Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-18
funston HAS GENUS FOR Being
ATVERYPLACE TROUBLE BREAKS
Reporter, Explorer, Cuban
Sympathizer and Then Off
Ger in United States Army

/ Born of a father who had seen artil-
! lery service in the Civil War, reared
/ on stories OF the struggles Of that con-
/ flict, and brough; face to face through
: his manhood with more adventure
/ than Details the average man, Gen.
Frederick Funston, commanding the
J Southern Department of the army, Is
/ now in his element with the Mexican
| situation to handle.
Gen. Funston was born in New Car
Isle, Ohio, November s, 1866, and is
therefore a little more than SO years
of age. .s #
The world came first to knowledge
of General Funston in 1899, when. IN
the Philippines, he crossed the Rio
Grande river on a raft with six men
under a heavy fire from lnsurrectos,
dis!odgsd the enemy from the other
side of the stream, ana then, leading
squad of 50 men, drove 600 Filipinos
back from a bridge head, giving Gen
eral Macarthur and General Wheaton
a chance to put their troops across.
Funston held the rank OF colonel
from the 10th Kansas Volunteers at
the time, but for this act of bravery
he was promoted to rank Of brlgadier-
general. .<,.-..
Before this time lie had been stu
dent at. the Kansas State UNIVERSITY,
q reporter for two years on Kansas
City newspaper, q member of the bo
tanical expedition that explored
Death Valley for the government, and
later of similar expedition into
Alaska. -
Alone in a canoe he had drifted
down the Yukon, and spent winter
camping in the Kondike; he had
Joined the Cuban rebellion in 1886.
and for his bravery In running the
Cuban blockade had been made lieu
in their army.
Probably one of Funston's greatest
achievements was the capture OF
Aguinaldo in 1861, as he planned, or
ganized and conducted the expedition
against the outlaw. Jaunty and smil.
ing in the face OF danger, he took each
Of hts adventures as lark, and as
one man has said, "he has perfect
genius for being where trouble starts, !
or, whore no trouble is, starting 1t for
himself
Twenty to one were the chances
dBdluSl ultu III tIs6 seAd3cu1tfOii,s DtttruS
succeeded in his characteristic way.
General Macarthur would not belieFe.
for moment that the outlaw chief |
had been captured when Funston re-
ported 10 him.
General Macarthur was just rising /
and came out IN a wrapper to meet
me" SAYS Funston. "He shook hands,
looked ct me In quizzical way, but |
lid not ask a question.
II said, Well, have brought you
Don Emilio. The general could
scarcely believe it, and asked, Where
s he?' replied, Right in the house.
Funston was in command on the
sland Ct Luzon from 1911. and before
he Mexican trouble began year before
asst, was In command in Hawaii At
Vera Cruz in a very complicated situ-
ion he directed the 5000 men under
lim with perfect order.
II is said that one Of his staff off
,ers, soon after Funston's brigade had
elieved Admiral Fietcher's marines
md bluejackets. suggested certain
.hanges in the line of observation out
Iide the city. To this suggestion the
general replied In characteristic
manner:
When this thing breaks am not
roing to do any fighting on my own
licenses. / am going to do all the
Ighting on the Other Fellows defenses.
Veil let these lines stay about as
hey are" L