The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-12-27
LACKED SEVEN MILES
EDWARD PAYSON WESTON FAILED
TO BEAT HIS WALKING RECORD.
The Once Famous Pedestrian Forced
to Realize He Is Not So Young
as He Used 10 Be.

NEW YORK, Dec. 26.-When Edward
Payson Weston, the fifty-eight- year-old
pedestrian, at 10 o'clock tonight left the
track on which he had endeavored TO equal
his record. 112 miles in twenty-four hours
he had walked 103 miles 426.13 yards. The
old man went TO the Office of the skating
rink, in which the track was situated,
threw himself on cot and wept bitterly.
a number of friends gathered around and
sought to console him. but Weston refused
TO be comforted, and reproached himself
for his failure.
The veteran started out bravely in his
effort TO prove that he was as sturdy
man as he was twenty-five years ago, and
more than half the day maintained a gait
that promised to break his record. Then
he was seized with vertigo and was obliged
TO leave the track for longer periods than
he had planned. He was also obliged, after
walking q few laps, TO reverse the drec-
ton, in order to overcome dizziness. About
half past o'clock tonight Weston reached
the 100-mie mark, and the spectators
cheered him. but the cheers did not glad
den the heart of the gray-haired pedes-
trian, who realized that he must fail. He
left the track and sat for a few moments
in one of the boxes, where he burst into
tears Again he took the track and sought
to wipe out the miles that stood between
him and victory. and added three miles and
426.l3 yards To his score before the clock
struck TO- During Weston's last half hour
on the track he was spurred on by the skat-
ers. who kept pace with him and congrat-
ulated him on his good showing. The
band, too. played lively SirS and the old
man spurted in response.
Weston undertook the task of equaling
his record of 1l2 miles in twenty-four hours,
made when he was thirty-three years old,
to illustrate how regular and temperate
life conserves mans vigor and makes him
strong in his later years. Weston sent
off on his journey at the Palace Rink at
10 o'clock last night. with lne encouraging
cheers of big crowd. composed principally
of scientists, society men, professional men,
prominent city officials and the like He
walked steadily until 10 to-day, covering
with a few minutes rest, seventy-twO
miles After thirty minutes rest he ap-
appeared again on the track and continued
his journey well ahead of the schedule. He
went off at rapid pace and the scene was
den in the old days, wheI. Weston ran
around the track lashing himself with a
little switch to KEEP ms blood in circulation.
four hours easily" he said. The old fell
low actually seemed to grow younger as he
went furher: There was no exhaustion de-
picted on his face. On the contrary there
was a good healthy color IN his cheeks and
his eyes were clear and bright AT about 9
o'clock he had covered Seventy-four miles
An hour later the score sheet showed that
he had seventy-three miles and four and
a half laps to his credit. His seventy-sixth
mile was covered in ten minutes. fifty-two
seconds the record of the trial to this
point Shortly after o'clock. when the
veteran was well under way he had an at
tack of vertigo, which compelled him to
leave the track. and he was absent forty-
nine minutes. On his return he set off at
a brisk pace, but after going an hour or
more he was compelled to retire again. AT
he had only covered twentv-three miles in
a little more than seven hours.