Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-03-01
Gen. Funston, Philippine Hero
And U.S.. Commander on Border.
Dies as He Talks With Friends

came here a month s from Fort sam
Houston with her children to avoid the
approaching hot weather there.
His Picturesque Career.
General Funston was born in Carlisle.
ONO, in 1865, and was reared on a
Kansas farm. He had a remarkable ca
reer before he became a soldier. Few
people knew that his first work was as
a scientist with a zen toward botany.
AS an agent of the department of agri-
culture in 1891 he took part in the
Death valley expendition; then he ex-
plored Alaska and the British north
west n crossed Alaska to the Arctic
ocean and Travelled from Mckenzie river
70 the BerinS sea, a journey Of about
$500 miles. He camped in the klondike
during the winter of 1898 and then
canoe, a journey of hundreds Of miles
through a Wilderness. without seeing
another living sou Soon after that he
resigned from the department of agri-
culture and Travelled in Mexico.
When the last Cuban insurrection
broke out Funston applied to the revo-
~lutionary junta in New York for service
suspected him of being a spy or an
agent of the United States running
down violators of neutrality laws.
Finally he convinced them of his inten-
tons n for many weeks in rooms on
an out of the way street in the lower
east side of New York Funston in
strncted recruits in the handling of ma
cnlne guns, of which the Cubans We're
lsnHrant. Soon afterward he was taken
INTO the Cuban army with "A commits
sion.
He Never Knew Fear.
AS a student at the University of
Kansas, when he weighed less than 100
pounds, he conquered a 200-pound bad
man VINO threatened him with n razor.
To add to the giants humiliation.
Funston marched him through the
streets at the point of a revolver, to a
police station.
A few years later, while city editor
Of a paper in Fort Smith, Ark. young
Funston stirred up intense feeling by
attacking e%ditoriany the publications.
oWn political party leaders during the
absence of his editor in chief, Many
threats are said to have been made
against Funston and the newspaper
property, but he remained on guard UNI
III his superior returned and Their
turned ever the plant unframed. In
~cldentally, Funston also resigned.
Along the Santa +. railroad they still
recall how Funston. as a passenger
tram conductor, threw a drunken cow
boy off a train and later, when HI
''' - ASSh = ii todtll VIZ
dow, pursued him several miles on foot
Nhlle the train waited.
Escapes Death as Spy.
funston's first experience on the fir
ing line came in Cuba, where he COM
1nanded General Gomez's artillery with
remarkable results. After engaging in
Y battles and being wounded three
times he resigned his command because
90 guerrlllas who had aided the Span
lardS were executed against his wishes,
Captured by Spaniards on his way to
havana, he escaped Heath by swallow
ing a letter to the president of Cuba
which would have proved his identity.
While a colonel of the famous TWen-
tieth Kansas volunteer infantry in the
Philippine war, Funston performed
feats of bravery that brought him tho
title of b~rigadier general. His capture
of A~guinaldo and his fording of the RiC
Grande rives at Columpit under fire
featured his work.
Funston has been described by his
superiors as absolutely fearless. Ever
ready to plunge into danger, he cared
little whether his force eQualled that OF
his opponent. One day, the story goes
when 1t appeared certain the Filiplnos
would destroy three companies under
Funston's command, Gen. Harrison
Gray Otis inquired of the colonel how
long he could hold his position.
Barred from West Point.
Until l am mustered out!' Funston
replied; and he made good by repulSins
the Filipinos.
When the volunteers were discharged
Funston retained his rank as a member
OF the regular army. AS a regular he
made a mark by maintaining order IL
San Francisco during the disaster Of
1906. Temporarily in charge Of the
troops at the Preside, when the dis
turbance came he quickly declared
martial law and set about obtaining ac-
~commodations for the homeless, keep
ing down the cost of food n arrestine
trouble makers.
The ambition of Funston's youth was
to go to West Point, but he failed in az
entrance examination. In later years he
repeatedly outranked West Pointers
who were in school when he failed Of
admission.
Physically, Funston was one OF the
smallest men in the United States
army. He was barely 5 feet and 5 inches
tall. and usually weighed less than Tx
pounds. In civil life he was modest anc
retiring.
Burial at Preside.
o. 1,-z-a:e1- C.l INoh % Ilef mite