Evening star., 1902-09-12
YEARS OF SEPARATION
MOTHER AND SON REUNITED IN
THIS CITY.
Strange Story Which Dates Back to
the War Of the Re
bellion.

After being separated from her son for
nearly thirty-seven years, Mrs. Croft. a res
ident of Cleveland, Ohio, met her long-lost
boy at the Pennsylvania depot in this city
Monday evening last, and is at present re-
siding with him at his home in this city.
The story of the long separation of the two
and the circumstances leading to their re-
union Is strange one, and dates back to
the civil war. One of the policemen detail
ed at the depot was approached Monday
afternoon last by gentleman, who IN
quired: will you be on duty here at the
depot when the train from the west arrives
at 7:15 o'clock tonight" The officer in
formed his questioner that he would
Il would like to get you to do a favor for
me if you will" the gentleman then said,
and that is to introduce me to a lady who
will arrive from Cleveland, Ohio on that
train. The stranger added that his name
was j. w. Croft of 4S Decatur street north
east, that he was employed an engineer
at the civil service commission.
The lady am expecting on the train TO-
night is my mother he said "and she has
not seen me since I was five months old.
1t was only recently that l learned of her
whereabouts and corresponded with her,
with the result that she is coming to Wash
1ngton tonight. l wrote and told her that
when she arrived in Washington to ap-
proach the police officer who would be on
duty at the depot and he would point me
pul " leI, DIS "Oulu explain the matter
to him."
The officer mentioned Informed Mr.. Croft
that he was willing to oblge him by stand
ing at the gate when the train arrived, and
point him out to the lady. If he would be
on hand at that time. Before leaving Mr..
Croft told the officer how he came to be
separated from his mother and father,
whom he had mourned as dead
Mr.. Croft's Story.
my parents resided in Illinois when the
civil war broke out" he said, "and my
father went to the front as an officer with
one Of the Illinois regiments, leaving my
mother at home with me, l being only five
months old at that time. My father was
taken prisoner and was dangerously
wounded while trying to make his escape
and my mother. who was informed of my
fathers condition. left me with relatives in
Illinois and went to the front to nurse him.
About two months after my mother left
to go to my father the relatives with whom
l had been left removed from Illinois to
Wisconsin. taking me with them. and they
failed to keep up correspondence with my
parents. and when ] grew up l was in
formed that they had both died. Recently
l came into possession of some papers that
had belonged to the relatives with whom l
had lived. and In looking over them I
picked out a name. and after looking at 1t
number of times the thought struck me
that 1t might be the name of my mother,
and l wrote to her and received a reply
from her. l answered the letter giving
some facts about my early life. and on re-
ceiving another letter was overioyed to find
that had at last really located my mother,
and l sent for her to come to me at once
Since have found her l have learned that
my father. whom I had believed to be dead.
IS allVe and engaged in business In Atlanta
Ca and will come to Washington during
the coming Grand Army encampment''
Meeting at the Depot.
After telling the officer the above story
Mr.. Croft departed from the depot, saw
ing he would return to meet the train that
night. He was on hand several minutes
before the train was scheduled to arrive
and spent the time walking from one end
of the platform to the other. glanclny at
the clock frequently AS the hands of the
depot clock pointed to thirty minutes after
Z O'Clock a Shrek of a whistle from an IN
coming train was heard, and the policeman
came through the depot and took up a DO
sition near the gates through which the
passengers from the train would pass to
reach the street. Mr.. Croft took up no.
sition a few feet in the rear of the officer
and almost the first person to come through
the gates was an elderly lady who ad-
dressed the officer The lady proved to be
Mrs. Croft, and the officer turned around
to the lady's son who was standing behind
him. Mr. Croft, however, did not need to
be called, for he was all attention and had
seen the lady when she approa ached the
officer. Mother and son embraced, and Of
ter thanking the officer for the part he
had taken In reuniting them after a separa-
ton of nearly thirty seven years they left
the depot and went to Mr.. Croft's nome
No. 4s Decatur street northeast, where he
introduced her to his wife and children.
Mr.. Croft Is absent from his place OF
employment on leave, and was not at home
when Star reporter called there this ef-
ternoon. His mother, who was seen, de-
clined to make any statement, saying that
she did not wish to gain newspaper noto-
riety