The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-31
Capt. Welland Of Osman's Army,
Left for Dead at Plevna,
Seeks for IS Years.
REPORTED AMONG KILLED
Held in Russian PrisOn-Clue
Finally Leads to Happy
Reunion Here.

pearance raped timioly upon u door OH
the third moor of the house at 81 South
Fourth street. in Williamsburg. yesterday
morning. His manner was that Of one
who seemed to dread the outcome Of that
was about to happen.
The door opened Confronting the man
was woman OF about his age. gray
haired too. Wonderfully she stood as he
walked In. wiping her hands ncrvously
upon her apron.
For a moment or two he struggled for
speech, then he regained self-control
Mary he cried. holding out both hands
to the woman. Don't YOU know me?
Don't you know your husband7 They
told me you were dead. I've hunted ali
over the world for you and Just found you
were living
The womans face was as gray as her
hair. For a moment she stood as one
dazed. Then she threw herself into his
arms and called his name as her husband.
The door closed upon theri. while neigh
bors ran to spread the t,dlngs through
the house.
Followed Osman Pasha.
More than thirty-five years ago Alfred
Welland. then n prosperous British resi-
dent Of Cairo. Egypt. became Involved In
Egypto-Turkish politics. He was intimate
with Osman Pasha. the Turkish General.
and enlisted in the Turkish army at the
outbreak OF the Turko-Russian War Os-
man made him an officer and he marched
away with his command after saying
good-by TO his young wife and their In
"a -.
At various times letters from tho front
reached the wife who stayed In Cairo.
telling Of her husbands continued safety
and Of a further promotion. Then for
long period no news came.
In 1877 tho rumor swept through
Egypt that n terrible battle had been
fought at Plevna and that thousands had
been. killed and wounded Official des-
patches confirmed this and the list of
the dead contained the name OF Capt Al
fred Weliand.
The wife was broken hearted. She
was fairly well TO do and had no cause
to worry on that account, but the loss
of her husband made her very I'll for n
long time. When she recovered she sought
to trace her husbands body, but learned
that ne had been buried In an unnamed
grave.
After year Mrs. welland sold her
home In Cairo and with her young son
left the country She went first to Aus
tralia, travelled there for while and
finally came to the United States. settling
in New York. Her son grew up and some
years ago he married and went 10 live in
Boston. where business called him. His
mother continued to make her home here
and for some time has had an apartment
In Williamsburg. She had for years been
Arm in the belief that her husband was
dead and had given up the search for
information about him.
In . Russian Prison.
The scene now changes to Cairo. Two
years after the battle OF Plevna there
came falteringly back TO that city = worn.
emaciated veteran of the war. II was
Alfred Welland. who had been left for
dead upon the battle field and had fallen
a prisoner to the enemy When the Turk
ish relief corps went over the scene later
they found q body that. though mutilated
by shot. was identified az that OF We'll
land. So his name passed from the rolls.
The war ended and the Russian prisons
gave up their captives. Among them was
welland Slowly he made his way to his
home. II was In strangers hands. His
wife and child had disappeared. Friends
told him they had gone to Australia. He
followed and heard finally that they had
gone 10 America.
Again he took UP the search. but in this
country It was In vaar He was told that
a woman and a boy answering TO the de-
scription he gave had died in fever cpl
demic.
From New York he went to Canada md
settled In Montreal starting in business
AS a furniture manufacture. The years
brought him success. but not all happl-
ness. He never married again and for a
long time followed many false clues to his
family.
Two years ago he came back to New
York on business. Then his hopes were
revived at a report that Mrs. welland
was living here. But search failed to re-
veal her and he returned to Montreal.
Ten days ago he received from friends
information that they believed they had
really found his wife.
Yesterday he came to New York and
went to the address the friends had given
him. It was his wife who opened the door
to him. She too had remained faithful to
his memory and never married.
Last night Mrs. Welland's old home was
closed. She and her husband who was
found after many years were on their way
| to Boston to see their son. He will not
know until this morning that he has a