The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-03-25
COL. wUsTRoW's DEATH,
From Nobility and Military Honor to
a Pauper's Crave.

Fauper 0TaVg.
Col. Paul Won Wustrow, an aged
citizen of Alsea, died at his home
near the store of w. H. Malone. on
Tuesday of this week and was bur
led in Alsea cemetery Thursday, |
having been a county charge for
the past year. Infot nation con-
cerning his residence in Oregon
dates from 1868, and it is given
by Willis Vidito. In that year,
Mr.. Vidito was assessing Benton,
and he came upon secluded cabin
in the northern part of the county.
He entered the house and found
within a middle aged man stricken
with fever and unable to rise from
his bed. The sick man was Col.
Wustrow. and he stated that he
had been helpless there for three
weeks. Mr.. Vidito notified farm
ers in the vicinity and thereafter
the unfortunate man was properly
cared for until he became as we'll as
he was afterward, but his illness at
that time left him in a palsied
state, from which he never recov-
cred.
Some time afterward Wustrow
went to the Alsea valley, where he
shortly became postmaster and
acted in that capacity in one local
ity and another, until about four
years ago, when he was succeeded
by W. H. Malone. He owned an
acre of ground and small resid-
ence in the village of AIsea, but
some time ago he disposed of this
property to Mr.. Malone with the
understanding that he was to re-
tain possession until his death,
which he knew would not long be
deferred.
Col. Wustrow's age is believed
| to have been about 90 years. He
,, was generally regarded as schol-
arly man, having. it's said, been
well educated. He spoke fuently
{ a number of languages. He had
little. to say concerning his past
life in the United States. further
than that he had served in the hos
pita1 service of the Confederate
army, but of his career before com,
ing to America he talked more
freely.
1t has been gathered from de.
tached bits of his history given out
by himself that he was Courtland
Russian, that his people were
of the Russian nobility and that they
7 possessed large estates in his native
country. Wustrow obtained his
a title of Colonel as a participant
: in a war which the Hungarians
: tor a considerable time maintained
, against the Austrians and Russians
in 1S48-4o. Wustrow's wife was a
' Hungarian. He fought with her peo'
3 pie, and his people were Hungarian
Y sympathizers. At lengththe Hunga-
l rians were defeated and humbled al
: the feet of the opposing armies. Ar
S Austrian commander became gov.
: erner of the conquered territory
t and he inflicted the greatest cruel
4 ties on the people. Many of the
0 Hungarian nobility were condemned
S to death or long terms of imprison.
: ment, and the estates of the rich
e est patriots were1 confscated. I
e happened that not only were the
y Won Wustrow estates taken, bu
: Paul, the subject of this sketch
e was imprisoned and condemned t,
r die. Before the day of execution
:. came. however, Paul's friends wer
enabled to bribe his keepers ant
J, higher officials to allow him to es
cape. This was done, and an off
cia1 record of his execution mad
'r in order to conceal the irregularity
IS When liberated, Paul lost no tim
: in fleeing the country, and not Ion,
L afterward landed in Free America
In 1857, Hungarian political Of
tenders were pardoned and all es
tates were restored to their rightfu
owners. From his secluded hom
in Alsea valley in late years, Col
Wustrow repeatedly endeavore
to obtain recognition of claim i
8. the restored property Of his people
but he was ever confronted witt
the official record of his death il
1850. In no manner was he eve
:. enabled to procure assistance fror
:, his native country, and is a sad lin
!. of vision from life as noblema
with high military rank to lionel
i death as public charge in a dis
= tant land.