The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-17
NAPOLEON CAMPANA'S WALK
BElTING THE TIME MADE BIZ THE
CHAMPION O'LEARY IN LONDON
walking and Running 100 Miles In n Ps,r OF
shoes that ava not FIT Him-Hew he Beat
MIX Train-His Astounding Endurance.


BRIDGEPORT, Conn, Nov. 1e.-Nspoleon
Campana. ex-newsboy and ex-member Of the
old Volunteer Fire Department Of New York,
kept peanut stand several years ago in Main
street in this city. at the head OF Elm street.
One day he spranR into Main street In time TO
catch a team Of runaway horses bv the bit Of
one OF them. The horses continued TO run. but
Campanas grip was like iron. and the horses
| had little tho advantage OF him In speed. He
| turned them in toward the sidewalk by hang
| Ing on to the bit. Then he found that the side
| walk was full OF persons. and he had to turn
| them out again. How he did this he never
| knew but he thinks he was indebted about
equally to his legs and his strength for success.
A great many persons saw him. and they con-
sidered that his prompt and courageous action
deserved recognition. Accordingly q subscrip-
tion was raised. and Campana was presented
with n gold badge TO commemorate his bravery
| Not satisfied with this several citizcns who had
| become interested in him presented him with a
| horse and wagon. With the horse and wagon
| In his possession Campana became a fruit
vender. He was called Sport" because no
used TO be a Fulton Market boy and had 70
tanned his old free and easy manners and be-
cause he was irregular in his life. being seen
| about the city at all hours Of the day and night
| Nevertheless he was not intemperate In his
habits. and bore y good character. He s tall
beaten complexion. and looks like one OF his
| namesakes veterans.
| undertaken in Huhbelfs Hall. in Bridgeport,
| by two men named Moore and Laws. While II
oed n rbo m Sp9S bs began on q Let be under
| and walker. II was alleged for him that he had
beaten Smith. tho Indian runner. in match in
| Philadelphia. and had also beaten n Chicago
Pet" in walking and running match. Still.
the citizens of Bridgeport were inclined to
Next. Campnna walked to New Haven and
buck. about 40 miles. In hours and 80 minutes.
! At length the confidence Of several citizens in
Bridgeport was gained. and gate money
match against OLeary's London time t520t
anemcd i'm M gt 10 Ws So rac was not
ratcly.. Fourteen laps to the milo. the computa-
ton o. Moore and Laws. was assumed to be
Tho track wae made Of sawdust two inches
deep, II was obong the two long stretches be-
about 10 feet. Last sunday at midnight
Campana appeared with his two pet dogs.
Scotch terrier and a Spitz. his inseparabla com
panions. He wore, blue skull can. strenked
up and down with white. an old black coat.
white flannel trousers. aud street shoes. He
walked and ran with an easy gait. In the pres
sence ~ n few spectators.
On Tuesday morning IL was reported In the
town that he bad run during Monday 40 miles
without stopping. and wanted 20 run 10 miles
more. but his manager. sam Merritt wouldn't
let him. The entire distance gone over in the
twrnty-four hours was 1875 miles. This began
70 Rttrar. attention, and on Tuesday afternoon
On Tuesday. Wednesday, and Thursday he
made sucn tine as ~ did pot helie the promise ho
bad given; Mt: chhTles s Fox: % an Insurance france
The scorers nj such times ~ Mr.. Fox was not
present were chosen from the audience. There
been anytling wrong in the time kept. Cam
pana has been seen walking by policemen from
the street AT all hours OF the day and night.
At 1898 Friday evening Campana had made
40 miles, and then he stopped forthe night: A
SES% sSrS s hs ss music mus for bin The
A soon as he leit tho track he was rubbed down
and dr'ssed after which he sat down by stove
to do to-day. He interrupted himself in the
sucking of m orange IN sing song. The suit
presented to him that evening. The
money money taiie taken at ne door interested
the sale OF his photograph. Atl2'25 he went on
ne track again mud ran twenty miles. when no
He then resumed and ran and walked several
miles. Al 4. he was again rubbed down. after
better. Better and al ios nnished fis b2sth mile. Up
10 this time he ran most OF tho time He
took potatoes, bread: and tea for 6reHktast on
there WAS considerable swelling. He has not
had good shoes since the start. and this is the
reason his legs have swelled go much.
Sport kept at work al tho forenoon. running
and walking. His 53iih mile was made in :OS
rubbed down. lNiter which he returned, and
made three laps on MS eG 3a3d mile. Ats o'clock
| During the evening nm exciting piece OF news
crept through the hall There. were nearly 500
spectators, present 1t was, said that tho com
pualion, fourteen laps 10 the mile was wrong
and that CampanA had not walked SO far as the
record purported 10 show. No blame was nt-
started his chances Of beating OLeary's time
was not reckoned good enough to Justify any
special care, Now. however. several citizens
had become Interested and after the 47sth mile
had been run Campana was withdrawn and the
track was me@spTd % d BY Mr. BGESHra The
Mr.. Sehoheld said to-day: l will In ponsi-
he for ths accuracy OF the new new m,oens9rement
OF the miles recorded for him. The track. meas
ured feet from the inside edge, is exactly
33G $40 feet which requires 1875 laps 10 tho
mile instead Of IL. Then calculation was
made, and It WIS that to equal OLearys Lon
don time II would be necessary for Sport TO
make 81 actual miles more instead OF AK. as
This news was carefully kept from Campana.
so that IL might not discourage him. To-day he
appeared on the track after short rests tocraby
nimble. when once he had run on the stiffness
This evening at about 30 Campana b had made
oil miles. and lacked less than ten miles OF Hc-
complishlng his proposed feat. He trotted
around the track. followed by one OF his dogs,
while Merritt kept even with him at a fast walk:
The hall was packed. Every time he passed
clnpping.
II should be understood that although o'Leary
made 52OA miles In about four hours less than
six days and might. perhaps, II II had been
necessary have walked several miles further. IL
his competitors had held out yet in point Of
fact. he only Walked tho distance mentioned in
tho siN days allotted 10 him. II was claimed
| lueloloIt, lnul II Mnhll lf enough Tor CNmpanA
II he should make O'Leary's distance in six
days This would fairly cntite him 10 chal-
l0nge the champion,
Campnna hHs two ruptures. one Of them be-
ing very large. Th"sr hune in the opinion Of
Or Il. +. Martin. would have been enough 10
have discouraged any ordinary man from
entering upon so great an undertaking. Be-
sides these ruptures he had m acute swelling
on one knee probably the result OF n fall
During his walk n soreness has developed In
his legs which Dr. Martin thinks hns arisen
from varicose veins. Two sores visible 10 the
| EnNCtntnrS hglln6 Iamnnnnfa ur amid -,
be the result of congestion. His feet are yet in
nearly perfect condition. They are but slightly
swollen and not much hiistered. This ia alleged
as proof ot his wonderful toughness. During
his walk he has sometimes worn street shoes
mud sometimes slippers. He walked and ran
100 miles in a pair OF shoes that did not tit him.
DIR. Martin says that CampRnA has not slept
ten hours since he began his walk though no
has rested considerably more than that. He
has lived on potutocs beef toa toast soaked in
beef tea bread n little beef. milk and tea.
THIS evening each OF the 100 windows In tho
front OF Hubbe's block. in which he WAS walk
lng, WAs Illuminated with two candies From
Main street CHmpanR could he seen trottinR
past the windows of the nith story. There was
uf put 1 M a. la4 t4n \