jug, 12, 1895.] 
37 
be alO-bird race for gold medals donated by B. P. Mdler, the 
medals going to the best shots in class A and class B. The club 
will also have regnlar club shoots on the last Saturday in each 
month at targets, 25 to a man; three gold medals will be hung 
up as prizes in these shoots. 
W. "Tramp" Irwin of Peoria, 111., and Deterllne of Keiths- 
burg. 111., will shoot a 100-target match at Kewanee, HI., on Jan. 
11, $50 a side, expert rules. 
The Philadelphia (Pa.) Public Ledger of Dec. 27 is answerable 
for tho following item : "The Keystone Shooting League decided 
yesterdav to accept the oh alienee recently received from the 
Cosmopolitan Gun Club of New York, for a series of three hve- 
bird team matches, 10 men to a team and 15 birds per man. at 
80yds. rise, 50yds. boundary and under Association rules. 
Though the dates of the contests have not yet been decided 
upon, it has been arranged, however, that the first match shall 
take place on the grounds of the local team at Holraesburg 
Junction, the second at Yardville, Pa., and the final match at a 
time and place to be agreed upon later on by the two captains. 
The contests will be for a purse and the Interstate champion- 
ship." The Kevstone Shooting League won the team champion- 
ship of Pennsylvania at live birds at Altoona last August. 
Irby Bennett was in town last week and was naturally very 
full of the Memphis tournament next. Time. The plan or pro- 
gramme of the tournament is not quite ready for publication, 
but it is breaking no confidence to state that the $2,000 added 
money will bo cut In half; one-half will be bung up for those 
who averaged last year 85 per cent, or better, the other half 
being split up among those whose percentages are below 85. 
The tournament will be under the personal supervision each 
dav of either Mr. Divine, president of the club, or of Mr. Ben- 
nett, each taking charge of two days. All manufacturers' or 
dealers' representa tives will be classed as experts, whether they 
are 85 ner cent, men or not. Irby held up his right hand and 
swore that there would be 65 shooters in the "below 85 per cent" 
class, for the southern nortion of the States below Memphis. It 
should be added that the entrance fees in each class belong to 
that class alone; the experts cannot get any of the amatour'8 
money. As for "droppers," "poolers," etc., Irby says they'll 
get the good, swift kick we read about. 
Jack Brewer and Sim Glover of Rochester. N. Y.. are booked 
to shoot a race at 100 live birds. $100 a side, both on the 80yds. 
mark, Glover using a 10-gauge gun. The date set is Jan. 1, the 
day previous to the opening of tho Hamilton, Can., three-days' 
tournament. 
Fred Hoey sailed for Europe on Wednesday last aboard the 
Majestic. He will soon get down to work at Monte Carlo pre- 
paratory" to the big events early in February. Should Hoey 
strike his crn.it his opponents on the Monaco grounds will find 
him decidedly dangerous, the short boundary being no stranger 
to him. The general conditions, birds, etc, are so totally dif- 
ferent to what he has been accustomed to in America that it 
is bardlv fair to expect, too much of him, although he is un- 
doubtedly one of the best shots, amateur or professional, in 
thiB country. . 
Edward Banks. 
Not So Black As It's Painted. 
New York, Jan. 7. — "Some Christmas Trap Meditation," in 
last week's issue, was good reading, excellent reading, as all the 
articles from Mr. Hough's pen invariably are. But Mr. Hough 
seems to be a pessimist so far as his opinion of trap-shooting 
as at present conducted is concerned, and, despite the letters of 
Irbv Bennett, Jack Parker, etc.. etc., sticks to his opinion, and 
fearlessly brands trap-shooting in latter-day tournaments as 
corrupt aB a sport which has added to the English language 
such words as "tout," "welsher," "ringer." "blackleg," and 
which has also erven to the word "jockeying" a meaning totally 
at variance with its original one. Worst of all, Mr. Hough 
charges me with proving his own case, simply because I called 
attention to a single instance. I was always taught, and still 
firmly believe, that it is the exception that proves the rule; and 
I maintain that the case referred to was one of those excep- 
tl0 T?he strongest argument against such ppssimistie views is 
the identification with trap-shooting of such gentlemen and 
suortsmen as have sieved the call for the convention on Jan. 24. 
Were the Bport as corrupt and rotten as claimed, would such 
men as they be identified 'with it? Nhv, Mr. Hough, trap-shoot- 
ing is unquestionably canoerously inclined through the actions 
of a few, very few. men. but the bow-wows have, not got hold of 
it vet; the prompt and fearless use of the knife in the bauds of 
a national organization will make that body in a healthy condi- 
tion oncp more. The evils of dropping, Pooling or combining, 
etc., exist: no one hns denied that fact. But it has been denied, 
and not hv myself alone, that it does not exist to such an extent 
as our Western friend would have us believe. 
As for the traveling representatives of sporting: goods dealers, 
I want to say something in regard to them. Mv intimate acquaint- 
ance with them is far more, limited than Mr. Hough's: I have 
known them well for a. little less than two years, but feel that 
those months of acquaintanceship entitle me to sav a few words 
in regard to their actions at tournaments. The men I refer to 
particularly are R. O. Heikes, P. Van Dyke, Irby Bennett and 
W. R. Hobart. of the Winchester Repeating Arms Co.; Paul 
North of the Cleveland Target Co. : B. A. Barrlett.of the Burgess 
Gun Co.; "H. M. 0." Thomas, of the H. M. C. Co.: T. H. Keller, 
of the TJ. S. Cartridge Co.: A. W. DnBray. of Parker Bros., and 
several others with whom I am not personallyso well acquainted. 
Of the above men I can say without fen- of contradiction, that 
I have never seen cither one of them guilty of dropping a single 
target in any one event Of course, T don't argue from this that 
they have never done it ; but I have seen it done by others ma.nv 
times, and it is those "others" that we must hunt. The paid 
representatives are after percentages and may be trusted to 
break all they can. Handicap them if yon like: they risk next 
door to nothing and Rhould he treated accordingly, but don't be 
always looking after them, as they are not the men who are 
causing all this trouble. Edward Banks. 
Wilmington Won the Deciding Match. 
Wilmington. Bel.. Jan. 5.— The Wilmington Rod and Gun Club 
went to Charleston, Md.. to decide the question of supremacy as 
between it and the Riverside Gun Club, of Charlestown. The 
match was made for fifteen-men teams, but Wilmington could 
only muster ten men when her representatives arrived on the 
grounds; to make up the sneeified number five Charlestown 
men were pressed into service, whose names will he found 
marked with au asterisk in the scores given nelow. The shoot 
was at '15 targets ner man 375 to a. team. Wilmington won bv 
31 breaks, scoring 271 to 270: the substitutes led the last five of 
their brother members bv 9 targets. Scores ; 
Wilmington R. and G. OluK— A. H. Stout 10. Bilderback 19, 
Palmer 14. Clark 10, MeOonnell 15. Williamson 16, Burroughs 24, 
Hirtlove 22. Cans-hen 17. Marr 22. *W. Gibson .18, *J. Graham 19. 
*W. Cooper 14, *E. Mnrpbv 18. Jno. Ale-nrd 15: total 271. 
Riverside Gun Cub— Jan. Heider 13. W. Barnes 17. R. Smith 
20 P. R. Heyerin 20. G Prvor 15, E. Hnlvert 13, A. Richardson 
W, R, L. BarneB 14. E. K. Barnes 17. H. Barnes 17. S. Steele 16, 
W. Heverin 14, W.Richardson 14, R.Gibson 18, G. Haines 17; 
total 240. Del. 
Mattern Defeats Green. 
West Rush, N. Y., Jan. 3. — A very interesting live-bird match 
came off at West Rush on New Year's Day between J. E. Mattern 
and J. Green. The conditions were 50 live birds, $25 a side, 
50yds. boundary, each man to pay for his birds. The match 
was shot in a snowstorm, with quite a strong wind, which 
helped the birds to fly well. The birds were a good lot, quick 
to leave the trap and strong on the wing. Tho "ground being 
covered with snow made it difficnlt to get on to white birds. 
Green shot a.good paoe for a new man at the trap, it being his 
first experience at live-bird shooting, althongh he is a good 
clay bird shot. Mattern won by 4 birds. Green shot a Parker 
Bros, hammerless 12-gn.uge, 7%lbs., S%dvs. Wood powder, l%oz. 
No. 7 chilled shot in both barrels, U. M. 0. smokeless shells . 
Mattern shot a Parker also, 7%lbs., 12-gauge, 40grs. E. C. 
powder. l%oz. No. 8 shot in first barrel and l%oz. No. 6 shot in 
second barrel. Score: 
J E Mattern 11112122*1211021112210112—22 
12121 1122221221 101 2122212— 24— d6 
J Green 02221*2222222210222212202—21 
2111122002221122120222102—21-42 
J. E. M. 
New Year's in Chicago. 
Burnside, 111., Jan. 2. — The following scores were made at 
John Watson's Park on New Year's Day: 
No. 1, No. 2, No, 1, No. 2, 
5 birds. 5 birds. 5 birds. 5 birds. 
A Kleinman. .11112— 5 11112— 5 Furceeon . . . .11020— 3 21121—5 
H Elders 02011—3 11121—5 Wells. 12201—4 21220—4 
Lansing, 12222-5 22102-4 Laterette 22121—5 21121—5 
Ravelrigg. 
The Grand American Handicap. 
Pittsburgh, Pa., Jan. 4.— Editor Forest and Stream: Judging 
from the number of inquiries I have received, a great many 
Bportsmen are under the impression that the $1,000 guaranteed 
by the Manufacturers' and Dealers' Association in the Grand 
American Handicap will be divided so as to cover the three days 
of the tournament. For the benefit of all who are of this belief 
I will state : The Interstate Association guarantees that the one 
event, viz., the Grand American Handicap, will be worth $1,000 
or more ; which will make first money not less than $50(). sec- 
ond money not less than $300, third money not less than $200. 
Elmbk E. Shaner, Manager I. M. & D. A. 
Good Work at Little Rock. 
Little Rock, Ark., Dee. 28. — The twelfth shoot for the 
Pulaski County Medal, which took place Friday, Dec. 21, was 
the most interesting contest that has ever taken place for the 
trophy, tho competition being keen and spirited from start to 
finish. The shooting o£ Duley and Dickinson was of an excep- 
tionally high order. When each competitor had shot at 25 tar- 
gets, Duloy and Dickinson were tied on 22 each, with Cunning- 
ham one behind with a score of 21. In the next 25 Duley and 
Dickinson kept up their fine work, while the other fell gradually 
behind. It soon became evident that one of these shooters 
would prove the winner. When the race was over tbey were 
tied with 46 out of 50, each having scored 24 out of their last 25. 
Everybody expected Duly to go straight in his last 25, as he was 
shooting in grand form, centering his targets well and pulveriz- 
ing them into dust. For quite a while he led Dickinson by one 
target, the latter having lost his sixth target in his second 25, 
Duley kept smashing them until the forty-ninth round, when he 
let an easy left-quarterer get away from him, after having made 
a fine run of 34 straight, the race resulting iu a, tie, each having 
scored 46. It was agreed to shoot off the tie at 25 targets each. 
Duley kept up his grand work, and duplicated his previous good 
score by" again scoring 24 out of 25. Dickinson having only 
scored 22, Duley won the trophy after the most exciting contest 
that has ever taken place for the medal. 
Aside from the medal contest a number of live birds had been 
procured and some of the boys took a shy at them. Dickinson 
did the best shooting at pigeons, scoring 27 out of 32, with 3 out 
of bounds. The weather was perfect, wiih just enough wind 
blowing to help the pigeons along, which w*ere of the finest 
quality, while the Kings automatic traps that were used made 
corkers out of the majority of them. Scores : 
Medal shoot, 50 targets, unknown angles : 
Pemberton.. . .' 0011111011010001011011111—16 
0111111111111111011101111—22-38 
French 1111111110001110110111101—19 
0110111111111111010111111—21—40 
Duley 1111011110111011111111111—22 
1111111111111111111111101—24-46 
Conner 11000111110Q1100111111111— 18 
1111000110111110110101111—18—36 
Cunningham 1111110111101111110110111—21 
0100010001111011010111010—13-34 
Dickinson 1111101111111111001111111—22 
1111101111111111111111111—24- 46 
Irwin 1000000000011110111110111—13 
0111000001110110100110111—14—27 
Ties for medal, 25 targets, same conditions: 
Dickinson 1111011111111111101011111—22 
Duley 1101111111111111111111111—24 
Live bird scores for practice : 
Dickinson, 022211112*12111*1*12102112221111—27 
Duley 0200012200011101101100000*111112—16 
Conner 0122111101*10021211100101 —17 
Pemberton 1121*021111 — 9 
Cunningham 1120020022 _ 6 
Paul R. Litzke. 
Live Birds Under Difficulties. 
Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec. 25.— No shoot under more disadvan- 
tageous circumstances as far as the weather was concerned was 
ever held in this section than the 25 live bird, $20 entrance, 
handicap conduoted by the Herren Hill Club on the Brunots 
Island grounds yesterday. 
Woe to the prophet that predicted that we would have a mild 
winter ! Had the shooters found him yesterday he would have 
been compelled to act as judge in a nitro powder contest. Here 
is an idea of the conditions : Thermometer 12 deg. above zero, 
high, bitmg wind, 15in. genuine A No. 1 snow, and, mind you, no 
bar within a mile ! And what was worse, the island was never 
harder to reach. The car line to the ferry uses electric heaters 
and they don't seem to heat in cold weather. In addition one 
had to be ferried over the back channel through a sea of ice. 
Thoughts of an upset in the frigid water was enough in itself to 
make a man wish he had stayed at home. 
A big cannon stove in the club house boomed out heat, and 
bo freely was it patronized that the air was redolent with the 
fragrance of gum boots, all wool coats and sole leather. Unless 
a man was in the race his audience outside generally consisted 
of the referee, trap puller and scorer. "How many did you get?" 
was the general query when he came hustling in and crowded 
his way to the stove. 
The first few birds showed that shooting was going to be 
rather trying on the nerves, temper, eyes, fingers and toes. A 
blinding snow came up every now and then, and when the beau- 
tiful stopped a peculiar sheen was cast off by the snow-clad 
range and cloudy background. White pigeons, and they were 
plenty, made the shooter mutter in an undertone. The birds 
were blinded by the snow and many of them wouldn't take to 
wing until the scare rope was brought into play. "No bird" was 
called at lea»t a score of times. The pigeons were out in the cold 
all night and this made them doubly sluggish. Several crates 
were put near the fire and the birds brightened up in good style. 
Secretary Lautenslager got the list rea Jy by 11:30 o'clock and 
fifteen minutes later Alex. King, Jr., went to the score : Several 
old-timera were missing but there were a couple of new-comers 
who started off at a gait that soon caused some guessing. The 
visiting contingent consisted of J. E. Wright, the clever Wheel- 
ing expert, Levi Stephens and C. E. Verges of Lowell, O., and R. 
Clark of Parkersburg, W.Va. The handioapper had put Clark in 
at 27vds., but when the little fat fellow cut loose with a 10-gauge 
gun the bovs began to look at each other and say, "Did we get 
it?" As the race went on there were some growls heard about 
"cannons," etc. Clark was in the hunt. His only lost bird 
dropped dead a yard out of bounds. "G. Cleveland" was a well 
known distiller. He said he wouldn't be in the race, so he took 
the duck hunter's name in vain. The shoot began to draw down 
after the fifteenth bird and the boys to make the finish quite 
interesting got up an optional sweep at $2 each on the last seven 
birds. This added much to the sport. 
On the last round each man shot at four birds. Shaner was 
he only man who then had a chance to make a clean score. He 
haB never done much live bird shooting and had given the boys 
a shock bv his clean work. Bird No. 22 went down all right. 
On the second call of "pull." trap No. 3 opened and a genuine 
duffer began to wobble off, quartering to the right. "Bang!" 
went the first barrel, and the snow flurried in front of the bird, 
amid cries of "Oh, Elmer." The pigeon lazily flopped along, 
crossing trap No. 4. Shaner again cut loose. Once more the 
pellets dallied with the snow in front a.nd the dub pigeon wal- 
lowed out of bounds amid cries of "What do you think of that?" 
Shaner joined in. He had lost just $93.75 by missing a slab 
pigeon through carelessness. He got Into the 24 hole by nailing 
the next two. 
When Stephens came up there was a craning of necks and 
these side remarks of "If he dronB into the 23 hole he may get 
second money all alone." Mr. Stephens tried to get his 24th 
pigeon, but it was a strong tailer and got away with shot from 
both barrels. Verges and Clark wanted to bet a cartwheel that 
he would get his last bird. He did. and so captured $56 unas- 
sisted. Mr. Stephens shot well, especially for a man who has 
only one hand. His right hand is off at the wrist. He balances 
the gun on the disabled member and shoots from his left shoul- 
der. Despite hie affliction he swings a gun into line very 
quickly. 
The optional sweepstakes on the last 7 birds was divided. 
Full scores below, 25 birds, handicap rise, $20: 
Bessemer, 29 2222222202222222222222222—24 
R Clark, Jr, 37 1111111111122121120211211—24 
E E Shaner, 28 1221122111112112221221011—24 
J E Wrigtb, 29 ..1212221121111*22212212222—24 
L Stephens, 27 0211222121112121222222201—23 
T H Ewing, 28 11O1101101121222111111111—22 
W M C Jones, 28 2222022222022220222222222— 22 
A H King, 30 2202222022120222212222222—22 
CAMay, 29 1110111122221122100111111—22 
W S King, 28 1122101121010112112112022—21 
C E Verges, 28 1111211011112012211011012—21 
J R Hostetter,28 0012221022021022122222222—20 
"G Cleveland," 27 2111121220001121102221100-1!* 
S McPherson. 26 2201012202221011210222021—19 
J H Shaffer, 26 0212121201222200012211110-19 
They Respect the Birds Now. 
Tboy, N. Y.. Jan. 3.— The new Village Gun Club held its firs 
shoot at Sliters Hotel, Snyder's Corners, Troy, and Sand Lake 
road, on New Year's Day, the weather being all that could be 
desired. The majority of the members faced the traps for tho 
first time and consequently held the birds in greater respect 
than before. The score in the live bird contest for the Club's 
gold challenge medal was as follows, 10 live birds, handicap rise- 
J Potts, 28 110012200*— 5 J Willert 000010001*— 2 
W Jackson, 28 1002000102—4 W Payne 0000000000—0 
W B Christopher. .*1010*200*— 3 W Christopher. . . .10200 —2 
S A Christopher. . .101120*001—5 J Hyde 00010 — l 
At the targets. Potts won three of the four events with 20, 18. 
21 out nf a possible 25 empires ; Jackson won the fourth with 18 
out of 25. Thos. Baldwin, Sec'y. 
New Utrecht Gum Club. 
Woodlawn Park, L. I., Dec. 29. — It was by no means a pleas- 
ant task this afternoon that fell to the trappers at Woodlawn. 
The field was covered with frozen snow and the strong wind 
made it extremely chilly work for all who had to be outside the 
club house. Only seven members showed up to compete for 
the fourth contest for the E. C. Powder Company's cup. G. W. 
Coulston, who is shooting in capital form just now, carried off 
the honors of the day. winning the cup with a score of 9 out of 
10. Scores on the cup and other contests were as follows: 
E. C. Powder cup contest, 10 live birds, club handicaps and 
allowances: 
G W Coulston, 29.. 211*122121— 9 W F Svkes, 29 22222**202—7 
C A Sykes, 29 12*2112120—8 Capt Money, 30. . ..*2002*llll— 6 
R Peet, 29 2210202122—8 CT Pennington,27. 1000102210—5 
Furgueson, Jr., 30.121*222022—8 
Sweeps: No. 1, 5 birds. No. 2, miss and out. No. 3, 3 birds. 
No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. 
Money 21111—5 11110—4 122—4 
Pennington 12111—5 22112—5 000—0 
Coulston 10111—4 220 —2 220—2 
Furgueson 00122—3 22222—5 012—2 
WF Sykes 00011—2 
C A Sykes ..*101*— 2 21220-4 
R Peet 10020—2 
No. 4, same : Furgueson and Coulston 3, Money 2, Penning- 
ton 0. 
No. 5, miss and out : Furgueson and Coulston 2, Money 1. 
The Interstate is After Droppers. 
Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec. 28,— Editor Forest and Stream: "One of 
the cardinal points of the Interstate Manufacturers' and Deal- 
ers' Association is to elevate trap-shooting, and eliminate abuses 
connected therewith." Having this object in view, the executive 
committee decided at a recent meeting that at all future tourna- 
ments given under the auspices of the Association, "dropping 
for place" will not be tolerated. A notice to this effect will ap° 
pear in all programmes issued by the Association, and a deter- 
mined effort will be made to enforce the rule. 
The stand Forest and Stream has taken against "dropping 
for place" should meet the hearty approval of every true sports- 
man throughout the country. That the evil exists it cannot be 
denied, but not to the alarming extent claimed by friend Hough. 
Except at one particular tournament or the series given by the 
Interstate Association during the past season, I can recall but 
two instances wherein targets were purposely missed. 
In connection with this subject I. personally, take exception 
to your editorial mention [issue of Dec. 22] on practice of pro- 
fessional experts "dropping for place." In my experience, cov- 
ering quite an extensive period, I have found that the profes- 
sional expert who represents the manufacturer, breaks all the 
targets he possibly can. iHe pays his entrance all through the 
programme at the beginning of the day, generally shooting in 
the first or second squad in every event; he has not, even if so 
desired, an opportunity to drop for place. His average per 
cent, for the day is to a certain extent his stock in trade, and is 
of more value to him than the few dollars he might gain by 
"dropping for place." I have had the professional expert come 
to me where a mistake had been made in his score giving him 
one target less than he really broke, the place paying him more 
money, however, than his right score would have paid, and ask 
to have the mistake rectified, as it affected his average for the 
day. At the same time he had first average already won by a 
long majority. Now, had it been the money he was after he 
would never have said a word about the mistake. This is not 
an isolated case either. If the expert shot who is not in the 
employ of the manufacturer would shoot as honestly as the pro- 
fessional expert, there would be very little "dropping for place." 
I am a firm advocate of a board of control for trap-shooters, 
but whether or not that body should be a national trap-shooting 
association I am not prepared to state. Similar associations in 
recent, years have proven failures, and the confidence of the gun 
clubs in such associations have in a measure received a severe 
"jolt," 
I admire the pluck of the Memphis Gun Club in throwing 
down the gauntlet to place-shooters. They have announced, 
"That dropping for place will not be permitted at their tourna- 
ment, and parties so offending will be requested to leave the 
grounds." If such action was concurred in by other gun clubs 
who give tournaments, I believe the complaints regarding the 
abuses of trap-shooting would be few and far between. 
In my opinion the remedy for "dropping for place" is in the 
hands of the management of tournaments, and it will only re- 
quire the making of a few examples to put a stop to the practice 
entirely, Elmer E, Shanks, 
