Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-20
.C0L[APSES WHILE
SEATED IN HOTEL
AT SAN ANTONIO
Falls Unconscious to Floor,
and Death Is Almost
instantaneous.
TWO WEEKS AGO SUFFERED
ATTACK OF INDIGESTION
Had Worked at Unusual Pace
Since Placed in Command on
Mexican Border.
GREAT SHOCK TO OFFICIALS
Vigorous and Apparently HcalttfuI,
Snperiors Expected Great Things
Of Him I'm Future.
TWO WEEKS AGO SUFFERED
ATTACK OF INDIGESTION
GREAT SHOCK TO OFFICIALS
Vigorous and Apparently HcalthfuI,
Superiors Expected Great Things
of Him In Future.
inv .Associatcd press.

'SN NSSOtlSttu PTeSS
SAN ANTONIO, TEN. February 10
Major-Gcneral Frederick Funston. COM
mander Of the Southern Department OF
the United States Army since Febru-
ary 1915, died suddenly tonight at
hotel here a few minutes after he had
finished dinner. lie collapsed while
seated in the lobby of the hotel talk
ing with friends. and was playing with
little lnez Silverberg.- OF Dcs Moincs.
Iowa. guest with her parents at the
hotel. when he fell unconscious. Death
was almost instantaneous.
General Funston was fifty-onc years
old.
Ever since March, 1915. when he was
placed in command OF all United States
forces on the Mexican border, General
Funston had worked at an unusual
pace. At critical times in border de-
velopmcnts he frequently remained on
duty twenty hours OF the twenty four.
The handling OF regulars disposed of at
various STATIONS on the border. the Per-
shing expedition. and, of late. rearrange-
'mcnt OF regular troops 'iie providing
for the return OF national ,:,Inrdsmen.
have entailed an enormous amount of
which fell Ia any commanding general
Of tho United States Army since the
Civi, War
OCCASIONAL DINNER PARTY
HIS ONLY AVIATION
Only to-day. General Funston COM
plcted orders for the return OF the last
of the Suardsmcn. Because Of tho
amount of work which has fallen to
ia,
or relaxation for nearly a year has
been an occasional dinner party with
Il few friends.
Only recently General Funston re-
turned from an inspection trip which
took him far as Nogales AriZ
That. with one trip to brownsville,
TEX. and brief visit to Austin, Tex,
last year were tho only occasions
when he has been absent from his
desk since the border trouble develoned
Two weeks ago General Funston
suffered an attack OF indigestion. To
use his own expression. II fought it
ont alone" Later he placed himself
under the care Of Lieutenant Colonel
NJ. W. ireland. Of the Medical Corps,
southern Department. and regained
normal health and spirits For three
days" Colonel ireland said tonight,
General Funston had been entirely
we'll"
Nevertheless. at dinner tonight
General Funston was particularly alb
stcmous. and ate only sparingly Of
the simplest dishes.
Colonel Malvern H;ll Earnum. Cen
cral Funstons chief Of Staff, immedi-
atc'y notified the War Department oc
General Funstons death News also
was dispatched to Mrs. Funston, who
$ visiting her father in California
No arrangements for General Funston's
funeral nave been made.
t'olouol ireland, who has been Cen
cral Funston's physician for some
time. said Tonight:
"Geueral Funston's death was caused
by angina sclcross OF the arteries OF
the heart. Death was almost i'm
mediate and without plin.'
DEATI Is IMMEDIATE
AND WITHOUT PAIN
General Funston's last words were
IN admiration or a waltz the hotel or
cheStra was playing.
''iIow beautiful 1t Is" he said Then
he lapsed into uncons sciousness
Resides his wife, General Funston fs
survived by three children. Frederick
Ji.. aged ten years: Barbara. nine, and
Elizabeth. aged eight months.