The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-02-20

San Antonio, Feb. 19.--Major Gen
eral Frederick Funston, commanding
the southern department of the United
ed States army and one of the lead
ing figures in the country's military
history, since his capture OF Aguinal
do while commanding a Kansas vol
unteer regiment in the Philippines
died of acute indigestion tonight. He
collapsed in hotel soon after dining
with friends and did not regain con.
sciousness before his death, short
time afterward.
General Funston was at his Office to
day with no sign of Illness. During
dinner he seemed in his usual good
spirits and after the meal began to
play with child of one of the guests.
He fell over unconscious before any
one could reach him.
Lieutenant Colonel NJ W. Ireland,
medical corps. General Funston's ply
sician, said tonight: Ic
General Funston's death was
caused by angina solerosis of the ar
teries Of the heart. Death was almost
Immediate and without pain,
Not until 1896, when the Cuban in
surrection was at its height, did
Frederick Funston become known
throughout the United States as a
first class, fighting man, but his
friends in Kansas, where he passed
his early manhood long had so
classified him.
Funston's first experience on the fir
ing line came in Cuba, where he com
manded General Gomez's artillery
with remarkable results. After en-
gaging in twenty-five battles and be-
ing wounded three times, he resigned
his command because fifty guerrillas
who had aided the Spaniards were
executed against his wishes Captur-
ed by Spaniards on his way to Ha-
vana he escaped death by swallow
ing letter to the President of Cuba
which would have proved his identity.
While colonel of the famous Twen
tieth Kansas Volunteer infantry in the
Philippine war. Funston performed
feats of bravery that brought him the
title OF brigader general His cap
ture of Aguinaldo and his fording of
the Ria Grande river at Coumpit un-
der 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 it appeared certain the
panies under Funston's command,
General Harrison Gray Otis inquired
of the colonel how long he could hold
his position.
Until / am mustered out" Funs-
ton replied; and he made good by re-
pulsing the Filipinos.
When the volunteers were discharg
ed Funston retained his rank as n
member of the regular army. AS q
regular he made mark by maintain
ing order in San Francisco during the
disaster of 1906. Temporarily in
charge of the troops at the Presidio.
when the disturbance came, he quick
ly declared martial law and set about
obtaining accommodations for the
homeless, keeping down the cost of
food and arresting troube.makers. It
was while he was in command of the
troops at Vera Cruz in 1914 that he
was raised to the rank of majongen-
eral. He then was forty-nine years
old.
The ambition of Funston's youth
was to go to West Point, but he failed
in an 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 army He was
barely five feet five inches tall and usu
ally weighed less than 120 pounds.
In civil life he was modest and retir.
ine