The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-25
CHASING 0'LEARY'S GHOST.
JOHN HrGHEs'S EFFORTS TO OJ'IRT1KE
THE FLEETIN0 PHANTOM
HIS Desperate Struggles TO Bent n. Time or
Die on the Trnck-He Makes up some Lost
Time, but Is sun Far behind The suec,re


HIS Desperate Struggles TO Bent ~. Time or
Die on the Trnck-He Makes up some Lost
Timc, but 4. suii Far Behind the spectre.
Last night John Hughes appeared 10 be
getting his second wind and was making a
manly struggle with tho ghost of Daniel
OLeary No one questions the sincerity OF his
Denoi that lie can beat the timo Of
the great pedestrian. His strongest impulse
in his undertaking has been his hatred to
OL"ary. He had challenged him. and met
with a contemptuous rofusal He was anxious
to match his speed and endurance ms n runner
against o'Loarys speed and endurance MS q
walker. Sir John Astlcys tournament gave
him the long desired opportunity. but he lacked
The money for Il trip TO Europe. OLcary's offer
to build bridge for him to cross tho ocean
fired him tO madness He determined TO beat
his time or die on the track" The prospects
are that he will do neither. Hc IL n fine piece
of steel. bu, Inns boon badly tempered.
Mr. Harry Hill and other friends Of Hughes
apparently built their hopes Of his success upon
his record as a runner and his physical condi-
tion. OLcary is lightly built He has slim
waist and trim body. and resembles the
| pictures of Powo and other noted pe-
dcsirians. Hughes has the build OF an
! athlete. His shoulders are broad his legs
| large and solid. and his feet big aud strong. lie
| hns been longshorcman aud n laborcr ON the
| bOulcyards aud this work must have ioughenrd
! md strengthened him OIeary Is n stranger
| 70 mnnual labor. HIS first years of man
mood mood were spent In selling Bibles. and he do
! sembcs high -mctilcd rnce horse, while
Hughes looks more Ike u cart horse Accord
for, endurance Hushcs's backScrs Ss reasoned s ned
out the soundnr-s OF their conclu. HiIe
sions. MINI hns proved more powerful thnn
! .clved u good cducnlion his intellectual facul-
| ties prcdominate. Hughes has low forehead
and received bad education; his animal facul-
~ prcd9minatc. Q'Lenry is silent. but cacu-
| lW,inH. Hughes is bonstful. and relies solely
up9n his physical strength 10 carry him through
lie began his task at s;23 on Sunday night
| running thirty miles in the extraordinary Time
a. hours and a minutes. The ghost, Of
aud nolsclcssly: 1t was tho old story Of the hare
and Tortoise. Hughes was So worn out with his
passed him before he had adj" scored cor FI, his
| FIRST iiity miles. At the end Of the hity miles
NJ ghost WINS tweuty-four minutes ahead pac-
| record shows that he made his first fifty miles
~ eight hours and forty-one minutes. II took
mu;nrs' dtspitc his amazing run. nine hours
with his cyes upon the heels OF the ghost he
made another spurt. but his tent was too near tho
appetite. He cravrd chnmpag and solid food
..nd Eayc nj nlim9ntlycnees a free rein In
Nenl{-lour hours he was seventeen miles be-
hind ghost. He made no effortt to regain tho
lost time. HIS appetite sntIated. sleep lowered
slept long and soundly; The ghost WIS awake
long before he opened his eyes, and was moving
~ IT'S steady course around the track.
limbs were stifTcned and a rebel
nrsh. Ilc cravcd moro champagne and
b"eisieak, and satisfied his cravings. His body
rGH e%ay NAVY w,a R. VII and at the end Of i9rg
or,more than eleven hours behind the ghost.
l-sterday he began 70 improve but the ghoet
kept mp III steady stride. and at % last even
ing was iiity-sevon miles and a half ahead. For
the fret three days the record stands as follows:
"a; M2. s.'t 'o'' NJ. %:g'"'
'''' 1aq% a'S iy,.'...,,'.: l5G iS 30
1hrd day ........ ............ ~ II
Total three dsy. 9oT. IA
So that as yet Hughes il hardly holding his
"M. .,i WIN & im, sho1', ~, lie prGs away ol'-tn-
loe. which has boon ,ut hy chiropodist il said
70 he IN much better condition than when he
w6ie. md shows bu, iiitee iiitie mois,gTe. iSTa IT,.
arms have LOST tncir mu.oalnr mnr.s. and his
check bones ARE morv prominent. while his eyes
ilusl in the garlight ~ though fastened upon
ihe ever rcirraiing figure Of the ghost Tho
Mrs McLeod's Reel these tunes inspiring him
far moro than selections from Onenhpch.
thrown oTward and Se SDf' pats ON s ihe eenans ngma
b9giroliing touch 80 acceptable 10 the ,admirors
en- h knee and a Coroncr's inquest on cach
foot said u professional pedestrian last even
ing. For hours lac carried pebble in
saving that IT made his mouth rusty Two mem
bers of the Athletic Club accompany him over
the trnck, and spite all soreness he keeps them
al fun speed. lIe has evidently not quite lostnil
hope of catching the ghost, for BE jabcrs"
says he bu, ior me toe Ill bet this O'Leary
sure
Al certain intervals Hughes Is put into vapor
bath, and steamed. Aflrrward ho l. placed up.
on marble slab and shampoocd. Then he Is
rubbed down oiled. and brought out new man.
With his reoupeiatiNc powers he may make
an astonishing burst Of speed at any time. and
there il "a bare possibility that he may get
within hailing distance Of the ghost brown. |
famous pedestrian. once ran 45O miles in six
days. and, with his physical stamina, and pro-
poItonate amount oi mental pluck. Hughes
ought to do much better.
At 9:ij las, evening Hughes had made 3Glj
lars out 81 the o,l3l necessary 10 beat the time
OF the ghost.
During tie last twcnty-four hours. Hughes
had ad Taiked Ty "a miles hnd had rested hours
ing time. for the "a miles. ~ hours and So
Hughes expects to walk 50 miles to-day that
IL, from o.23 last evening should he do So
which is very doubtful. he viii. tomorrow
evening at 1928, slll be over So miles behind
miles, while Hughes total. providing he walks
50 miles today, will only be 3l4 miles
Az ln;2D Hughes. after making eleven laps Of
his 2i2d mile retired TO bis tent and had his feet
attended TO- Although he had numerous pro-
iYsslonal trainers there was no salt water to
rl3hGEs rLl3hEs. hi7 nur4nG a! i&eet & in and when they
showed that they knew more about hGrscs
than Il pedestrian. Hughes rested u min
ntes and 20 seconds. when he came out 10
finish his 2i2d mile; .Afier walking two laps
b., again retired at 1913 but returned Mt 10 40
While liu.hes was finishing his 2i2l mile he
walked worry lame His knee gave him grcat
pam. while lh9 ingrowlng toe nail which had
hndy H. leslGred. ,p Ecp' MN MIN from falling inslcep
him twenty minutes to walk his 2i3d mile. At
midnight he had covered 2l5 miles.