Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-02-27
GEN, FRED FUNSTON
DIES SUDDENLY AT
SAN ANTONIO HOTEL
Drops Unconscious While Playing
With Child.
ACUTE INDIGESTION, CAUSE
Commander of American Troops on the
Border Was Captured by Spaniards
In 1896 and Escaped Death
by Swallowing Letter.

San Antonio, Tex, Feb. 20.-Gen.
Frederick Funston, commander OF the
southern department, died here last
night, few minutes after he collapsed
while In a local hotel, where he had
gone with a party Of friends. Attend
ing physicians say the cause Of death
was acute indigestion.
General Funston had just finished
dinner and was playing with a child
when he fell unconscious.
Funston Always Fighter.
Not until 1896, when the Cuban in
surrection was at its height, did Fred
erick Funston become known through
out the United States as a first-class
fighting man, but his friends in Kan
sas-where he spent his early manhood
long had so classified him.
AS a student at the University of
Kansas, when he weighed less than
100 pounds, he conquered 200-pound
''bad man" who threatened him with
razor. To add to the giants humilia-
ton, Funston marched him through the
streets of Lawrence, Kan, 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 editorially the publications
own political party leaders during the
absence of his editor in chief.
Held on Despite Threats.
Many threats are said to have been
made against Funston and the news
paper property, but he remained on
guard until his superior returned, and
then turned over the plant, unframed.
Incidentally, Funston also resigned.
Funston's first experience on the
firing line came in Cuba, where he
commanded General Gomez artillery
with remarkable results.
Captured by Spaniards.
Captured by Spaniards on his way
to Havana, he escaped death by swal-
lowing 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 per-
formed feats of bravery that brought
him the title Of brigadier general. His
capture of Aguinaldo and his fording
of the Rio Grande river 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 equaled that
Of his opponent. One day, the story
goes, when it appeared certain the
Filipinos would destroy three COM
panies- under Funston's command,
Gen. Harrison Gray Otis inquired of
the colonel how long he could hold his
position.
Repulses Filipinos.
Until am mustered out I" Funston
replied; and he made good by repuls-
ing the Filipinos.
When the volunteers were dis
charged, Funston retained his rank
as member Of the regular army. AS
regular he made. mark by main
tanning order In San Francisco during
the disaster of 1906. Temporarily In
charge of the troops at the Preside,
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 trouble-makers.
It was while he was in command of
the troops at Vera Cruz in 1914 that
he was raised to the rank Of major
general He was then 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.
Commanded Border Forces.
General Funston was born at New
Carlisle, O., November 9, 1865. He was
the son of Edward Hogue Funston.
Physically, Funston was one of the
smallest men In the United States
army. He was barely 5 feet 5 inches
tall and usually weighed less than 100
pounds. In civil life he was modest
and retiring.
When trouble In Mexico made It
necessary to send an American ex-
petition to Vera Cruz in April, 1914,
General Funston was put in COM
mand of the troops. He was military
governor of Vera Cruz until Novem-
Der, 1914.
Late in 1914 he was made major
general and appointed commander
Of the southern department.
In March. 1916, he was given COM
mand of the United States troops
along the border of Mexico and also
of the troops sent into Mexico in