The San Francisco call., 1909-02-17
MARATHON FOR
HOBO AND COP
RFNDS RECORDS
By Order of Court, Knight of the
Road Proves FIeefness and
Wins His Freedom
Town Recorder Victim of Mara
thOnitiS in Virulent Form
Watches Speed Burners
Prisoner Takes Look at Jail
and at Town Limit-and
Then Is Not

SAN RAFAEL Feb. 16.-Marathon
madness reached its dizziest heights
here today when by order of court a
policeman was directed TO race with a
hobo. arrested on the charge of va
grancy, the sentence being term in
jail for the tramp If he was overtaken
and liberty If he reached the town lin
its ahead of his pursuer. The hobo won.
Town Recorder de Ia Montanya, who
issued the order. has been suffering
from acute marathonia ever since the
. Inception of the epidemic. His was a
p: sad but hopeless case. He insisted on
d converting everything into a Marathon.
= and when Arthur Wright. hobo was
haled. before him his honor forgot his
~-lassitude. For Wright was broad about
the chest and slim about the waist and
strong about the legs
'Er-um," said the court. Can you
run. prisoner at the bar?"
When a policeman is chasing me.
ger honor" vouchsafed the unwashed
one. 4 goes like a streak Of creased
lightning out on toot. Sure can l."
"Ha," said the court and then turning
10 Policeman CoIlamore. he asked:
And you, officer, can you run?"
: MAKES ANTELOPES ENVIOUS
Il can run for Office" said CoIIanore.
=" but before / got this snap job pinch
. ing hoboes folks said that I was that
quick on my pins that antelope and
such things would get envious"
- -Ha,' said the court judiciaIly. The
order Of this court IS that the prisoner
do beat it with such speed Of which
he is capable toward the town limits.
and after he has Travelled a distance of
: one city block the arresting officer do
-hoof 1t in pursuit and do endeavor to
~ Intercept and arrest said prisoner.
Should said prisoner reach the town
!. limits without being intercepted by
: said arresting officer he is to be ac-
corded his liberty and a vote of thanks
=. from the sports OF the community.
. Prisoner at the bar. are you ready?
:. Cor
y Wright did not wait to argue on
technicalities- lie shot through the
door amid the shouts Of the specta-
=. tors. minute later Collamore. who
had stripped himself Of his guns and
codl, was dlLer liLn- HIS honor, head
p ing the court officials and prominent
D. citizens" brought up the rear. shout
ing encOura cement TO hobo and police
man alike Once the hobo tripped and
gave his legs a rest by travelling a con-
siderable distance on his face, but ere
the policeman could make the final lean
he was up again and going like a
scared rabbit.
TOWE JOINS RACE
Through the town ran the two with
San Rafael chasing behind making
their bets in the intervals Of cheer
ing. The shouts did the business. The
hobo gave a backward glance at the
crowd and one at the jail building and
then began 10 eliminate himself 1t
was more than running. II was pass
ing out an evaporation. He was, and
then suddenly was not He was seen
70 hunch himself and then-and then
san Rafael, watching the streak of
dust figured il out that Wright would
reach Salt Lake City shortly after 3
p m tomorrow. At the rate he was
going il would take him about a oay
and half TO bring himself to halt