Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-29
OMER PtSHA.
Incidents In the Cnreer of IN ORR
entail Adventures.
paris Letter.


paris Letter.
II we want TO find the true type or
the adyenturer we must so 10 Oriental
countries. The name Of Omer Pasha
which was so often pronounced during
the Crimean war, is not yet forgotten,
though very few people know much about
the commander of the Turkish troops du-
ring this memorable period. He
made his appearance In history sur
rounded by such names as those OF Lord
Raglan, of Marshal SaintArnaud. Of
Marshal Canrobert His life before the
great days Of the Crimean war reads like
novel; IL has just been written, by
VI. George Gauis. from notes furnished
by the private doctor OF the Turkish
comma nder. a Swiss who entered the
sanitary service OF the Ottoman army.
and who ended his life in Serayevo. be-
fore the entrance Of the Austrlns into
Bosnia.
Omer's real name was Michael Lattas.
He was born I'm the Christian orthodox
faith, in 1876. In the village OF Tanya-
Cora, In Croatia. His father belonged
TO the Austrian Administration. Michael
I.attas entered a -chOol of cadets and was
attached at the age Of is to the chan
cellerie OF the staff AT GOspich. Soon
afterwards ne deserted for reasons
which remain obscure or unknown. He
sometimes alleged that a German officer.
who hated the Slavs. ordered him. for
slight fault. to be beaten for three hours
with Il cord II has been said that his
father incurred a condemnation which
brought dishonor on his name. The de-
serter entered Bosnia during the night.
determined 10 enlist in the Turkish army
Al ar1a baH
penny. and knew nobody The Bos-
mans. fortunately, for him. had remain
ed faithful to the patriarchal laws
Of hospitality: he was received by
hey named Michael. and worked on his
farm. He went from place TO place, work
ing i'm a hundred different ways for his
bread. but he soon perceived that there
was 40 chance for him 10 rise from the
obscurest station If he did not assume
the turban: he became neophyte, had
himself converted by n hodja. and TOOK
the name OF Omer Lufti.
AS \ TEACHER
Once a Mohammedan. he became the
prect ptor OF the children Of his master.
and remained with them for two years
at Banyaluka; he then LETT Bosnia and
at Widin he became the drawing master
OF the sons OF Ibrahim Pasha. the COM
ginning OF his fortune. as Ibrahim was an
advanced Turk. who adopted Occidental
ideae. Omer became acquainted with old
Chrosreff the Grand Nizier a Turk OF the
old school. who attached him to the topo-
graphic bureau of the army There ne
remained from 1880 TO 1884, engaged In
technical works, and studying the French
Italian, Persian. and Arabic languages
IL married in 1894 the daughter OF
colonel. who got him appointed professor
OF technical drawing " the military
school. with the rank of captain. One
day the Sultan Mahmsud visited the mill
tary school. saw the new professor, ana
learned OF his adventures. and the next
day Omer, summoned TO the imperial
palaces, was Informed that he had be-
come n major. and was 10 be the writing
master OF the heir presumptiye, Prince
Abdul-Medjid. lie was now on the road
TO honOrs; in 1876. he was lieutenant
colonel: two years after, colonel; In 1872
when his pupil assembled the throne. he
was made brigadier-genera and pasha.
lie had never appeared before an army.
when n was thus made general at the
age Of 80; nevertheless, we find
him In 1872 taking part in campaign
I'm Syria: in 1Si3 commanding brigade
I'm Albania. I'm 1915. a division-generdl
In the Lebanon. putting down an insurrec-
ton. He Is employed In kurdistan and
with ~ 900 men makes a rapid campaign
and obtains a victory: on his return he Is
made held marshal. and becomes the hero
OF the day, the hope Of Turkey. he is
looked upon az "A pacilcador TO use a
Spanish expression. He Is "a favorite with
the sultan, who gives him a fine estate at
Scutari. The foreign ambassadors forget
his origin; the renegade and deserter is
sunk In the commander OF the Turkish
forces. All the Polish arp Hungarian
refugees solicit and fiatier him. lie lives
like real Turk. and has preserved only
the passion for wine.
LIVED IN POMP.
In lSS The spiyi; OF revolution blew all
over Europe. Prince Bibesco was turned
cut OF Bucharest: Russia and Turkey
enter-d both the principaliies. Russia
occupied Modevia, and Cmer Pasha was
sent TO Wallachin. He entered Bucharest
without fighting. and remained there for
two years, leading the life OF sovereign,
courted by the old boyers as we'll as by
the Liberals. one OF whom even wrote
pamphlet In which II was proved that
omer had as much right TO the throne
or Roumania as a Ghika or a Blbesco as
the Iattas was descended from Iatus.
Roman centurion. il was In Bucharest
that Omer became acquainted with a