Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-09-19
oSMAN PASHA IDENTIFIED.
PARTICULARS OF MS STRANGE CAREER

The brilliant defense Of Pleyna by
Osman Pasha has attracted much atten-
tion to that great Turkish general, and
the press has been making an effort to
penetrate the incognito which he has
assumed AT first il was thought that
it was Marshal Bazaine, of France,
who had redeemed at Plevna the laur-
els lost at Metz That unfortunate sol.
dier was found quietly lying midst the
orange groves Of Spain with his devot-
ed wife and family. The more proba-
BILE report that followed, indicating that
Osman Pasha is an American by the
name of r. Clay Crawford, seems well
sustained by corroborative testimony.
According to kilograms recently pub
lished, Il. b. Wickliffe, of Mt. Washing
ton, Ky, and General Joseph b. Reyn-
olds, Of Chicago, have both had letters
from the American adventurer in Turk
cy under the title of Osman Pasha.
Any way, the inquiry of Baltimore
Gasette reporter into the history of
Crawford, who for time resided in
Chestertown and edited Republican
newspaper, unfolds tale ofadventure
which would only be appropriated cap
ped by his appearance upon The victo-
rious battlefield of Plevna.
The Information received as TO the
antecedents Of Crawford show that his
father was a school teacher in Rogers
vile, Tenn, where the future pasha
was born. About the year 1853, when
on the threshold of manhood, he was
appointed a cadet at West Point by An.
drew Johnson, then member of Con-
gress from Tennessee. At the institute
he was q quick and apt scholar, and was
among the highest ofh class. There,
on the eve Of graduating, he was ex-
PEELED for stealing. lilo wandered about
and the breaking out of the war found
himin Illinois. He enlisted as private
in one OF the Illinois regiments then
enlisted a battery OF artillery in East
Tennessee, and was promoted step by
step for bravery in action until he had
attained the rank of colonel In this
capacity he led q raid through his ma
tive town of Rogersville. At the close
Of the war he entered the liberal ser.
vice in Mexico, but for some reason he
was compelled to leave that service af.
ter he had gained the rank OF major
general. He came back to this country,
bringing with him large quantity Of
Mexican bonds and more available
funds. In the year 1868 ho appeared
at Philadelphia with plenty of money,
and purchased the lowering property,
which lies between the Delaware river
and Neshaming creek in Bausalem
township, Bucks county, fourteen miles
above Philadelphia. The beautiful
mansion on tho place is directly oppo-
site Beverly, New Jersey. He moved
here with his wife, beautiful and OK.
cellent lady, his father-in-law and a
Mexican body-scrvant. lie purchased
q yacht, "the Plovcr," and a fast horse,
"the Andalustic,' and spent money
freely, He purchased the neighboring
Paxton property, and placed Major Pei.
ton, Of New York, his iathcr-in.law, in
charge. These two properties cost him
about $4,000. He entered politics and
soon became cery influential in Bucks
county. He was then Democrat
wore a big sombrero, and claimed TO
be every inch a Southorncr. He talk.
cd Of gettig up an expedition for Cuba,
but his means began to disappear, and
he sold his property, and In bis steam
yacht he started out anew to fresh
fields Of adventure. .i..
In the latter part Of 1869 be arrived
ut Chcstertown, Kent county, in his
yacht, and decided at once 70 locate
there. lie bought the old Chambers
mansion in that town for $4,000, and
put $4,000 worth of improvements up
1T. He entertained 10 princcly style,
and society soon began 10 cultivate him
and his wifc The latter gained the
esteem OF every one, and whenever any
question as TO crawfori's antccedcnts
sprang up in the presence Of her gentle
md lady-like department all suspicious
were quieted. She evidently had both
faith and confidence in her husband
and seemed devotedly attached to him.
His house was the scene Of continued
l..t,.,,tsna xxtItl. t.a x..,.i.t ..,.. ..s...-