PEDESTRIANISM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4788, 4 September 1883, Page 3

PEDESTRIANISM.

♦ Edwabds t. O'Lhaby. The Melbourne Sporttman of August 15 has tho following with reference to the Edvrards-O'Leary six days' walking contest : — On Saturday afternoon the spectators began to pour in, until at 9 o'olock there must havo been fully 7000 present. The excitement had intensified owing to the faot that Edwards was doing his utmost to justify the confidence of his backers. He was then nine miles ahead and full of going. All through he had been walking in splendid style, and evidently had the race in hand For example, at half-past 11 on Ik-id ay night Edwards' record was 410 miles, and O'Lsary's 403. At 12 o'c'ook the next day Edwards bad pub up 440 miles, while O'Leary had fallen back fully ten miles. Both kept the fcraok in Rood style til about a quarter to 10, when O'Leary mounted the rostrum trad enteied an emphatio protest agantt Edwards, on the ground that the soores bad been tampered wilh. This, howover, was just as emphatically denied by the referees, who expressed themselves willing to make a Btatutoi/ declaration that the scoring tickets had boon properly looked aftor. The following is the protest handed in by O'Lsary :— "I hereby enter a protest (on the ground of foil scoring) against William Edwards beins declared the winner of the six days' walking match, commenced on the 6th of this moti*b, and, hy/ng pl:.;ed tho matter fn the hands of my solicitors, I hereby caution the pul 'io and tho stakeholders to hold wagers until legal proceedings are terminated." Edwards, however, slack to hi* work till ten n?inolc3 to eleven, when his record win 475 miles, the Utter portion ot which bad been ccvfred by quiok gamo spurting. Tin refereeo in the meenwhile had declined to consider O'Laary'a protest and announced their determination of awarding the atakes to Edwards. On Monday morning, howevor, tho former inßtruoted his solicitors to serve a notice on the stakeholder not to pay over the £500, pending the result oc legal proceedings to bo instituted to deoide the ownership. An intimation to this effect was accordingly given to Edward b. During Monday end Tuesday numerous counsels were held among those interested, end at last it was mutually agreed by all parties that the cheque was to be handed over to Edwards. In the early part of Tuesday an arrangement was oome to that two oheques * should be handed over, one made payable to I ■ "Edwards," and the other to " Bearer." * Subsequently, however, tho terms alluded t« ] were finally decided ol |