The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-07-28 00:00:00

THE PRESENTATION OF THE PRIZES.

The ceremony of presenting the prizes was fixed for
six o'clock on Saturday afternoon at which hour the
Princess Mary of Cambridge (Duchess of Tech), who
had again undertaken the duty she has performed so
gracefully on several previous occasions, arrived on
the ground accompanied by the Duke of Teck. A
platform had, as usual, been erected in front of the
Cottage, and was canopied and covered in crimson
and white. Here were displayed all the well-
known trophies, to which had been added the
bronze figure of Fortuna won last year in America
by the British Volunteers. The priz3 winners
were drawn up in open order on the left of
the platform, while in rear was a guard
of honour from the London Scottish Rifles to-
gether with the band of the Victories. As the
Royal party entered the enclosure the guard sainted
and the band played the National Anthem. Her
Royal Highness, attended by the Earl and Countess
of Brownlow. the Countess Pembroke, Sir H
Fletcher, Sir H. Wilmot, and other members of
Council having inspected the prize winners, ascended
the dais, and the ceremony at once commenced. The
first man to be called up was Lieutenant Dillon, of
the Canadian team, who received a round of applause.
Then, after Mr. Stuart Wortley had taken the
Winans Cup for shooting at the running deer, the
name of Private M`Vittie was called. The veteran,
with both arms and breast literally covered with
decorations, hail a great reception, which. was
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received, but the greatest applause was given as Van
Hensen, of the American team, marched up to receive
the Khoosh Bitters Cup. Cheer after cheer resounded,
and the prize winner seemed hardly to know whether
he ought not to bow to the people. But military
etiquette forbad such a thing, and he stoically
resisted the temptation. Then the sailor and marine,
C. P. 0. Hawking, of the Cambridge, and Serjeant
Clunies, who were the first men in the two stages
of the Army and Navy Challenge Cup, received
their awards amidst great greeting, and were
followed by the Volunteer team who had
won the United Service Challenge Cup, led by
Colonel Wilson. The Cavalry men who had won the
prizes in the Cambridge contest were loudly applauded,
as also were the smart team of Charterhouse boys
who had, for the second year in succession, received
the Ashburton Shield, Winners too numerous to
mention, but whose names are familiar as house.
hold words to all lovers of rifle shooting, passed
onward in one continuous stream, each and all
being greeted with cheers. The Vizianagram Chatlenge Cup, won by the Commons, was, in the absence
of the Speaker, taken by Colonel Walrond and Mr.
Vivian. As the Scotch team marched off with the
National Challenge Trophy there was much cheering,
redoubled as the Irish Bight, with John Bixby at their
head, shouldered the Elcho Shield. The cheers given
to the Mother Country Team were nothing to those
for the Canadians who secured the second award, or
that to Colonel Howard and Mr. Brown, of America,
as they received their prizes. There wai, however,
immense applause as the English team, who had
beaten the Americans, went up to receive their
gold medals, applause in which the American team,
who were in full uniform on the dais, were the
leaders. Very smart the American contingent
looked, in their blue, grey, and white uniforms,
nearly all with their breasts covered with deco•
rations won at rifle shooting. Most of the team
wore white sun hats, though one or two of the
officers had head dresses of the most imposing cha-
racter. Captain Young, of Renfrew, the silver
medallist, was warmly applauded, but the greatest
cheers were, as a matter of course, reserved for Ser-
j_ant Mackay of the let Sutherland volunteers, the
winner of the Queen's prize. As the gallant serjeant,
a smartly built man wearing a scarlet jacket and
tartan kilt, ascended the dais to the strains of 'The
conquering hero," cheer followed on cheer. Then the
winner received his gold medal and substantial reward
of £250 from the hands of the Princess, who heartily
congratulated him, and the Wimbledon Meeting of
18s3, one of the most successful, so far as shooting is
concerned, in the history of the Association, was at an
end.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH ON A RAILWAY.

An inquest was held in Birmingham on Saturday
on the body of Thomas Geo, Howie, a clerk, who was
found dead on the railway near Acock's-green, under
circumstances of a most mysterious nature. The un-
fortunate gentleman was shockingly mutilited. Both
his legs were cut off, one of his hands had been torn
from the arm, and the head presented a horrible spec-
tacle. No evidence was forthcoming as to how de-
ceased came by his death, and it remains a profound
mystery.—The jury returned a verdict of "Found
dead."