The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-26
BILL LANG A PAUPER.
Greatest OF All Distance Runners Now an
Inmate OF an English workhouse.

Greatest OF All Distance Runners Now an
Inmate OF an English workhouse.
A little moro than a week ago decrepit.
withered old man applied for admission to
the workhouse at Stafford. Lancashire.
England, and after hearing his story the
clerk readily assigned him to one Of the
wards. He was Bill "Crow Catcher Lang,
undoubtedly the greatest long distance
runner the world has ever seen and the
only survivor Of the days when wagering
on pedestrianism was one OF the delights
Of English sportsmen. Lang was the only
man who ever defeated the great Deer
foot, and his record Of 0 minutes II seconds
for two miles withstood the assaults Of both
amateurs and professionals until it was
beaten couple Of months ago by A. shrubb,
tho London amateur.
Lang was born near Newcastle-on-Tyne
on Dec. 20, 1880, and when about 10 years Of
age got acquainted with drum major Of
the tooth Regiment. Young though he
was, Bill had speed, and 1t was said he could
catch the crows onth wing, from which in
oident he earned the nickname OF the Grow
Catcher At the time there was Welsh
man in this regiment who was said to have
done great things as Q distance runner, and
the Major thought q race with Lang would
produce some fun. So one day he said:
sTaffy, I've q babe in arms who can beat
you and give you thirty yards In mile any
day" .Ach. you be plowed,- said Taffy;
then will run him, pc he as old as Adam"
The match was made and the day appointed,
and when they came to the mark the Welsh
man eyed Lang In disgust, saying, why,
this ish boy; you make damn fool OF me-"
History has 1t that Bill was not tongue
tied on that occasion. and he came out with
a string Of comprehensive epithets, wind
ing up by telling the old Josser he would
beat him like crow. They started and the
Welshman stayed In front until 200 yards
from home. when, with an audacity all his
own, Lang drew alongside, tapped his
man on the shoulder and shouted Come
along" and shot away to the post. The
Welshman fell on the grass. exhausted.
After that Lang got plenty OF matches and
attracted the attention OF the astute d.
vision. Contemporary with a group OF
tho foremost runners, he came of with the
biggest share OF the winnings. He met
and defeated such cracks as Sandeison,
Jimmy Hancock, Jack Brighton, the Nor
wich milk boy; Bill Richards, 8. Barker,
C. Wills. Paddy Stapleton, Harry Andrews.
Siah Albison, j. Neary, Bob McInstray and
others.
George Martin, keen Judge Of form,
soon got hold Of Lang and added him to
his troupe OF pedestrians at a salary of
s10 per week. But business becoming a
tribe slack after a time. Martin inumated
to the crow catcher that his salary must be
reduced, and accordingly said: Bill, your
wages are E7 per week now, Are they3.
replied the crow catcher; then I'm on.
Deerfoot was then in England, making all
sorts Of records. Lang challenged him to
run twelve miles, IL the Indian would con-
cede him 100 yards. The match was made,
Martin finding the stake money for Deer
foot.
when Lang arrived at st. Pancras station
he had a half crown in his pocket and
only one week to prepare for the contest.
In that time he reduced himself fourteen
pounds. This news spread about and
Lang Kept the redskin well in hand and
when nearing the finish shot to the front.
It was a desperate finish. Deerfoot being
beaten by half q yard. The time was
hour minutes ~ seconds, figures which
Lang was leading when the ten miles was
completed and his time was 81 minutes
% seconds-
But the most striking incident In Lang's
career, at any rate the one most talked Of,
was mile race along the turnpike road
at Newmarket, where he did performance
hitherto uneQualled. He covered the dis
tanoe In minutes . seconds Many dis
TANGO runners since and athletic authorities
have taken objection to the conditions,
but there has newer been a satisfactory
reason why the e1cellenoe Of the feat should
not receive the fullest acknowledgment
Tho principal objection to the race being
regarded as one Of the marvellous feats OF
long distance pedestrianiRm u that tho