The Sentinel=record., 1917-02-20

Washington. Feb. 19.-Major Goner, al Funston's sudden death came as 8 great shock to high officials of the army and to President Wilson. He was Cna of the distinguished com manders of the service and one of whom greater things were expected in the future. The youngest major gen eral of the line vigopous and appar- entity healthful, he had been counted cn for many more years of active ser vicc
 The news reached the war depart ment late tonight in a brief dispatch lrcm the headquarters of the southern department, saying General Funston had died Of heart failure. It was tele- rhoncd to SeGretary Earkers home where a dinner was being given to the president with most Of the rank ing army officers in Washington among the guests.
 Secretary Baker made this state ment:
 General Funston's death is Q loss
 Co the army and loss 10 the country
 Dr.ring the trouble on the Mexican border his work has been difficult exaptinq and delicate His conduct
 has been that of soldier and he has eXcmpllied the hieh tradition of the
 American army by his quick, intelli. gent and effective action. Throughout
 it an the sympathy between General
 Funston and the department ha7 been complete and no shadow of disagree ment has arisen.
 q am deeply grieved personally at his death and feel that his loss to
 the country is very great"
 Major General Per.hug, who has
 been in command of the Fl Paso dis. trict since the withdrawal os the American expedition from Mexico. au. tomarically will succeed to the duties Of commander of the southern depart ment until an appointment has been made, Recently a major general. he IS the only officer of That rank now assigned to the department
 As immediate successor of the com mand, General PeEshing will have oharee of the many details of the movement of the remaining units Of the national guard ordered homo from the border last Saturday 1t is eX-
 pected here that this movement.
 plans for which were worked out by General Funston, virtually his last
 military duty, will go on without in- terruptiou
 The picturesque and dashine cap. ture of Agunaldo, the Filipino rebel
 shief was the achievement which brought Funston prominently to tho
 attention of the American people. but he performed many services for his country besides that which were pro.
 bably more difficult His administra- ton of affairs in Vera Cruz. where he carried out the presidents orders with a firm hand. simply holding the city whom every influence about him
 was centered upon forcing the Amer jeans into actual fighting with the MeNicans. probably was the most no table incident of his career. Funston. a native of Ohio and rear ed on Kansas farm, had a remark
 able career before he became sol
 dier. Few people know that his first work was as a scientist with a bent toward botany As an agent cf the department of agriculture in 1891 he
 took parJ in the Death Valley eXpe-
 dition; then he explored Alaska and the British Northwest and crossed 1 Alaska to the Artic ocean and travel
 ed from Mckenzie river to Boring sea-a journey of about $500 miles. He camped m the klondike during
 the winter of 1SaS and then alone l floated down the Yukon in a canoe q l CONTINUED ON PA0E TWO