The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-29
SIXTY MILES A DAY.
Sergeant Walsh Is Making Record in
Hike Across Continent.

On an overland trip from Boston to
San Francisco. which If accomplished
within ninety days will net him $4,000
in cold cash, Sergeant John Walsh, of
the United States army, stopped off in
Topeka last night and this morning.
Early last September, the Hearst pa
pers in Boston printed a story which
was a broadside taken with deliberate
aim at the United States army. The
army was termed effeminate, and it
was stated in the story that not a man
could be found in the army who could
make the distance from Boston to San
Francisco on foot within the record
time of one hundred days-at least that
is what Walsh says.
This statement reached the notice OF
John Walsh, who is stationed with
troop B, Second U. S. cavalry, at Fort
Des Moines. Ia. Walsh is generally ac-
credited with being the champion hiker
in the army. and after comforting with
Hearst representatives, agreed to make
the attempt
Walsh left Boston September 18th
Tonight at midnight he will have been
on the road forty-eight days and at the
present time he is $50 miles ahead of
his schedule. He arrived in Topeka
last night, after having started
Wednesday morning from Fort Leav
enworth. He left at noon today and
will reach Fort Riley tomorrow in time
for breakfast. This is a distance OF
seventy miles, and Walsh will stop to
rest but five hours.
The terms of the agreement with the
Hearst papers is a very strict one.
Walsh must walk every step on coun-
try roads. not even being permitted to
follow the railroad tracks. He Is noc
allowed to ride in an elevator in any
building. On the trip he is accom-
panied by Lieutenant Charles st. Clair,
of the Seventeenth infantry, and Frank
Wade who is a representative of the
Hearst papers. The two ride in an
automobile and keep in close touch,
within sight of Walsh practically all of
the time. SO it is almost impossible for
Walsh to evade any of the provisions
OF his contract with the Hearst people.
This morning Walsh called on sew
eral officials in Topeka to get state
ments from them regarding his pres
ence in Topeka. He has with him a
haversack in which several note
bboka and other para phanalia are
carried. This is sealed by some
government official and the seal is
only to be broken in the presence of
another official in some other town.
At the postoffice this morning Walsh
mad the postoffice stamp placed in
his book. Mayor Green wrote a short
statement and the official seal of the
city was secured. Walsh also called
at the governors office and received
the great seal of the state. and also
mad the seals of the grand army and
! the state adiutant general stamped
in his book. His haversack was sealed
at the governors office and won't
be opened gain until reaching Fort
Riley, where a portion of his regi-
ment is stationed
sergeant Walsh is 50 years of age
and has been in TIE army for 27 years
serving in all the departments. He
Is on a six months furlough He is
well built and looks strong enough to
stand such a journey. "I don't feel
a bit fatigued," he sal dthis morning,
and expect to finish my journey
within ninety days. I can stand sixty
miles day and viii reach Frisco in
/ tlme for dinner on Thanksgiving
| day