The New York herald., 1879-09-27
SATURDAY. TWO A. M.
WESTON BEHIND

The race for second place in tho hfth contest for
the Ashley belt yesterday made the day the most
interesting one in the history Of walking
matches. A most unfortunate aud unexpected
Interruption to the; brilliant record Of
Rowell signalized the day eventful
one, and that shall long be remembered unpleas-
aptly by all classes of people in the community.
dastardly attempt made, it is believed. the
health. II not the lfe Of the famous pedestrian but.
fsrtunstely for him and the fair of the city.
It ives not successful. He appeared on the track
last night before thousands Of people. and was
cheered until he must have been convinced
OF the pleasure of the public at seeing him
again in his old place. Hazael. though suffering
from bad foot. did we'll and at late hour last
night gave promise of showing evidence OF
the fine reputation he has held in England a. q
runner. 4 - l..- e.m
.ss.a HoNoRs HART
Hart fully justified the confidence Of his friends
and manifested by his courage and endurance how
we'll placed was the trust reposed in him by
OLosry. dcputation OF his own peo-
pie called him from Boston during
the day and complmented him and his hackers. also
In their success in the great match. Ennis
going we'll and appeared to be in good health
ever. but he lost heart in the morning at seeing
bis small. Guyon walked well ana would
have continued to the end but for the injury to
Of hs feet which compelled him to leave the track
early in the evening. He will be there to-day,
though 1t Is to be hoped in good shape AS had
been promised in his behalf, Mr.. Weston picked
up immensely. He abandoned many OF the frivo-
lous tricks which he indulged In during tho first
days Of the week, and which much out Of
place to raise doubts of his sound men,
tai condition. Merritt astonished everybody by the
excellence of his performance, aud has made the
hnal struggle for the belt interesting and
exciting one. Krohne and Fordermeyer both held
their own in their plodding way up to q late
hour whom Ferdermeyer retired permanently and
Krohne retired to rest. The attendance very
large IL being estimated that there tho least
calculation ten thousand persons in the Garden at
ten o'clock last evening. .l
az NIGHT THE GARDEN.
Life at . walking match, like everywhere else. has
its changes phases and peculiarities. Sometimes 1t
isall brightness and aayey enthusiasm and excite
mont. and again 1t il blank and drear and uuevent
full During the evening hours. when every seat in
the vast auditorium is occupied and the contestants
are nerved to their finest efforts. the great mass
Of people are shouting. cheering and applauding;
there is excitement at times IL is impossible to
resist but when these and the walkers, like
the audience. have gone to bed. with odd stray
exception here and there. q phase presents itself
that is the opposite Of the picture which has just
nation 1t would seem that great body Of people
he'd gone out of the house leaving some who had
formed part of the bulk behind, but they are not
like the Others From one to two o'clock in the
morning is the time this metamorphosis takes place.
and Il In the most marked OF any OF the various
changes of the day. Two thousand people move
freely In the lately crowded by hve
times that number, and their and manners
were free from restraint the space about them
-
match usually come to remain the whole night, and
they mean 10 get all the enjoyment possible for
their money. Some sit in the seats. and others
roam st will. Most of thom to SEQ the racing,
toe. snd they narrowly watch what is going on
Thursday night the attendance larger than
usual, and there more ladies among the visit
orr. Those who arrived late were q little dsap-
pointed. for many OF tho crack pedestrians
retired early. Rowell. for instance, left the
track st six minutes past midnight. and only
turned to 1t at twenty minutes past two. Guyon
went OF ut twenty minutes past eleven. when his
score stood the dial at 3l6. and came back ut
twenty-four minutes to two. Though Hart did not
leave until ten minutes after one he went out again
ats quarter after three. His that time
bered $40 miles. At four O'Clock Hazac snd Merritt.
whose respective counting the black board was
Sos sa,d "n so' tUsssner s ior race ana created a
we're instantly deserted and the hy.ng pedes-
trians we're keenly watched. Each man had
friends III the crowd, and these friends
gave unrestrained expression to their admiration.
As the athletes noyeo round the track the audience
within and outside the railing rushed from point TO
point TO get better view OF them. For q
Few minutes the excitement was intense. and
the shouting and yelling of the men look-
ing at the could be distinctly heard outside
tho building. Hazael rested at fity-two minutes
past eleven and got the track at forty min
utes past three. Ho had done but little work then
when Merritt challenged him to tho dash that so
carried away the house.
GETTING A nEsT
i. Weston went to bed ut quarter TO two, and
left IL for tho course at torty-eght minutes
pant three. lie had then made 331 miles
toward holding the Ashley belt. Merritt went
on at twelve minutes past two. and cano
back at nifty seven minutes past three. He hx
scored then in the nnety.ninth hour of the
contest Y7l miles and laps. kerdermeycr