Ultrarunning Stranger Things

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By Davy Crockett

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Perhaps this is the tabloid episode of 19^th century pedestrianism. In the late 1800s, ultrarunners (called pedestrians back then), both male and female spent a prolonged time away from their homes and families as they traveled to compete in races across American and in England. As with other professional athletes and celebrities, even in our day, love scandals would at times emerge that made for popular gossipy news stories. Many of these ultrarunners/pedestrians became instantly wealthy and had numerous adoring fans and friends who wished to be part of this new wild free-spending lifestyle. Some of these love scandals were covered in newspapers all over the country.

Get Davy Crockett’s new book, Frank Hart: The First Black Ultrarunning Star. In 1879, Hart broke the ultrarunning color barrier and then broke the world six-day record with 565 miles, fighting racism with his feet and his fists.

Fannie Edwards’ Love Triangle

In 1879, Fannie Edwards (1856-) of New York City, born in Portland Maine, burst onto the stage of pedestrianism when she succeeded in walking 3,000 quarter miles in 3,000 quarter hours at Brewster Hall in New York City on March 20, 1879.

But along with her fame came scandal. She became quickly involved in a love triangle. She had been seen in public with Frank Leonardson for several months in the New York City area. Frank, also a pedestrian, was described as very good looking. He served as her trainer during her successful month-long walk. Fannie was described as “quite young, below the medium height and of slight 100 pounds, almost fragile physique. She has large lustrous brown eyes, an abundance of dark hair, and well-rounded features, suffused with the glow of health.”

In March 1879, Frank’s wife of seven years, Delia Leonardson, filed for abandonment and wanted some of his estimated $800 of pedestrian winnings for the support of their two children. Frank was arrested and a trial was held. “Lenardsen admitted the marriage and desertion, but said he could hardly support himself, but was willing to do whatever he could for his wife.” He claimed that he had only earned $31 as Fannie’s trainer but made no mention of his previous success as a pedestrian. He had started competing in May 1878, in a 36-hour race, as a member of the Scottish American Athletic Club in New York City. He could balance a quart bottle filled with beef tea on his head as he walked. They had been likely involved for a year. “It was learned during the hearing that Miss Edwards induced him to forsake his wife for her company, sharing her earnings with him.” She had even hired his lawyer for the trial.

The judge ruled that Frank must pay his wife $200 and pay $3 per week for alimony. “Fannie screamed, ‘Is that all?’ with delight and surprise. She then bounded, brushed past Mrs. Lenardsen, and offered her gold watch and chain, her necklace, bracelets, and earrings to the court as security to have Frank released.” The judge said, “The court is not a pawn shop for lovers.” She then wrote out a check for the $200 and $156 for a year of support, and said, “That’s cheap enough, I’d pay a thousand dollars to be rid of her.” Delia was left in a corner of the courtroom “crying as if her heart would break.” Frank and Fannie Edwards went off together. To get away from the scandal, they went to California to compete.

At some point during their relationship, Frank took on the stage name of “Frank L. Edwards,” and they told people in California that he was Fannie’s brother. They weren’t discrete enough, the press noticed that Fannie soon had a diamond ring that they figured out came from Frank. But evidently their relationship only lasted a few months more.

Fannie Edwards Destroys Another Marriage

Fannie Edwards was not through destroying marriages. William A. Cousins (1858-1880), of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, who was called “a well-known pedestrian” was arrested on November 18, 1880, in Brooklyn for having two wives. He was described “a well-built young man, of 22 or 23 years, and of rough exterior.” (It is interesting to point out that even though Cousins called himself “a champion pedestrian,” no successful pedestrian accomplishments have been found for him.) He was the son of a machinist and his younger brother Hiram, had recently died in a tragic fire at a box factory.

Cousins married Isabella M. Remer on October 11, 1880. She was quote “a handsome blonde of eighteen.” Isabella had known Cousins for a year and on her wedding day, he brought Fannie Edwards to her mother’s house, announcing that he had selected her to be a bridesmaid. “He explained that Miss Edwards being a pedestrienne, he made her acquaintance in a professional way.” But after only four days of marriage, because of serious arguments between the two, Cousins deserted Isabella and sought to marry Edwards.

Isabella said, “The next week, he came to see me and asked to see the certificate of marriage, which as soon as I gave it into his hand he tore up and burned. He then said that that ended our marriage and that I need not trouble myself any further about him, as he was going to marry Miss Edwards. He then went away. I was astonished, but I could do nothing.”

On his next visit to Isabella, he brought Edwards and let her know that they were engaged to be married. Isabella said she was his lawful wife and that she would fix him if he married again. She said, “He threatened to knock me down and kill me if I interfered with him in any way. Miss Edwards heard all and simply said that our marriage was of no account now that the certificate was torn up, and that she would marry Cousins anyway, as she was more suitable for him. He again threatened my life if I troubled him and went away with Miss Edwards.”

The two pedestrians married about three weeks after Cousins’ first marriage, on November 2, 1880. He then visited Isabella again, laughed and threatened Isabella some more. But she was determined to see him arrested. With some detective work, she found the reverend that had married the two and obtained a warrant for Cousins’ arrest. Cousins was arrested, couldn’t pay the $1,000 bail, and was held in jail until the trial.

Fannie Edwards living with sister Isabel Humphrey in 1880 in New York City

At the trial, Reverend Francis Joseph Schneider (1832-1903 ) a pastor without a church, known as “the marrying parson,” testified that he remembered marrying Cousins and Edwards. Edwards testified that her real name was Frances Alvina Wurms. She denied that she had been married to Cousins and had never seen the Reverend before. She had lived as a boarder at Cousins’ house for two months. She was then caught in several lies, even denying that she had been known as Fannie Edwards. She denied ever meeting Isabella and that she wasn’t the bridesmaid at their wedding. Witnesses and a marriage certificate showed that Edwards’ testimony was full of lies.

The defense claimed that the Reverend ran an unreliable “matrimonial bucket shop performing 400 marriages per year” and that Isabella’s arrest warrant was just motivated by her own jealousy. The Reverend corrected the number, he had performed 483 marriages so far during the year for 2-3 dollars each. (Reverend Schneider was indeed a shady character, who was a wife beater, and the following year was sent away to prison for 18 months because of larceny.)

The Judge decided to refer the case to the Grand Jury. Two months later, in January 1881, Cousins was acquitted of bigamy because of a lack of proof. “Cousin’s first wife made a scene by denouncing him and predicting that evil would befall him.” Isabella was evidently correct. Only two months later, Cousins was killed on March 18, 1881, when he fell from a scaffold while painting at Bayonne, New Jersey. Fannie Edwards disappeared from the sport. Isabella would remarry, have children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and die at the age of 81.

Mary Marshall’s Love Triangle

Getting romantically involved with trainers seemed to happen often. Mary/May Marshall (1841-1911) was one of the most famous and successful female pedestrians of the 19^th Century. Her career was discussed in episode 101 and 102. Marshall’s true name was Tryphena (Curtis) Lipsey. She was married to Thomas Lipsey. After they moved to Chicago, they experienced financial trouble which motivated her to try pedestrianism in 1875, taking on the stage name of Mary Marshall.

After experiencing great pedestrian success and being away from her family during long road trips, in 1877, Marshall, still married and age 36, got romantically involved with the 23-year-old pedestrian George F. Avery (1854-1885) of Maine and Massachusetts, who called himself, “P.T. Barnam’s Great Pedestrian.” (See episode 94). He had been Marshall’s trainer and they became romantically involved. But to Marshall’s dismay, Avery soon left her for the much younger pedestrian Bertha “Bertie” LeFranc (1859-) originally from Paris France, who was only 18 years old. Her true name was Matilda Colom. The scandal went public because Avery walked out with LeFranc while Marshall was competing in Massachusetts. She was left without her trainer and failed in her walking efforts. The scandal resulted in the breakup of Marshall’s marriage to Thomas Lipsey. Her husband and son moved to Iowa. Avery and LeFranc married and about a year later she gave birth to a girl. Avery worked as LeFranc’s trainer.

Marshall changed her public name to “May Marshall,” but then stopped competing for a time because she was with child and gave birth to Stonewall Lipsey (1878-1963) (He later was known as Allen Stonewall Curtis, raised by Marshall’s family). She returned to competition in 1878, giving the excuse that she had been away because of yellow fever, evidently trying to keep the birth a secret. In 1882 she married pedestrian, Harry Hager. She continued to perform for several years in various publicity stunts, including races against skaters and people pushing wheelbarrows, and died in 1911.

George F. Avery Death Record

A common question in the family had always been whether her son Stonewall Lipsey was a product of Marshall’s marriage, or of her affair with Avery. Marshall’s great-great-grandson solved the mystery with a DNA test, confirming that he was also a descendant of the pedestrian George F. Avery who died in 1884 of heart disease.

James W. Ford had Two Wives

On June 25, 1884, a six-hour race was held in Atlanta, Georgia, which was won by Atlanta’s champion, Alf Prater with 37 miles. James Willliam “J. W.” Ford (1853-1943) a furniture salesman, and Macon Georgia’s pedestrian champion, was the favorite, but he quit unexpectedly mid-race. Some suspected that he threw the race on purpose, but a much more bizarre reason soon surfaced.

During the race, “it was said that as he passed a certain point on the track, a lady with a pleasant face, but plainly attired was observed to lean forward and whisper words to the champion.” Ford was noticeably startled but kept up his pace. When he came by again, the lady said, “you shall be arrested before 9:00.” Ford went to his tent, followed by the lady and he soon quit the race, claiming that he had taken ill.

The lady made her story public to reporters and it was carried nationwide in newspapers. She was Mollie Kerr (1862-) a 22-year-old worker at a paper bag factory in Atlanta. She claimed that she was Ford’s wife who he abandoned and had not seen for five months. She said that they had eloped with Ford six months earlier. But after only a few days, she returned to her parents’ home in Atlanta where she discovered that Ford had another wife, Fannie White, and two children who lived only two blocks away.

Ford came for her and at first denied that he was married to Fannie. Mollie said, “I loved him, but he has blighted my life.” After five months, she decided to have him arrested. She said, “I hate to send him to the penitentiary on account of his two little children.” Ford already had a police record. A few months earlier he was convicted and imprisoned for cheating and swindling.

The whole scandal was played out in public in the newspapers. It was a “she-said, he-said” story worthy of tabloids. Ford soon confessed that he had two wives but claimed that Mollie had gotten him drunk and then married him. He then painted a sinister picture of her. He said after she had gotten his attention during the race, that she followed him to his tent. “When I laid down in my tent, she rubbed my head and said, ‘You have got to pay me, and well too. You have ruined me and I am going to have you arrested at once.” He begged her to wait until he finished the race. She refused and said, “You know you can’t beat Prater. He is my fellow and I never intended you should beat him in this race. I am going to marry him. He brought me to the match and paid my way in.” She had indeed sat next to Prater’s sister at the race. (Alf Prater’s future dishonesty was covered in episode 116).

According to Ford, he and Mollie left the race together and returned home. Mollie expressed her love for him, but knew he didn’t really love her, so still demanded that he pay her so she could get a divorce. He accused her of being married to another person too. Finally, he agreed to give her the money for their divorce and then left, hoping to never see her again.

Mollie did not let it rest there. The public was hungry for more details about this strange scandal. Mollie was summoned to appear before the county grand jury to indict Ford for bigamy. It was rumored that she knew Ford had another wife when they got married. It is presumed that Ford’s defense lawyers would claim that he was drugged when they married.

An Atlanta reporter dug deeper interviewing many involved. Mollie was described as, “a dark-eyed brown-harried, moderately good-looking lady.” She claimed that before marrying Ford that she had been divorced to a Joseph M Barrett (1747-1887) (They had been married in 1876). Ford and Mollie had dated for a couple months, he proposed, and then they were quickly married. After four days she found out he had another wife, but he promised to never see that wife again. They had “a lively quarrel” and separated.

Next, the reporter interviewed Jabez M White (1839-1908), the father of Ford’s first wife. He claimed that Ford and his daughter, Francis “Fannie” Augustus White (1861-1931) had been married for six years. He had suspected that Ford was being unfaithful with Mollie, went to see her, and found out that she was also married to Ford. He told the shocking news to his daughter. She wrote to Ford and essentially told him to get lost. Jabez White said, “The next train brought him to Atlanta and when he entered the house about sunrise, I got up and hunted for my pistol to kill him, but my wife had hidden it. I then had Ford arrested. My daughter went almost crazy, and her physician said if I did not release Ford, she would lose her mind.” White decided to drop the charges, but his daughter remained ill.

Finally, the reporter interviewed Ford. He claimed that he had never formally married Fannie White, so actually did not have two wives. That was a lie. His valid marriage license on file was proof. He even tried to deny the race incident, hoping the public scandal would go away. He claimed that the lady at the race was just trying to get him to go out with her. He said, “It would take more than one woman to get me off the track.” He claimed falsely that it was the first time he had met Mollie Kerr and that he had quit the race because he drank some champagne by mistake that made his stomach revolt.

No report was found to indicate that the bigamy trial was ever held. Ford returned to his first wife, Fannie, and they moved to Macon, Georgia. About three years later in 1887, he returned to Atlanta for a quick visit and again was arrested, due to a warrant issued by a furniture dealer, J. W. Hinman, who had been waiting for a chance to force Ford to pay him $75 that he said was owed to him. He got an arrest warrant to be issued for bigamy and theft.

Ford turned himself in, determined to fight the bigamy charge. Mollie Kerr refused to testify in court. She had completely back peddled on the claim that they were ever married. In a letter, she stated “If Ford and herself were ever married that they were drinking at the time, and she knew nothing of it.” She wrote that the complainant, Hinman, had previously approached her about a plan to blackmail Ford. Interesting enough, the letter was witnessed by a Miss A. P. Prater, likely Prater’s sister, strengthening the idea that their Molie and the Prater may have conspired to get Ford to quit that race. Ford settled the case by paying $70 to Hinman and court costs. Hinman withdrew the warrant.

So, what really happened? We are left to guess. Mollie Kerr continued to live in Atlanta for many years. Fannie White was indeed Ford’s wife and they stayed together for many years until she died in 1931. Together they raised five children. Ford died at the age of 89 in 1943, a well-respected citizen in Macon, Georgia, and owner of a furniture company.

Charles Harriman Runs Off with a Man’s Wife

In 1879, Charles A. Harriman (1853-1919), age 25, a shoemaker, was originally from Maine but living in Haverhill, Massachusetts. At the age of fifteen, he ran away from home and enlisted in the Navy, where he served for several years. He returned home and went to work in a shoe shop. When he was about 20 years old the shop owner challenged him to a foot race in Auburn, Maine. Harriman won, and that started his love to run.

By 1879, his ultradistance experience was recent, but impressive, breaking the existing walking 100-mile world record with a time of 18:48:40. With no six-day experience, he entered the Third Astley Belt six-day race in New York City and was accepted.

Marriage Record

A week before the race, Harriman trained in Central Park and stayed at the St. James Hotel where he flirted with Katie (Lapp) Stackhouse (1856-), the beautiful wife of the St James hotel steward, George W. Stackhouse (1852-). She was described as “a handsome brunette of about 22 years of age.”

During the March 1879, race the very tall Harriman was a fan favorite among the women and received many bouquets of flowers from them. Katie was among his most enthusiastic admirers and would go each day to watch him run, “casting bewitching glances,” and she gave him a large basket of flowers. For his final day, she made him a red, white, and blue sash which he wore around his waist. He ended up placing third with 450 miles, winning $3,679, valued at $105,000 today.

After finishing his race, Harriman had to be carried to a carriage back to the St. James Hotel. A day after, his eyes were still bloodshot, but he looked well and was being well cared for by Katie. “She carried dainties to the weary pedestrian and relieved the heavy hours by reading to him. It is said that by these means a tender feeling sprang up in the bosoms of both.”

After he recovered, he was seen around New York City on the streets with Katie. They were noticed riding together in Central Park and visiting places of amusement. Stackhouse started to suspect something was going on and found them together at a masquerade ball. Katie said of her husband, “He was like a crazy man. He raved and swore and picked me up bodily and threw me into a carriage and home we went.” As Harriman went on a southern pedestrian tour, the two wrote letters to each other.

In July 1879, Katie went to visit her parents in Philadelphia, but went missing after a few days. Katie ran off to join Harriman in Richmond, Virginia where Harriman was competing. Her husband hired a private detective to track her down. She was finally found with Harriman in Medford, Massachusetts. They had been staying together at the Eagle House Hotel and she registered as Katie Wilson. They were seen several times together in public. They took a ride on the steamer General Bartlett. “The lady was dressed in the height of fashion. Her dress had a long trail, her gloves had fourteen buttons, her bracelets were large, and she wore a ring with seven diamonds. She dined with her gloves on.”

Stackhouse went to Medford and found the two together at the Mystic Hotel. He also discovered love letters between the two.

Stackhouse filed for divorce and also filed a suit against Harriman for $10,000. Stackhouse was successful in freezing Harriman’s bank account. Once Katie learned that the scandal went public, and that Harriman couldn’t spend his money, she returned home and begged to be forgiven and taken back by her husband. She also wanted Harriman’s money freed up. Stackhouse refused to accept her back. “Mrs. Stackhouse on her knees again implored forgiveness and again was denied. Finding her husband obdurate, she left.” He sold all her belongings, including her piano. “Stackhouse started out armed with a six-shooter and determined to perforate the amorous pedestrian as soon as he could discover his whereabouts.”

Harriman was arrested and posted a bail of $5,000. Katie told the press that she had been an abused woman by Stackhouse. She threatened to prosecute her husband for confiscating her belongings unless he would abandon his suit against Harriman. Eventually, three months later, a settlement was reached “through mutual friends”, and Stackhouse withdrew the suit and was likely much richer. Harriman and Katie quickly got married. She became a fiery staunch defender of her new husband. A year later she horsewhipped a Mr. Ladd for making offensive remarks to Harriman. She was arrested for assault and fined $5.

Harriman continued to compete into the late 1880s travelling to several countries. At some point he joined the Texas Rangers and was seriously wounded in a battle with outlaws. He claimed that he was also shot at the Battle of Wounded Knee where Sitting Bull was killed. In 1884, Katie sued for divorce charging Harriman for deserting her and failing to provide support.

He returned to Maine in 1897 and a few years later organized a labor union for lime kiln workers in Rockland, Maine. Into his late 50s, he put on walking exhibitions. Late in life he became an evangelist pastor. He died on March 14, 1919, at the age of 66, of Bright’s Disease and was survived by a second wife and five children.

Elsa Von Blumen

Elsa Von Blumen (1863-1935) “Queen of Lady Pedestriennes” became a famous pedestrian. She was the daughter of a German widow, living in Oswego, New York. She was said to be “a young girl so delicate in health that physicians told her that unless she left and sought a drying atmosphere, she could not live long.” The family moved to Rochester, New York, where a doctor told Elsa that she needed to walk daily. Her health improved and she was discovered by Burt Miller, who started to train her to compete as a pedestrian. She began her career in April 1879, when only sixteen years old, attempting to walk 100 miles. She was described as “a young lady of some five feet four inches in height, and weighing not far from 125 pounds, some eighteen years, with ringlets that are quite pretty. Her appearance is singularly attractive, and modest in the extreme.”

A few months later, Von Blumen walked at Hillsboro, Ohio, attempting to walk 100 miles in 27 hours at the Music Hall. “Miss Von Blumen made a good impression upon her audience. She is good-looking, and lady-like, full of pluck, and possesses great powers of endurance. She was neatly and appropriately costumed and walks quite gracefully.”

During this exhibition, trouble brewed. The wife of her manager/trainer, Burt Miller, became very jealous of the attention that her husband was giving to Von Blumen. Mrs. Miller’s mother seemed to be at the root of the problem. “She made Miller’s wife jealous, and basely slandered Miss Von Blumen and circulated false stories about her.”

The result was a very public “grand old row” among them that created great excitement among the citizens of the city. It was reported, “The manager’s wife and Miss Von Blumen became reconciled the next morning. The Miss Von Blumen seems to have the sympathy of our citizens, and no imputation against her character are intimated. It is an unfortunate affair all around, as the entertainment was drawing full houses and giving good satisfaction.” Von Blumen finished her 100-miles as promised.

Miller continued as her manager. There actually was something between the two, because he later left his wife and the two were married. Burt Miller became infamous for the “Miller Mile” when it was discovered that he had been cheating measurements for Von Blumen, using a mile that was 660 feet short. “The plan was, hire a reputable city surveyor; have him mark out on the floor of the hall a path, and get his official certificate thereto, then, as soon as he goes home, rub out his marks, lay down a different path, 660 feet shorter each mile.”

Von Blumen later became an incredibly famous endurance cyclist and rode 1,000 miles in six days in 1881 on a high-wheel bicycle and continued to ride into her 70s. She later became known as Mrs. Caroline Roosevelt and claimed that she was the widow of two civil war veterans, cousins of Theodore Roosevelt. She died on Jun 3, 1935, at the age of 72 in Rochester, New York.

John W. Jackson

John W. Jackson had multiple loves. He competed in an 88-hour walking match in Dayton, Ohio, in 1889. As soon as it was over, he and a woman in his company, Grace Gillespie, were arrested on a charge of perjury, accused by Samuel Vinson about some falsehood they made under oath. Jackson had sold some property but swore that the two had no property.

The two were taken to jail and while there, news came that a girl named Emma Martin had attempted suicide by taking strychnine. “She was found in an unconscious state, but the doctors say she will recover. A note was found by her bedside addressed to Jackson, saying she could not live without him and wanting to die. A trial was held and the case against Jackson and Gillespie was dismissed.

Ultrarunning Stranger Things Series:

Sources:

Harry Hall, The Pedestriennes: America’s Forgotten Superstars
The Norfolk Virginian (Virginia), Apr 1, 1879
The Boston Globe (Massachusetts), Jul 14, 1879, May 7, 1884, Mar 15, 1919
Louis Globe (Missouri), Jul 14, 1879
The Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio), Jul 15, 1879
Evening Star (Washington, D.C), Jul 15, Oct 20, 1879
Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York), Jul 23, 1879
Louis Globe-Democrat (Missouri), Nov 19, 1880
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (New York), Nov 18, 1880, Jan 21, 1881
The Brooklyn Union (New York), Feb 6, Nov 29, 1880
The Sun (New York), Mar 20, 1881
The New York Times (New York), Mar 28, 1879, Jun 28, 1884
Tulare County Times (Visalia, California), May 17, 1879
The Highland Weekly News (Hillsboro, Ohio), Jul 3, 17, 1879
Fayette County Herald (Washington, Ohio), Jul 17, 1879
The Evening Mail (Stockton, California), Dec 14, 1880
The Times-Democrat (Lima, Ohio), Apr 22, 1880
The Spirit of the Times (New York, New York), Feb 16, 1884
Savannah Morning News (Georgia), Jun 26, 1884
The Atlanta Constitution (Georgia), Jul 10, 26, 1884
The Macon Telegraph (Georgia), Jan 13, 1887
The Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio), Feb 3, 1889
The Dayton Herald (Ohio), Feb 2, 7, 1889
Sun-Journal (Lewiston, Maine), Jan 8, 1907
The York Dispatch (Pennsylvania), Jun 6, 1935

118: Ultrarunning Stranger Things – Part 8: Love Scandals

By Davy Crockett