Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-02-23
Friday Aornins."..February %. 1917.


Major General Frederick Funston, COM
mander of the Southern Department, died
at San Antonio, Texas, last Monday night,
lew minutes after he collapsed in
Motel, where he had gone with a party of
friends. Attending physicians said the
cause of death was acute indigestion.
General Funston had just finished din
ner and was playing with a child when
he fell unconscious
Frederick Funston was born in New
Carlisle, Ohio, November 9, 1855, but was
Drought up in Kansas. He was graduated
from the University of Kansas and began
active work as a newspaper reporter
However, he soon sought more exciting
life and went with the United States Death
Valley expedition as botanist in 1891.
Two years afterward he was sent by the
Department Of Agriculture to explore and
report on the fora of Alaska. He camped
one long winter in the Klondke and made
his escape from that terrible country by
floating alone down the Yukon River in a
canoe.
When the Spanish war began he re-
ceived a commission as colonel of the
Twentieth Kansas Volunteers and was
soon on his way to the Philippines. The
day before he sailed he married Miss Edna
Blankart. of Oakland. Cal, whom he had
met only five weeks before. and through
all vicissitudes of his soldiers life she has
shared all his perils and hardships
In the Philippines he soon came to the
front. The swimming Of the Rio Grande
de la Pampagna in the face Of the enemy
covered his command with distinction. and
before long he was promoted to be briea-
der general. This was the reward for the
strategy with which he sought out and
captured Aeuinaldo. the most dangerous
of the Filipino leaders.
With body Of native scouts and a few
Americans. he marched far into the enc
my's country. As he drew near the Fill
Pine camp he pretended that he and his
men were captives of his own native
scouts. Once within the Filipino lines he
threw off his disguise and was thus able
to capture the guerilla.
When the Mexican crisis caused the
sending of American troops to Vera Cruz,
in April, 1914. it was General Funston and
his Fifth Brigade upon whom the task
fell. In this expedition he acquitted him
self with his usual dash, tempered with
sound judgment
He was advanced to the grade of major
general November II, 1914, and early in
1916. when renewal Of the Mexican crisis
necessitated concentration of the Army
and National Guard on the border. and the
sending Of punitive expedition into Mexico
under General Pershing, General Funston
was placed in command Of the entire op-
Grafton, and had since been occupied with
the duties Of that position.
Funston has been described by his supe-
riors as absolutely fearless. Physically,
he was one Of the smallest men in the
United States Army. He was barely five
feet five inches tall and usually weighed
less than l20 pounds. In civil life he was
modest and retiring.
1t is likely that Major General John J.
Pershing will succeed General Funston in
command Of the Southern Division. with
headquarters at San Antonio. While this
selection probably will not be announced
for several days, it is accepted as fore.
gone conclusion.