The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-14
WALKER IS
 C|RCL|NG GLOBE Passes Through Birmingham
 on Long Journey GETS s1o,OOO IN LYONS Tells an Interesting Story and Shows Scars Which He Claims Are Re-
 suit of Langushing In
 Russian Prison.
GETS S1O,OOO IN LYONS

After walking, in his own estimation, some 15,00O or POGO miles, almost com pletely encircling the globe, and touching nearly every one of the larger and most important countries in the world, Mon- sieur Henri Mosse, a wonderful little French globe trotter, reached Birming- ham yesterday shortly before noon on his way to New York The little Frenchman is now on the last long tramp of his worldwide journey on foot
 Mosse is now headed for Lyons, France, where 5O0O0 francs, about $10,000 in Ameri- can money, awaits him if he makes it be- fore June IA, 1908.
 The story the little Frenchman bears is Interesting. His long walk is partly a business proposition and partly matter of upholding the name of the Touring Club of France. His venture grew out of a wager between the Sportsman's club of London and the Touring club of France Mosse states that each of the clubs thought certain of its members could ex eel those of the other on the point of brevity of time in circling the globe on foot.
 Consequently a wager, in which 50,000 francs was the purse, was made between the two clubs and each selected four men to make the trip. They were to travel in pairs, a Frenchman and an Englishman. and the eight men assembled in Paris on June IA, 1904, for instructions. The men were sent to all four points of the globe to start. One couple started from Turkey. another from Australia, one from Africa and one from America. The first man to circle the globe and report at Lyons under four years time from the date of his start wins the s1OOOO purse
 Mosse states that he was one of the couple that started from Turkey. He says that he is informed that he is the last one left of the eight men who started out for tine purse. One Frenchman. he says. was killed by the Boxers in China. One couple was horribly and mysteriously murdered in Abyssnia. Another couple died in a hospital in Australia, Mosse says his companion trotter committed sui eide in India, and that he understands the seventh man gave up his trip at the point Of starvation some two or three months ago.
 So, he believes, he is assured of the prize, as he has six months to walk to New York, take steamer to Paris, and then foot it from Paris to Lyons
 And he started out completely broke. He declares that he has ridden no part of the journey except across the oceans, and has snatched up his living during his three and a half years walk in every sorr Of way. He says he landed in San Fran cisco about six months ago, went from there to San Jose, thence to Vera Cruz. New Orleans, Meridian and Birmingham. He expects to leave Birmingham tomor- row for Washington, where he will secure certain papers from the French consul.
 Mosse bears horrible scars which he says are remembrances of the Russo Japanese war. He states that while in Russia he was mistaken for a Japanese spy. He is the authority for the state ment that he was imprisoned in a Rus sian prison and kept there for 45 days. on his back there are long scars made by the letters of the prison and there are horrible marks on his ankles which he says were made by the double irons he was compelled to wear while imprisoned Many other statements of his are equally horrlfying but interesting.
 Mosse is 36 years old He is not of the typical French type, but speaks French almost entirely with only a smattering of English. He is not more than five feet tall, very slightly built and a pecu- liar character to look at. He carries at his side a little satchel which bears his testimonials, and on his back he carries his wardrobe-a good sized pack sack. His book of testimonials contains all sorts of clippings, seals pictures, stamps and signatures which present a very interest ing collection.