Funston is Lion
Williamsburg Star
Friday, March 21, 1902
"Little Man From Kansas" Attracts Much Attention While He is at War Department
Women Clerks Grow Hysterical Over Aguinaldo’s Captor
Bid for His Autograph and Crane Their Necks to Get a Glimpse of Him
Runs Across Aguinaldo in Nation’s Capital
Washington – The visit of General Funston to the war department created a profound flutter of excitement among the "lady clerks." General Funston had not been at the department since he became a hero, and a brigadier general, and so he was quite a curiosity to the hundreds of clerks who have had so much to do with his military records since he made himself famous in the Philippines. Naturally many of those who have made up his record on the department books, and who have followed his course through promotion wanted to see the "little fellow from Kansas."
General Funston, accompanied by his aide, arrived at about 10:30. Clerks, knowing that he would call at the department to pay his respects were on the lookout for him. He had hardly entered the building before his presence was known, and as he walked up, the news seemed to spread, for by the time he reached the second floor and made his way along the corridor to Secretary Root’s office the hallway suddenly became crowded with female clerks. There was quite an ovation as he came out of the elevator, the young ladies, while not cheering him, gave utterance to those little murmurs of salutation which women are so want to make when they see anything that pleases them.
"There he is," they cried, "Isn’t he cute? I thought he was a larger man, but he is just a darling, if he is little." "He reminds me of a plump little partridge," were some of the comments uttered as the general passed on to the secretary’s office. As secretary Root was not in the department, being down the river on a little vacation, General Funston went in to see Adjutant General Corbin. Before he got in the door, however, he was stopped by "Charley," one of General Corbin’s messengers, who during the Spanish was had been nicknamed "Aguinaldo" by the general because he was so active in skipping about from place to place. Charley held Funston up while he wrote his name on a card, and then, after Funston had gone in to see General Corbin, Charley became the center of attraction, and was surrounded by the female clerks, who wanted to see the autograph. Having seen it, they possessed of a desire to secure it, and began to offer bids to Charley for the precious autograph. The bids once started, ran up rapidly, but Charley refused to auction off the card, and after the bidding had gone up to $10, quietly put the card in his pocket. This so disgusted the ladies that they called him "real mean," and slowly but sorrowfully went back to their desks. General Funston did not remain longer at the department. He registered in the visitor’s book. Several attempts were made to cut the name out of the volume, but Charley was on the watch and frustrated all attempts to do so, and on thus remained the sole possessor of General Funston’s autograph of all the officials in the department.
Friday, March 21, 1902
"Little Man From Kansas" Attracts Much Attention While He is at War Department
Women Clerks Grow Hysterical Over Aguinaldo’s Captor
Bid for His Autograph and Crane Their Necks to Get a Glimpse of Him
Runs Across Aguinaldo in Nation’s Capital
Washington – The visit of General Funston to the war department created a profound flutter of excitement among the "lady clerks." General Funston had not been at the department since he became a hero, and a brigadier general, and so he was quite a curiosity to the hundreds of clerks who have had so much to do with his military records since he made himself famous in the Philippines. Naturally many of those who have made up his record on the department books, and who have followed his course through promotion wanted to see the "little fellow from Kansas."
General Funston, accompanied by his aide, arrived at about 10:30. Clerks, knowing that he would call at the department to pay his respects were on the lookout for him. He had hardly entered the building before his presence was known, and as he walked up, the news seemed to spread, for by the time he reached the second floor and made his way along the corridor to Secretary Root’s office the hallway suddenly became crowded with female clerks. There was quite an ovation as he came out of the elevator, the young ladies, while not cheering him, gave utterance to those little murmurs of salutation which women are so want to make when they see anything that pleases them.
"There he is," they cried, "Isn’t he cute? I thought he was a larger man, but he is just a darling, if he is little." "He reminds me of a plump little partridge," were some of the comments uttered as the general passed on to the secretary’s office. As secretary Root was not in the department, being down the river on a little vacation, General Funston went in to see Adjutant General Corbin. Before he got in the door, however, he was stopped by "Charley," one of General Corbin’s messengers, who during the Spanish was had been nicknamed "Aguinaldo" by the general because he was so active in skipping about from place to place. Charley held Funston up while he wrote his name on a card, and then, after Funston had gone in to see General Corbin, Charley became the center of attraction, and was surrounded by the female clerks, who wanted to see the autograph. Having seen it, they possessed of a desire to secure it, and began to offer bids to Charley for the precious autograph. The bids once started, ran up rapidly, but Charley refused to auction off the card, and after the bidding had gone up to $10, quietly put the card in his pocket. This so disgusted the ladies that they called him "real mean," and slowly but sorrowfully went back to their desks. General Funston did not remain longer at the department. He registered in the visitor’s book. Several attempts were made to cut the name out of the volume, but Charley was on the watch and frustrated all attempts to do so, and on thus remained the sole possessor of General Funston’s autograph of all the officials in the department.