Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-20
pOMANCE AND DARING
IA nv FUNSTON,S CAREER

pOMANCE AND DARING
IN FUNSTON'S CAREER
A fporn in Ohio in 1865, General Fredet'ck
" rDs,on was more of a kansan that
sn,s,e bov. MS his father moved to a farm
u M ioia Kan. when Frederick was only
- years old. Never an extremely apt
,snniI he got through the public schools nut
y ssorld stand only two years at the lNahSas
N University at Lawrence his most ho.aoie
s,nlolt there was not in the line of his
..ndies II was his conquering of ZOO
s.,rd had man." who threatened him with
x yazor only half his assalants weight,
e yrrrston went for him, and when he had re-
1ured him to submission, added to his hui
"A mIliaton by driving him thrpugh the streets
4 "a a police station ahead of IA revolver.
Newspaper work claimed Funston when
hs left college and in 1887 he was en-
& Moved as city editor of the Tribune in Fort
4 smith Ark 1t was Democratic in politics
and Funston was a Republican. So when
N The editor chief absented himself for n
= oeriod. Funston amused himself by doing
4. what he thought was right and just and
f attacking the Democratic leaders Of the
. region Summoned home by telegraph the
\ SXtor-in-chef arrived just in time to save
the building and plant from n mob.
II didn't like my job. and | didn't like
the town" said Funston, but thought
& might Just as well let them KNOW ! ndu
been there before l quit
A trip on a Government botanical expe-
dition which took him through Death VAL
lev and involved hardships that disabled
more than half the members of the party
next furnished Funston with the spice of
danger which for him constituted the chief
charm of life
SENT TO ALASKA
% Ia Ill npt
ing expedition. There are lot of persons
who know more about botany than Fred
Funston" said the head of the bureau who
recommended him. but nobody viii! come
nearer getting what he goes after
| After going through Chilcoot Pass alone
IN a blizzard, being capsized in canoe in
rapids that had claimed scores of victims
+ and enjoying many other hazardous adven-
v tures, Funston came back from Alaska with
the finest collection of botanical specimens
that ever came out of it.
/Along the Santa Fe railroad the old resi-
dents still recall how Funston, as passen-
ger train conductor, threw a drunken cow
boy off train and later, when he hurled
rock through q coach window, pursued him
several miles on foot while the train waited.
SWAN THE RIO GRANDE
mere resume of Funston's exploits will
show that he was one of the most strenuous
and picturesque men of modern America.
Here are some of his spectacular accom-
plshments:
Served as commander of Gomezs
artillery in the Cuban revolt, his first
military work, and in twenty-five bat
tiles was wounded three times.
Became colonel of the Twentieth
Kansas Volunteer Infantry at the out
break of the Spanish american War
y Swan the Rio Grande River in the
Philippines under fire before the battle
Of Columpit
t Captured Agunaldo, the leader of the
Philippine insurrection, by a ninety
mile march through mountainous coun-
try without the loss of a man.
Directed the work of relief at San
francisco after the great earthquake.
Commanded the American expedition
} which landed at Vera Cruz when
Huerta refused to salute the American
colors
y Commanded the American troops on
4 the Texas border when the attitude OF
Carranza threatened to provoke war.
SERVICES IN SPANISH WAR
AT the outbreak of the Spanish American
war Funston offered his services to Presi-
n dent Mckinley, and because of his expert
-ence In Cuba he received commission as
coionel of the Twentieth Kansas Nolun-
teers.
When the regiment was sent to the Phil
'ppines, Funston's early exploration trips
Stood him in good stead, and he soon proved
ms ability to handle his men to the best
advantage in rough and virtually un-
mapped territory. For his gallantry in
swimimng the Rio Grande under fire he
was promoted to BE brigadier general in
h me volunteer army in 1899
# CAPTURE OF AGUINALDO
For sheer audacity, however the cap
.ure OF Aguinaldo was his most remarka-
Pc achievement in the Philippines. On
march ., 1901, he left Manila on the gum
"A poat Vicksburg with two leutenants, two
eaptalns, three ex-insurgent officers and
Il elghty Maccabee scouts for Casguran Bay,
\ wnich he reached at l o'clock on the
morning of March 10. The party marched
ninety miles over rough mountain trails
% tne little town of Palaman, AGunaldo's
neadquarters which was reached eight days
sa'er. Thinking the scouts We're insurgent
te-enforcements Aguinaldo's forces received
mem, only to be attacked after Asunaldo's
tsarters were surrounded. Funston him
-e'i took Aguinaldo single-handed.
IN his story of his life which appeared
(. xxoout year ago, Funston thus described
~ ~ meeting with Aguinaldo, after the ma
X yves under his command had subdued the
iepel chieftains guard:
& .A we fastened into the house. and in
nouuced myself to Aguinaido, telling him
t~at we were officers of the American army,
M snat tne men with us were our troops and
5p' % nis' and that he was prisoner of war
~ was given assurance that he need fear
o oad treatment He said In dazed sort
way, rs this not some joke?" as
suren MIN that 1t was not. though, as a
later OF fact. 1t was pretty bad one on
* me capture of Aguinaldo earned for
uhston a commission as brigadier general
" the regular army. Later he captured
sne archives of the insurgents. and COM
&s'ed In large part, the pacihcation of
Vn HIS return to America he was ap-
yonted, In 1905. commander OF the Depart
ment of California. Thus It was that
b Enen the great earthquake occurred at San
tancisco he was right on the spot. with
als genius for command, to turn his train
n>f work
Not until 1914 did Funston get A ahannD