The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-03-09
FUNSTON STORIES FROM KANSAS
Some of Late Generals Adventures
as Told In State Which He
Left to Be Soldier


as Told In State Which He
Left to Be a Soldier
The late Major Gen. Frederick
Funston was born in Ohio, but
came from Kansas. His life show
ed that the day of the soldier of for
tune is not past. Funston carved out
his place overnight after beginning
life as an insignificant school teacher
When the United States govern
ment recognized, bya singular mark
of its gratitude and admiration, the
merit of the Kansas man and gave
him the rank of brigadier general,
Funston was a little man, SO years
old, with slight limp, who weighed
less than 100 pounds and measured
under five feet four. On the night
of May 2, 1899, Kansans were so
happy over his promotion that there
was nothing in the state he could
not have had-especially If located
adjacent to his home town OF lola.
AS soon as the news reached there
that morning bulletins were posted
on the four corners of the public
square and in front of the Offices of
the local papers. Crowds gathered
about him.
The home of the Funstons was
four miles north of lola on farm.
The father of the hero, Edward H.
Funston, was at work in the field
when a newspaper man drove to the
farm with the news Of his sons pro-
motion.
II must tell Fred's mother" said
he. "She has a right to receive the
news first"
A quiet, retiring woman came into
the room that served as study for
the farmer, who had represented his
district in Congress for IL years.
She was smiling, and it seemed as II
tear had been brushed from her
big, brown eyes only moment be-
fore, She was little woman, also,
weighing less than 100 pounds, and
seemed fragile beside the giant figure
of her husband, who tipped the
scales at more than 200 pounds and
was six feet two inches tall Her
silence was as eloquent of praise as
the restrained expressions that fell
from the lips of the man.
"This is the young man who
brought us news of Fred's promo
tion,' said Mr.. Funston, and Mrs.
Funston bowed and smiled.
"He came all the way from
Chicago to tell us that Fred was a
brigadier general" She only smiled
incredulously. "But he does tell me,
however" by way of apology for the
Jest, chat Fred is talked of a great
deal in Chicago"
81 hope they speak we'll Of my
boy" she said. half TREMENDOUSLY. IF
they knew him as well as we do they
would know he deserves it."
"They know he is great soldier"
Eyes, Fred is a good boy. But
wish he was back home again"
Funston went from the farm to
the State University of Kansas in
1885. He remained in the univer-
sity off and on for five years. He
was a round-faced fellow, say those
who remember him at that time, and
of the type that instructors yearn to
strangle for the levity bred in the
classroom.
During his off years-the years
when he earned money to attend the
university the next year-he turned
his talents to various and profitable
account, and he accumulated "the
capital of experience which he invest
ed in glory :,
For instance, in 1888, an off-school
year, he became Santa Fe train
conductor. At different times his
route lay all the way from Kansas
City to Albuquerque and south to the
Gulf of Mexico. Among his other
duties was that ftrain bouncer. 1t
may seem little difficult to believe,
but. weighing no more than 100
pounds, that fact didn't stand in the
way of his success as a bouncer.
After a peaceful year in the UNI
versity Funston longed for something
less monotonous than encounters
with cowboys, and sought to satisfy
the lust in his soul for excitement by
going into the newspaper business.
He had never been in city news.
paper office when by the force or
sheer audacity he struck Kansas
City editor for place and got a
job. Luck brought him
a "beat3 the first day, which con-
vinced the city editor that Funston
was a first-class reporter.
When letter came from a man in
Fort Smith to the newspaper office,
asking the city editor to send him
good man to take care of a country
daily, Funston went. He didn't know
any more about a country daily than
he knew about the climate of Mars.
but he tackled it.
When the United States district
court met at Fort Smith. Funston