Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1906-10-19
WHY FUNSTON LEFT CUBA
CAPT. JANNEY OF THE CUBAN
INSURGENTS TALKS.
Says He And Latrobe Left That.
Army In Order To Get In
The Fighting.

Inc New York u today puDllSneS an
editorial that contains an indirect attack
on Brigadier General Frederick Funston
and refers slightingly to his action in
leaving the service of the Cuban insur-
gents just prior to the outbreak of the
Spanish-American War. In the editorial
reference is made TO Capt. Stuart 5.
Janney and Capt. Osmun Latrobe. both
of this city, who, like Funston. were
officers in the Cuban Army n came
home to take part in the war against
Spain. After giving its story of the
effort of the Americans to secure their
discharge from the Cuban Army the Sun
says:
But the assumption that these Amer
leans were inspired in their efforts to
escape from Maxine Gomez by patriotic
anxiety to participate in the wal with
Spain is repudiated by Janney and La
trobe. These young gentlemen have been
heard to declare on several occasions
that they knew absolutely nothing of
the war in question until they reached
Tampa and found the noise n stir Of
martial preparation.
This is not true, according to the state
ment of Captain Janney, made to a News
reporter today. Said he:
while we did not know that war had
been declared until we arrived at Key
West, we knew that it was expected,
and that was the reason we came home.
We thought the place for us was in the
United States Army, and as soon as we
got back President Mckinley gave us
commissions. We were in Santiago prov
ince with General Garcia, and we did not
think that the United States forces would
land in that part of the island. We
thought the fighting would be around
Havana, and we thought we would miss
1t If we remained where we were. The
news of the blowing up of the Maine
reached the insurgent camp soon after
1t occurred. and we knew that there was
great excitement in the United States.
New York newspapers were received in
camp. IN they talked of war. OF course,
among the Cubans the hope of war be-
tween the United States and Spain was
very strong, and 1t was all the talk.
Funston was In Cuba when We got
there in 1896. He was an officer of ar
tillery, and. as 1 often slept in the same
tent with him. / was well acquainted
with him. Among the Americans in
camp the desire was to return to the
United States and take part In whatever
was to turn up. We had been in Cuba
two years, and we did not expect to stay
there all our lives. The matter was
talked over, and we rode from the camp
of General Garcia, in the Province of
Santiago, to the seat of government, in
Puerto Principe. in order to ask for
passes to go home. 1t was in the latter
part of February, after We had learned
of the blowing up of the Maine and of
the excitement in the United States.
that we started. 1t was in the rainy
season, and we la to travel about loo
miles on horseback. The trip o about
two weeks. When we got to the seat of
| ~ 49, t1AYt VIC fntaH thnt Funston
then a lieutenant colonel, had arrived a
few lays ahead of us. / am not sure
that l saw him there before he left, but
think I did. Anyway. I never saw him
afterward. His request for a pass had
been refused, and so was ours. Besides
Latrobe and myself, there was in the
party a Mr.. Joyce of Connecticut, who
also wanted to go home.
1--WE returned to the camp of General
Garcia. who then gave us a very strong
letter TO the Government, in which he
stated that he was contemplating no
immediate operations, and that he could
well spare us. We returned with this
letter to the Government. All this took
time in the condition of the roads. so
tina 1t was thelatter part of May hat
we got our discharge n were escorted
out of the country by a commission. We
reached Key West about the middle of
June ana round tnat war iau peen ue-
clared weeks before
The New York Sun says of Funston's
departure from Cuba after being refused
q pass:
Funston presented himself to the
nearest Spanish officer in authority and
was eventually, after much hard work
on the part of Fitzhugh Lee, our Consul
General at Havana, permitted to sail for
Key West.
Mr.. Janney, who is now a member of
the law firm of Ritchie & Janney, en-
tered the Cuban Army as a private and
rose to be a captain. Mr.. Latrobe also
became a captain. Both entered the
United States volunteer services as cap
tains, Captain Latrobe going to Cuba
with the army of occupation as an Off
Ger of the Fourth Volunteer Infantry.
Captain Janney's regiment remained In
the United States. Mr.. Latrobe Is now
"a lieutenant In the regular army, and Is
.,a tiopad in the PHILIPPINES,