The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-04-02
unique
CAREER
OfCeneraI Fred Funston
Of Kansas.
JACK Of ALL TRADES
Brief Story Of His Many Re-
markable Exploits--his Ex-
perience as q Re-
nnpfar


porter.
Brigadier General Frederick Fun
ston, the captor of Aguinaldo, has been
a newspaper reporter, a railroad con-
ductor, an explorer in Alaska, a fighter
in the Cuban revolution and later, in
the Spanish-American and Philippine
wars.
He fought bravely under Gomez In
Cuba, but withdrew from the service
because he could not bear to witness
the cold-blooded murder of prisoners.
He is an Ohio man by birth, and a born
adventurer, of the higher type-cool,
quiet and daring.
The personality of the ex-colonel of
the famous Fighting Goth. Kansas,
known in the Philippines as "Funston's $
Fighters" is very odd, and when one
sees him first it is hard to realize that
he is real hero. He is only five feet
two, and his great head looks to big
for his slender body. Even his men
laughed at him when he was made their
colonel. They considered him joke.
But Funston hadn't been with them
ten days before they fairly idolized
him. He is an ideal soldier, never
happy unless in SCRAP" and always
ready to stand whatever hardships his
men are called on to endure.
Funston graduated from the Kansas
university and decided to be news
paper man. He got job on the Kan
sas City Journal, because his father was
congressman. He held it nine months
for the same reason, and no other.
Frank Hills, then city editor, endured
h i'm, an xryhn
ton missed big story because he was
reading "A Soldier of Fortune" fired
him.
go back to Kansas, go to the Klon-
dixie, go to h, If you want to-" said
Hills,' '"but don't think you will ever
bo newspaper man."
Funston smiled and went to the
Klondike, where he rendered the United
States government valuable services
on the geological survey. When he
got back he wanted to go into the
newspaper business dgain, but not a
city editor in Kansas would have him.
Just about this time, the Cubans got
into rebellion and Funston disappeared.
Several months later the public heard
now and then of Major Funston" an
American, in command of the Cuban
artillery The artillery, it developed
later. consisted of gatling gun and an
old smooth bore.
Once Funston was surrounded in a
Cuban house by Spaniards. He and
small body of men held off the at
tacling party and, during lull. Funs-
ton played the piano to revive his fol-
lowers spirits. They all escaped that
night.
When Uncle Sam got into the Cuban
game, Funston came home with bull
let hole through the thigh, and Gov
ernor Leedy gave him command of the
Kansas regiment-the 21st. But the
tactical board wanted him, and he went
to Washington, where his knowledg'
of Cuba stood the board in good stead.
When the Filipino muss resulted,
Leedy put him in command of the Goth
Kansas, then at Frisco.
It was here that Funston met the
present Mrs. Funston, and she tells
funny story of her first impression of
tho general.
II was in a carriage with some
friends at the Presidio one evening
when the Goth Kansas was given dress
parade. The colonel was mounted and
he seemed very imposing man. a
friend of mine called him over. AS he
dismounted / nearly laughed outright
for he seemed such funny little man
in such great big pair of boots"
But Funston fell in love with the
blue-eyed San Francisco belle and in
three weeks she was his wife. The
next week he sailed, colonel.
Funston realized the value of adver-
tising, for he had with him constantly
John M. Steele, correspondent of the
Kansas City Star. II was thus his IA
nous feats, such as his swimming the
the Bag Bag, etc, saw publicity. When
Steele tried to cable the swimming feat
Otis drew his pencil through Funston s
name, with the curt remark:
IF there are any heroes to be mad.
in this war. / propose to make them
myself"
But he relented afterward, and the
story was. sent out. It was only little
while later that Funston was sent to
take an interior town. After the Or
ders were given, Otis recalled them
''Too late, general" said General Law
ton, Funston was sent on that ex-
pedition and he's had three hours start
You won't hear from him until he re-
ports the capture of the town"
And they didn't. This was his
method and 1t won him the single stal
of q brigadicr general. His latest may
make his commission read regular
army" instead of the u. s. ""