El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-20
Gen. Pershing Takes Command.
It ~. Lifc nr Adrrn1nrc-

Kansas City, No. Feb. e0-Mai Gen.
FuuStons life was one Of continual ad
venture from the time he had mind
OF his own His father. Edward II.
unston, a prominent Kansas Demo
cratic politician, early learned this.
although ~ was not DISPLAYED in any
sense OF disobedience. Young Funston
wanted 20 20 o the University OF Kan
sas where the majority Of his hich
school classmates had entered His
father had selected another school To
Kansas Funston went-with no allow
arce- He did all kinds Of odd Jobs
and room until his father. perceiving
the lads serious intention, commenced
sending generous remittances-
Had stormy Newspaper Career
When out OF school he took up news
paper work being employed on the old
Kansas City Times and later on Fort
smith. Ark, and New York Dublica-
tons Ills newspaper career was
stormy in spots his Kansas City posi-
ton terminating after he injected some
Wild tale into d supposedly staid mar
ket report and his Fort Smith adven-
ture ending with his resignation al
ter running the paper in high handed
fashion during absence Of the rnanag-
ing editor.
He DOdged the Doctors.
Cen Funston was a Iestherweight
as far as physical dimensions were con-
cerned. When he was appointed COL
onel of the Kansas regiment. Funston
was told by J. W. Gleed- an old time
friend. that he would have a hard time
passing the doctors.
Then I'll dodge the doctors" imme-
diately replied Funston.
Captured ASuinaidO.
Funston led his troons through the
campaign which terminated with the
capture OF Aguinaldo. The taking Of
the famous inSurrectO was lauChingly
characterized a q dirty trick bv Gen.
Funston il talking Of the event in
later years With few fellows. all
posing as lnsurrectos. Funston walked
INTO A@uinaldO's camp and overpOw-
cred him and his staff
The report that he deserted the Gu
ban army. after having enlisted and
fought with the rcbcllinE natives of
that country, was brought back 10 New
York.
He Jumped the Cuban Army.
Cen Funston. telling Of his Cuban
experiences. said he had fought through
the vicious campaign, enduring every
hardship that an unequipped army can
endure After serving as expert gun
ler for more than a year without pay.
ne asked for - leave Of absence. This
request was not complied with and one
morning Funston mounted a horse and
rode away. Presenting himself before
= Spanish blockhOuse, he threw I'D his
hands and surrndered The command
ant Of the bIockhouse treated him
kindly and turned him over 10 consul
general Fitzhugh Lee at Havana, who
s. mt him to the United States.
Favored Paying Enlisted Men More.
Cen Funston was a pioneer in the
project Of paying the enlisted man
more money for his services. AS early
as 1904, in MS annual report to the war
department as commander of the de-
partment Of the Columbia, he said in
part
There is scarcely any doubt that
such action would bring into the army
a vastly superior body Of men who
would remain in the service and make
il their life work"
Used to Talk Too Much.
his quick, snappy way or accom-
plishing matters often led him into dis
cussions and situations which in his
earlier years caused him embarrass-
ment. \ few years ago he said in an
interview.
In my earlier army career talked