The evening world., 1912-09-02
Kolehmainen, Only Winner of
Three Olympic Events,
Held at Ellis Island.
COMES AS IMMIGRANT.
Unknown in Storage, Though
King Crowned Him a Few
Weeks Ago.


est long distance runner, but . cham
pion OF champions at the Olympic
games In Stockholm, stood in the i'm
migration pom at Ellis Island to-day
shouIdering his bundle like any green
horn. while the officials passed along
the line examining the motley crowd.
Hans the Mighty waited patiently for
the will OF the United states Govern
ment to pass upon his eligibility 10 sct
his foot on the mainland. lie had come
In the storage OF tho Anchor line
steamer California yesterday and. With
his brother and a friend. had been sent
to Ellis Island.
A few short weeks ago king had
placed wealth on Kolehmainen's
head. proclatming him one OF the great.
That was after he had performed the
unprecedented feat OF winning three
events at an Olympiad-the 1900. 5000
and 10000 meter races. He was also
strong figure in the cross-country con-
tests. To-day he was az atom in the
swirl!ng mass that clustered about
every blue-coated officer, Showing DICK
cts and gazing wistfully through the
fog at the dull Goddess of Liberty who
promises wonderful things.
HAD TO BE LOOKED OVER FOR
ELIGIBILITY.
II was necessary for the Government
to find out how matters stood regard
ing Hans and the rights OF n sovereign
people. Would he be likely TO become
public charge? How much money had
he? Was his health good? The chest
OF Hans Kolchmainen rose and fell as
he waited. He thought, duly. what was
taking place. but spoke little. His
brother. william. who talks English,
was the lighter hearted. for William
had won $50 IN the Isle OF Man. Just
before he sailed. The race william
won was small matter OF fifteen miles
over rough country. but he did not
crow over Il. because Brother Hans can
run him of his feet.
William II a professional, but Hans
In . true amateur. When a man ar
rives in the stecrage and IL detained
pending investigation into his finances,
after sending the flag Of Finland time
and time again to the front of all
othG nations at Stockholm. there can
be little question that he 10 an anna
teur.
Hans advanced to the desk of the
doctor. He removed his big cap and
dropped his cord-wrapped bundle. 1t
took but a minute to decide his case.
"All right. Go ahead" said the doc
tor. Then the Commissioners assist
n n ~ nd In has III
earning capacity? Hans told them he
was a stone mason. lie looked strong
enough. Did he have any other occu-
patton? A runner Then one of the
| officials remembered the headlines of
the papers when Hans Kolehmainen
defeated the greatest athletes of
America and the rest OF the world.
PUBLIC CHARGE? NOT WITH
THOSE LEGS.
They looked at him with interest
Was he likely to become a public
charger They thought not. In fact
one inSpector looked at Hans with envy
This immigrant, with his bundle. had Ia
his sturdy legs money-making possibill.
ties beyond the widest hope of the mar
examining him. Thousands OF dollar,
for winning a race might be his. No
he was not likely to become a publ,
charge. Neither was brother William
or the friend who manages to sleet
with the name lfrgo Koivistoiner ON hi.
mind.
william told how Hans intends Il
stay In America and become a citizen
He will begin running as soon as h,
gets acclimated and In shape. Boil
brothers, said William began trainini
themselves to run eight years ago
latter reading accounts of the Olympi,
games In Athens. All this and muoi
more William chatted about on tn.
way across the bay. But Hans sale
little. The skyscrapers rose befor,
him and presently lowered over him
The Ellis Island ferryboat reaches
her slip at the Battery. A week az,
the returning American athletes wer,
welcomed by the city of New York
Thousands stood In the streets to d,
them honor. The immi grant, holdin,
his cord wrapped bundle. had made tn
best OF them fall behind. Hans Koleh
mainen stepped or the gangplank o
the ferry and into the city unwel
coined and unheralded. with hi
brother and the friend OF the unpro
nounceable name he strobe OFF and wa
gathered into the crowd that swarme
about the pier But he will he hear
from soon, II the record he hung VI
/ at stockholm means anything.