The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-27
FUNSTON ABOUT CUBA.
Writes in scribner's of F'iIibuster Trip
to the Island.

General Frederick Funston ..,oo
Leavenworth, Kan. has wrlLL ,la On
Cuba As a Filibuster." an artlcls
pearing in the September ScrlDneis
Is in part as follows: r,,tv
happened to be in New VOTE ,r T,,S
In 1895. and one evening IN the sP..
~ eeriv s,,rnner was strolling past
Madison Square Garden, ana lt ny Gu
by curiosity dropped in to see 'ne
ban fair then in progress. .,+ c,u-
This fair. promoted by resident ~
bans and American sympatnl 1..e was
held ostensibly for the purpos
raising funds for the purchase " frces
nifaI suDnIies for the insurgent loISe
in the field. but a subsequent az ~ +Ie
lance with what was being oon ',snicion
distracted island justifles unended
that more of the money was exPeiiIsS 80
for dynamite and carCAUs
Quinine and bandages. =. The fair
THE nrincipal attraction at the .i Lann
on +I,a occasion of my visit was re z
and eloquent speech by Gen. oF the
SiclxIes, we'll known to pc o GLons in
most valued frlenos "a '
their struggle. obtained
q letter of introduction TO Gen 1,e o.
SicIxles. and the next day call eu "a
one-legged old veteran at ms 80 otot
and not only had a most pleasanII lie
h II
- Mr. Palma in which the gehela a.
sta+ad that. though he did not KNOW
80 personally. he felt 1ustiIleo ~
vouching for me on the strehsr ..,os
the letter I had brought MIL ss.n of
admitted without delay to the S ollIue ~, ID
the kindly old Datrlot VIZ Of free
became the first president u
csuba. question as to my knowletuT ,st
~ Snanish brought out the lact TIC
7 had a fair reading but not SP
ing acquaintance with tnat ian Ter
MT Palma then stated thaI IL 49,
as much as possible 10 aTUIG i+ed Stotes
the neutrality laws OF the On!teu oI
tbe Cnbans could not receive aPpLl-
caD+s into their service in this country,
hl1t that I could be sent down On W
of the first expeditions, anu -. Lls 80
after NV arrival, offer my services IT
whatever insurgent cnleI IN enc nit
desired. My urbane but non-codIl, a.as
tai friend of the day before, MI. Adya
,,-as now sent for and I was turheu
Mr. Zayas told me that the Cuoans
were having Indifferent success WI" IL
their artillery in the nelo IA &c L,,orv
cause their people did not seem TO hILoM T
how to handle the guns, ana sussestI0
that If I were to acquire some t huo"i ~
edra on that subject before sanlns II
might add to my welcome. rms ssL l. ~ N
mo fayorably, as my father hao oeen "t
~
rad been brought up on stories oI HeIS
struggles in which the old prass Va
nole0ps Of that day had done thelr
mart NV own artillery experience con-
sisted in once having seen a salule nre 90
TO President Hayes at country .silt ~
Kansas. The result of Mr.. Zayas Sus
pestion was that took note from nm u
to the arms dealers from Wnom lily
Cuhans purchased their implements OIL
war, and had explained to me by one
of their experts the mysteries OIL the
Hotchkiss 12-poEnder breech ioduils
rifle, and was allowed TO 1onuIe lnd.
ugly looking instrument or deatn 10 my
hearts content and take II dpdlt an ~.
inf II together again. book Oh IN.
strl1ctions as to it's use and lot Oh
Formidable tables of velocities at varl-
Gus rarges, etc, all out coinnltteu W
memory. Ny keen interest in this new
subject so pleased Mr.. Zayas that ne
suggested that I impart some OF my
valuable lore to some of his country
men in New York, who were presuma-
bly, waitir~ in feverieN anxiety TOT the
sailing of the next expedition.
on the afternoon Of August l6 we
were told that we were approaching
the northeast coast of Cuba. The vino
and sea moderated somewhat and the
worn and harassed flibusters began 20
come to life. All realized that this was
The most critical pariod in our voyage,
as the coast was patrolled by gunboats
and armed launches, and capture meant
death swift and inevitable. we hao
among ourselves talked over such
possibility. and 1t was pretty Wen un-
cerstood that if worst came to worst
we were to take Kipling's advice:
Just roll to your rifle and blow out
your brains
And go to your God like a soldier.