The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-02-23
GEN. FUNSTON
DIES IN TEXAS
Seized With Attack of Acute
Indigestion
WAS PLAYING WITH CHILD
Commanded Southern Department OF
United States Army-Would
Rather Fight Than Eat, IL
Was often Said.


States Army and one OF the leading
figures in the country's military his
tory since his capture of Agunaldo
while commanding Kansas Nolun
teer regiment in the Philippines, dieo
OF acute indigestion Monday. lie col
lapsed in a hotel soon after dining
with friends and did not regain con
sciousnoss before his death, short
time afterward.
Gen. Funston's last words were
How beautiful it is." lie referred to
the Beautiful Blue Danube waltzes
which the hotel orchestra was play
ing
Gen. Funston was at his Office with
no sign OF i'll health. During dinner
he seemed in his usual good spirits
and after the meal began To play with
a child of one of the guests. He feu
over unconscious before anyone could
/ reach him.
Lieut.. Col NJ. w. ireland. Medical
| Corps. L. :. A., Gen. Funstons ply
sician. said,
Gen. Funston's death was caused
/ by angina sclerosis of the arteries OF
| the heart Death was almost imme'
diate and without pain
Col. ireland said Gen. Funston had
meen under his care for the last two
\ weeks and for several days had been
| virtually we'll Two weeks ago he
| had an attack of acute indigestion
Gen. Funston was 81 years old.
Ever since March, 1916. when he
| was placed i'm command of all United
States forces on the Mexican bor-
der. Gen Funston had worked un-
usually hard. At critical times IN
border developments he frequently
remained on duty continuously for "a
hours.
The Pershing expedition and. OF
late, Encouragement Of regular troops
while providing the return of national
guardsmen. exacted an enormous
amount of detail work, probably eN-
ceeding that which fell to any other
commanding general Of the United
States army since the civil war.
Because OF the amount OF WORK
which had fallen TO him, Gen. Funs-
tons only recreation or relaNatioh
for nearly a year has been OCCASION
al dinner parties with friends. ke'
Gently he returned from an inspec'
tion trip which took him as iar AZ
Nogales. Ari That with one trip 10
Brownsville, Tex, and brlci VISIT
to Austin, Tex, last year was 'he
only occasion when he had been alb
sent from his desk since the border
trouble developed.
Two weeks ago when Gen. Funs-
ton suffered an attack OF indigestion
he fought II out alone" TO use ms
own expression. Later he placed
himself under the care OF Col. Ire
land and regained normal health ana
spirits.
Gen. Funston was born In New
Carlisle, o., in 1865 His father'
who had been gallant fighter IN the
Civil war and who In later life as
member OF Congress from Kansas
had been known as "FoRhorn
Funston, was a man OF extraordinary
stature and physical power
When he was two years old young
Funston's parents moved 10 Kansas,
where he attended the lola High
school, and afterward matriculated
in the Kansas State University. at
Lawrence.
Early Visit 20 Mexico.
After falling for the army cadet
shin and before matriculatinR in the
State University he made his first
incursion into Mexico He remained
there long enough 20 learn the Span
ish language and a good deal else
that was later useful about the Mex
lean character.
Cuba's fight for independence
called him I'm 1896.
For nearly two years he fought
under Gomez and Garcia, sharing
the varying fortunes Of cuba Llbre.
Thrice he was wounded. once his
horse was shot under him and fell
upon his hip. Finally his indomi-
table spirit was broken temporarily
in 1898 by tropical malaria, and was
invalided home with the rank of
major and commandant OF artillery
in the Cuban army While making
his way from the interior 10 Havana
he was captured and probably would
have been put to death as spy had
he not made shift 10 swallow tho
discriminating papers which he was
carrying 10 members OF the rebel
junta in the capital
Rather Fight Than Eat"
No sooner was he cured ~ the
tropical malaria than Maj. Funston,
az the colonel of Kansas regiment
I now. tried 20 get back into cuba
again In time 10 take part In The
I Spanish-American war. He was
broken-hearted when his command
never got nearer 10 the front than
Y Tampa, Fla. But there opened the
brilliant chapter which Col Funston
began 20 write with his sword when
\ the Twentieth Kansas Volunteers
were orderd to the PHILIPPINES.