The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-02-22
DEATH OF GEN. FREDERICK
FUNSTON.

MaJOrzGeneral Frederick Fun
ston, aged 81, commander of the
southern department of the
| United States army since Febru-
airy, 1915. died suddenly at a ho-
tel at San Antonio, Texas. Mon
day night a few minutes after he
had finishedSSsupper.
In 1896, when the Cuban in
surrection was at its height,
Frederick Funston became known
throughout the United States as
first-class fighting man, but
his friends in Kansas-Where he
spent his early manhood-long
ago so classified him.
AS student at the University
of Kansas, when he weighed less
than 100 ponds, he conquered
a 200 pound bad man" who
threatened him with a razor. To
add to the giants humiliation,
Funston marched him through
the streets of Lawrence, Kansas,
at the point of a revolver to
police station.
A few years later, while city
editor Of a paper in Fort Smith,
Arkansas, young Funston stirred
up intense feeling by attacking
editorially the publications own
political party leaders during the
absence of the editor in chief.
Many threats are said to have
been made against funston and
the newspaper properly, but he
remained on guard until his SUI
perior returned and then turned
over the plant unframed. Incl
| dentally Funston also resigned.
Along the Santa Fe railroad
they still recall how Funston, as
a passenger train conductor,
threw drunken cowboy off a
and later when he hurled rock
through window. pursued him
several miles on foot while the
train waited.
Funston's first experience on
the firing line came in Cuba,
where he commanded General
Gomez artillery with remarkable
l results. After engaging in %
/ battles and being wounded three
times he resigned his command
I because fifty guerrillas who had
aided the Spaniards were execut-
ed against his wishes. Captured
] by Spaniards on his way to Ha-
vana, he escaped death by sWal-
, lowing a letter to the president
! of Cuba which would have prov
ed his identity.
While d colonel of the famous
, Kansas Volunteer Infantry in
the philippine war Funston per-
formed fca<of BRAY, ny that
! brought him the title Of biigadier
general. His capture of Aguin-
) aldo and his fording the Rio
, Grande river at Columpit under
fire featured his work.
Funston has been described by
his superiors as absolutely fear
l less. Ever ready to plunge into
danger, he cared little whether
his forces equalled that of his
opponent. One day, the story
goes, when it appeared certain
the Philippines would destroy
three companies under .Funston's
command, General Harrison Gray
, Otis. inquired of the colonel how
long he could hold his position.
Until am mustered out!o
Funston replied, and he made
: good by repulsing the Phillippi-
nos. When the volunteers were
discharged, Funston retained his
rank as a member of the regular
army. AS a regular he made
mark by maintaining order in
San Francisco during the disas-
ter of 1906. Temporarily in
charge of the troops at Prisidio,
when the disturbance came, he
, quickly declared martial law and
set about obtaining accommoda-
ton for the homeless, keeping
| down the cost of food and arrest
ing trouble makers. 1t 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 40 years
Iol
The ambition of Funston's
youth was to go to West Point,
but he failed in the entrance. eX-
animation. In later years he re-
peatedly outranked West Point
ers who were in school when he
| f lied Of admission,
Physically, Funston was one
Of the smallest men in the United
States army. He was barely five
| feet aud five inches tall and
usually weighed less than 120
pounds. In civil life he was
modest and retiring.
The Best Recommendation.
/ The strongest recommendation