The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-05-14
Friend Of Horace Greeley and
Civil War Spy Was so
Years Of Age
CROSSED COUNTRY WHEN 70
Veteran Made His First Long
Walk to Attend Lincoln
inauguration

inauguration
New York, May l4.-(E)-Edward
3ayson Weston, famous long distance
died yesterday. He was
10 years old.
The man who at the age Of 20
walked 1896 miles from New York to
San Francisco In 104 days and seven
hours, spent his last days In q wheel
hair. He had been an invalid since
,eing struck by taxicab two years
lgo.
Shortly after the taxicab accident
he was found wandering about the
streets OF New York in . dazc.
Anne Nichols, author Of "Abte's
irish Rose" established trust fund
for him which yielded an income Of
$50 Q month. With this money Miss
Anna O'Hagan, for 81 years his secre-
tary. cared for the aged pedestrian In
his quarters In Brooklyn.
Weston began his career as walk
er while serving as . spy In the union
army In the civil war. Later his re-
p,arkable ability to cover ground en-
abled him to beat rival reporters
when he was on the staff Of the New
York Herald. He was friend OF
Horace Greeley and was at the death
bed Of the famous editor.
Legs Never Tired
Edward Payson Weston, one Of the
most famous Of long distance pcdes.
trians, seemed to have legs and feet
that never tired. Although only a
when he took his first long walk, 44a
miles from Boston to washington ia
attend the inauguration Of Abraham
Lincoln, the most remarkable feAts
Of his long career were accomplished
after he had passed thrcescore and
ten. He continued taking long dis.
tance hikes until his cath year, In
which he walked from Buffalo to New
York city, completing the trip nearly
two days ahead Of his schedule.
His walk from Boston to Washing.
ton, covered in 208 hours, attracted
considerable attention and prompted
Weston to start on q professions
career as q pedestrian. His first fea'
a. such was . walk from Portland
Me-, to Chicago In 1867, covering
1896 miles in 2e days. Forty year'
later he duplicated that trip and al
though he walked 10 more miles HI
bettered his previous record by q
hours.
Between those two walks Weston
appeared in many exhibitions ant
contests In this country and Europe
He performed In several European
countries between 1876 and 1884 ant
among his accomplishments was th'
winning of the Ashley belt In 1879 b!
walking $50 miles In l4l hours an<
- minutes.
The Church of England engaged
Weston for a campaign in 1883. HI
walked so miles a day for 100 success
sive days and each evening at tn
conclusion Of his walk he delivered ,
lecture on temperance.
Walked Across Continent
Two years after his second Port
land to- Chicago walk In 1907, Weston
performed what is regarded as hi
most remarkable feat. Then at tn
age OF 70 he walked from New Yorl
to San Francisco over a route $50
miles in l04 days and seven hours
The next year. 1910. he made the re
turn trip over q different route
5000 miles, which he covered in Z
days, % hours and ten minutes.
In 1918 Weston walked from NeN
York to Minneapolis to lay the cor
ncrstone Of q new athletic club build
Ing. He negotiated the l,546 miles Il
81 days. making an average Of NOR
than 80 miles q day. He was escort
ed into the city by members Of tn
club and the mayors Of st. Paul an
Minneapolis and was received by on
Of the largest gatherings ever as
semblcd in the state for q Sinila
event. His last long hike was this
from Buffalo to New York in l92.
when the aged athlete covered IS
miles. walking ahead Of his schedul
after the first day.
Edward Payson Weston Was born
Providence, r. l., March IS, 1889. H
was educated at the Old Adam
School, Boston. to which city hi
parents moved. After he had estat
lished his reputation as pedestria
he engaged In newspaper work m
made many tours lecturing on ath
lctics and physical training.
Mr.. Weston gave 4 demonstrate
Of his unusual physical condition K
Z man Of IS, when he was attacke
by several men, apparently bent ur
on robbery. at his little farm hon
near Kingston. N. r. In 1924. No
withstanding the handicap Of seyer'
men attacking him, the aged pede'
trian put up . good fight, and 4
though severely injured put his q
SailantS to rout.