The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-11-12
FRED FUNSTON
FIFTY YEARS
!. Of AGE
Brief Sketch of a Most Unique
Figure in the United
States Army. !.

Major General Frederick Funston.
the commander of the American army
stretched along the Mexican border.
and upon whom Uncle Sam relies to
see that General Villa is given a good
spanking in case he attempts to carry
out his threats to invade this country
with his army, celebrated his fiftieth
birthday TUESDAY, having first seen the
light OF day in the town of Carlisle.
o., November 8, 1866.
General Funston has had a life full
OF stirring incidents. He is perhaps
best remembered for having swan a
river, pistol in hand, with a few Of his
men, turning the tide Of conflict in
the taking of the first Filipino capital,
and for his capture of Aguinaldo, the
leader of the Filipino rebellion.
Kansas Claims Him.
Although a native OF Ohio, General
Funston is rightfully claimed as a
Kansas product. When two years old
his parents moved to Kansas. and he
grew up on a farm in that, state. He
graduated from the lola high school
and became teacher Of a district
school. Then he gave this up and be-
came student at the University Of
Kansas two years, leaving before his
senior year. While at the university
he learned the Spanish language from
a senorits, with whom, for time, ne
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
expense.
Two years after this, his father,
while member Of Congress, obtained
ais appointment as botanist to ac-
company a surveying party sent out
by the government to explore 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 danger
GUS thing to do. He not only did all
the government expected OF him. but
he won praise by the scope and thor
'oughness Of his report.
Second Daring Adventure.
The the second daring adventure Of
Funston was that which followed his
appointment to visit Alaska. He PEN
etrated the frozen regions wherever
his presence was needed in the dis
charge OF his commission. On one
occasion he took some Indian guides
and travelled 200 miles over the snow
and Ice to the rescue 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.
After his return from Alaska, Funs-
ton became in turn promoter OF a cof-
fee plantation scheme in Central
America, lecturer on Alaska and clerk
In railroad ONCE in New York. He
was also q newspaper reporter In Kan.
sas City for q time.
4 Next he became an insurgent In
Cuba, leaving New York In the spring
Of 1896 for that exciting work. The
tug Dauntless was selected to carry
arms and men In flibustering ex-
petition from the United States to aid
the force Of General Garcia. War be-,
tween the United States and Spain
came on and Funstoi was offered the
post Of colonel OF the Twentieth Kan
sas volunteers. He accepted.
The Twentieth Kansas was formed
Of companies from different towns in
the southeastern part Of the state. and
while It was being gotten together.
Colonel Funston was ordered by Gem
eral Miles to report to him at Tampa,
where he gave General Miles the benz
eft Of his experience and information