitted. The tug Dauntless
was the craft that was to carry arms
and men in the first expedition from
the United States to aid the force Of
General Garcia.
When the Dauntless sailed General
Funston was aboard. After cruising
about for several days, a landing place
was found. Funston soon became a
leader of the Cuban artillery, and
stories of his bravery in that capacity
are still fresh in the public mind.
War between the United and Spain
came on and Funston was offered the
place Of colonel of the Twentieth Kan
sas. He accepted and was sent to the
Philippines.
After his appointment as colonel he
returned to lola in his uniform. He