Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-18
THE ARRIVAL OF O'LEARY.
The Champion American Pedestrian
Again on American Soil.

HOW HE TORE THE LAURELs FROM THE Bgows
OF THE BRITISH PEDESTRIANS - SIR IoHN
AsTLEY's GOLD BELT.
MIR. Daniel OLeary, the victor in the great
international pedestrian tournament arrived
in the city yesterday. He left Queenstown On
the Imam steamship idaho on Maya He
of the city, and is now a guest at bhe Me 70
politan hotel. He leaves Tor Chicago tonight
Mr.. OIeary left New York for Europe on
cold and had a bad cough, and his friends
were fearful that he would break down bafora
reaching London. He says the sea voyage did
condition, and after three days pushed on to
London. Sir John Ashley had offered a purse
of $500 and magnificent belt to the MA
who would cover the most ground in six days
The entrance fee was $50. Ga receipt of This
information O'Leary wrote to MclIep his
trainer in his match with Weston. asking him
to deposit $40 with the proper parties SO as to
a late hour he learned that McGee had failri
to make the deposit, claiming he had receive |
his letter too late. Thereup>n O'Leary for
He did this on the strength of letters received
from Sir John Ashley, who WAS anxious Chat
he should walk. The money was received in
London ont three days after the pedestrian lief
From newspapers received in Liverpool he
saw that English sporting men were owing
over his entrance money and there w.re
grave DOUBTS as to whether he would be al
lowed to walk. On his arrival in LONDON he
visited Sir John Ashley, who gave him A writ
ten guar antee that the entry should be made,
money and belt. The tournament began in
Agricultural Hall at l a. m. March Il, three
days after O'Leary's arrival in London. There
were two tracks. one inside the other The
inside one was reserved for foreigners. and
the outside for Englishmen. OLeary was the
only foreigner present. and had the inside
track to himself Its curves were shorter
than the outside course, and there were a
greater number of laps to the mile. This gave
the Britishers Slight advantage.
Before we started" says OLeary, "Sir
been said that according to the rules for
entries ought not to be allowed to walk He
th n5 different: Any man who would come
entry was all right, should be welcomed to
such a tournament. And as his entrances
money was up before the whole amount was
really been violated. and he had decided that
the American could enter the lists. He
hoped that an Englishman would win, bnt if
the American was successful he would see
that he got the belt and money.
Eighteen of us started,' continues the pc
deStrlan. :" had eaten hearty dinner, and
got up from light supper of tea and toas5,
just before the walking began / 1ightenei
my belt, .gripped my corn cobs firmly, and
opened the ball. This corn cob business is a
habit. A firm grip on them seems to grid me
up and absOrbs the moisture of the hands. ]
have the same two cObs iii my trunk now at
the hotel, and always carry some with me-
You couldn't get such a thing in England.
~. ~ ran and walked the first fifty miles" says
waking the stretches. But quickly felt the
effects of the running in the uendons of nv
legs, and stopped it. 1t also injured my feel,
foot, while in walking The heel comes in play.
l walked 2Os miles before resting. making III
miles in the first twenty-four hours aud
changing my shoes twice day. On the costa
sept twenty-five minutes. In fact, / couldn't
sleep. My mind was so excited and nv body
SO sore that ] lay moaning, groaning and
to my feet and kept on walking until they tOld
me was twenty seven miles ahead of every
body. Then. at the earnest solicitation of MY
tIlend Al. smith OF Chicago left the track for
safe for Inc to do SO, for didn't feel like sleep
and was afraid OF getting stiff and sore And
1t turned n; &c out ust as thought got little
! again came on the track my nose began to
bleed and found myself very sore and stiff
The bleeding at the nose, however, did me
GOOD; 1t seemed to relieve my head. Then
anxiety OF the mind came up. found that
Vaughn had gained Oh me con siderable. He
was only ten miles behind, and Blower Brown
was within fifteen mics Gradually the sore
Timber. but the right one began to show signs
OF swelling. Slowly l pulled away from
Vaughan, and at II O'Clock on Thursday night
was fifteen miles ahead of him.
"Vaughn," continues O'Leary, sis a gal
liant walker and good square fellow. ".
watched each other like enemies, but there
Naughans friends were by far the most
numerous. When they handed him bouquets
he would pass them over to me to smell and
on on the next turn | would hand them back
ne Wlld applause Tor Vaughan had 40 eH..t
upon me. But when a little knot of Amer
cans and few Irish members of parliannnt
got into one corner and cheered me unit! the,
were hoarse. the effect was in,piri ing. l.
seemed to put wings on my feet. To in Spir.
him, Naughan's friends placed the glittefing
PET under MS nose, saying, Look al it bay
Don,t lose It. Five hundred pounds with it
that On Friday Vaughan was very close to
me, and my swollen leg began to trouble me
IL was hard struggle but after that Vaughan
he left the track on Friday night he was ii
teen miles behind. l put in two more miles
and sW was rubbed down and put to bed sep
me. told Smith to wake me the ms ant n.
appeared on the track, and he did so. Ali the
other Engishmen had given way to Vaughan.
the They had given him the inside of the Track,
could !9I get fairly, going he had gained two
miles, but from that time he slowly fell away
NY leg was swollen double its usual size, but L
bothered me considerable in walking / knew
that If l took another rest with so persistent a
man u; as Vaughan behind me it would beeoms
So sun 1nn tnat might lose the match So ended
without leaving the track. And that is how |
came to get the belt. Vaughan had hosts of
friends, and he deserved them. If he hal
won, he would have been the richest pedes
trlan that ever stood in shoe leather
OLeary says that he ate nothing during this
long walk. His only SuStenance was tea cot
lee, and milk, and an occasional suck of an
orange. His mind was in such state thai
the very sight of solid food made him sick He
entered the tournament weighing AS pounds
and came out of it with a loss of IA pounds.
he rested eight hours altogether, sleeping not
more than half that time. He lost three toe
nails after the match, but the swelling in his
leg soon went down, and he now consider,
himself In excellent cOndi ion. He says Sir
,JOhn Ashley is right in aScribing his success to
the making of his shoes w
Alter the tournament the gentlemen who
managed it for Sir John Ashley claimed that.
though there was no specifications in the
agreement, they intended that the belt Should
not leave England, and that all contests for
ITS possession should be walked in that coun
Try. A bitter controversy arose but Sir john
Ashley, Of whom OLeary speaks in the highest
terms, decided that the oversight was not
U Leary'S fault, and he should be allowed TO
take It where he pleased, on his word of honor
TO fulfil the other conditions. He is not it's
absolute owner until he wins two more sue
cessive contests, being compelled to accept the
1rSt challenges OF those who put up $500.
OLeary received in money 50, $50.
The belt was exhibited Yesterday by McSwv
@ re frn u Il ,I~~