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Show FUNSTON'S DEATH MOURNED OVALE President and Other High Officials Of-ficials Express Regret Over Sad News. PICTURESQUE FIGURE Pershing Assumes Command of Southern Department on Border as Successor. Washington. Feb 20 President Wilson and other high officials as well as army officers generally expressed deep regret toda over the sudden death of Major-General Frederick Funston at San Antonio last nipht. Many of them sent messages of condolence con-dolence to Mrs. Frederick Funston, now visiting in San Vranciseo War department officials and army officers stood icndy today io assist in bestowing the highest militarv honors at the burial of General Funston. which will take place in the national cemetery at the Presidio. San Francisco, Fran-cisco, next Saturday or Sunday. It i believed that Secretary of War Baker may send a personal representative to attend the funeral. The death of General Funston removes re-moves on of the most picturesque characters from the United States army, whose record included the cap-; ture of Aguinaldo, the Filipino rebel, chief, command of the forces which seized Vera Cniz and direction of the Mexican border movements. Major-General Pershing, who commanded com-manded the column just withdrawn from Mexico, succeeds General Funs ton Secretary Baker said General southern department Major General Pershing notified the war department today that he had assumed as-sumed command of the southern department de-partment embracing the American forces on tho Mexican border which post was held by Major General Funston. Funs-ton. Secretary Baker and General Pershing's succession was automatic, he being the next In grade to General Funston, General Pershing will retain command until a permanent successor is named by the war department. No consideration has been given to appointing ap-pointing a new commander for the southern department. Funeral at San Francisco. San Antonio, Tex , Feb. 20 The body of Major General Frederick Funston Funs-ton who died here suddenly last niL-ht. will be taken to San Francisco tonight for burial Short services will be held at Fort Sam Houston this afternoon and the body will then be taken to the Southern South-ern Pacific station to await the train for the West. It will be accompanied by Captain Fitzhugh Lee. aido to General Gen-eral Funston and a guard of six enlisted en-listed men. Mrs. Funston Is at her home In San Francisco and requested the body be Bent there for burial Pending the arrival of Major-General Pershing from El Paso. Col. Malvern-Hill Malvern-Hill Barnum, General Funston's chief of staff, will be in charge of tbe Southern South-ern Mi partim-nt and movement of national na-tional guardsmen to their homes will not be delayed. General Funston was 51 years old and came to San Anionio from San Francisco in February, 1915, as Southern South-ern department commander Since mobilization of the national guard, following Villa's raid on Columbus. Colum-bus. N. M., In March, 1916. General Funston had commanded the lar;; -t army gathered in a single department since th Civil war General Funston saw active service in Cuba, both in the Cuban army and with the United States volunteers', in the Philippines and at Vera Cm,. Mexico, where he commanded the American expedition. Mother Unable to Attend. Emporia. Kan., Feb. 20 The mother moth-er of the late Major General Frederick Funston may be unable to attend the ! funeral of her son She is ill and eon- fined to a bed at the home of her daughter, Mr.- F. A Eckdoll here today. to-day. The news of his death added gravity to her condition Would Bring Body to Kansas. Topeka, Kan., Feb. 20 A resolution resolu-tion Introduced in the state senate today by Col Wilder S- Metcalf of I the national guard, and a state senator, sena-tor, recommended that Maj. Gen. I Funston's body be sent to Kansas to ' lie in state in tbe Capitol building for one dav. Copies of the resolu- tion were sent to Mrs. Funston at I San Francisco. The resolution ex presses the sympathy of the Kansas legislature at his death Will Remain as Commander. El Paso. Tex , Feb. 20. Maj. Gen. i John .T Pershing announced hero to- ! day that he would remain here as I acting commander of tbe southern department de-partment pending the receipt of or- I ders from Washington. He will also retain command of the El Paso patrol district for the present. It was announced at district head quarters today the body of Gen. Funston Funs-ton would pass through hero tomorrow at 6:30 p. m. and General Persb- mg had his s.aff at work today preparing a memorial program to bo j given while tho body Is here. |