, 1875-01-17
SPORTING NEWS.
Something More About the Sports
mems Organizations in
Chicago.
The Gun Club, It's Membership,
Growth, and History.
Turf Matters and Horse Notes.
BilIiard-Room Gossip.
Fox-Hunting in Indiana.
PlCEON.SHOO7lNG.

!
PlcEoN.sHooTlNG.
THE GUN CLUB.
/ Less than year ago few sportsmen liTingin
| the West Division, dealsous Of acting in concert
| with view to making some arrangements thai
should be convenient with reference to their 10
/ ca1ity, organized tho Gun Club. They gave it I
! brief and unprerending namo, not thinking thes
OF the prominence it was to attain- From q
charter membership Of Gi1, it has increased te
sixty-tive, and is now ns widely known as either
OF it's neutrality-suspicious. while in point ol
skill it has strong claims to the first place among
| them. Tho Gun Club is soon to be Incorporated
| under tho general law, Measrs. Henry q. Hamil.
| ton and Green Smith having been appointed com-
mttee to attend to the matter. Perhaps the Chief
zecret Of the rapid growth Of the club is found
in the fac. OF its peculiar policy with reference
to the qualifications Of its members AZ to skill.
Tue constitution OF tho Gun Club declares,
among other things, tho object Of the ABsocia-
tion to bo; s'cduc.tion and advancement il
wing and trap shooting;" I" and it has been the
policy Of the Club to admit to membership good
men, With tasto for ehooting. and then to give
them facilities for improvement in the uas Of tho
fow]ing-pecs. Tho initiation fee and annual dues
are moderate,--s10 and Sc Grespectiyely.-a as
three backba1Is are sufficient to exclude candi-
date, the membership is restricted to persons en-
tlely unobjectionable. In furtherauca Of this
plan Of education and advancement. the
Gun Club has adopted tho sJ8tem OF
grade shooting. competent Committee dividing
the members into four classes, according to skill,
so sha. a POOR shot is no. compelled to enter tho
lists against frs.-caas blot, nor can ono OF tho
latter grade drop back among the poorer shots
and beat them for the minor prizea. Tho plan
has been found to work admirably, and to giTe
general satisfaction.
THE MEMBERSHIP
OF the Gun Club embraces IN o notable degree
both excellent shots and gentlemen Of high
standing. Residence in Chicago is not requisite.
and the roll therefore includes several membels
Who i've elsewhere, but make this vicinity q
favorito resort for field and trap shooting.
Among these is Mr. Green Smith, son Of thu
lnse Gerrit Smith, OF Pstorhoro, N. T.; H. n.
Sherman, q crack shot and popular sportsman.
whose home is in Dsloi:. Wis.,; T. G. Banks. OF
Meriden, Conn. N. c. Hinsdale, Of Syracuse, N.
~. r. Clarke, OF st. Joseph. IIich.; L. II.
Masserene, OF Ireiand, is IA honorary member.
or Chicago sportsman the Club Gan boast 3 list
that is dne in every respect- The Yice-President,
John J. Gillespie, was in former years the PTesi-
Ball Club; while among the rank and file are
found the names Of s. a. Tu1zl'1. Z. J. Abbey,
". B. Wilcox, Capt. William Turtle, E. G. Waller,
]. D. Watson, Robert Kenny, Col. F. J. Noxes.
J. Heuand. Assistant Fire Marshal PesEe, Will
Prindiville, William Brice, Tom stagg, 6. B.
Qnice. Il. J. Edwards, B. Phillips, H. Hawkins,
q. r. Phillips, John Ennis 4 smale, Leo
Myers, George Miliigan, F. Tsplin. H. Ba1lou,
5 FRI FrsPoh + HHamton, Haa E Gh,J;sa j HS%e sce
ris, E. S. shipman, J. F. CottreIl, II. H.
Guerin, r. S. Williams, J. stockman, William
Morgan, r. e. Williams. s. P. Crunb, h. r.
Willard, ". solitt, s: ): Coyne, William Porter,
2: 4 Bowsn, F. g. Wilson, George Wiley,
Gross, B. F. davenport. and A. WilIiams.
-nE FIRST PROMINENCE
achieved by tile Gun Club as 20 organization
WAS in connection with the tournament OF tho
State Sportsnon's Association at Dexter Park
last June. Messra- Wilcox Turrill, Edwards.
and Br;ce wa1e chosen to compete With teams OF
like number from the Prnir1e, Kennicott, and
Gereseo Clubs for the State modal The Gun
Club men captured The trophy, killing II out OF
so birds. and beatng the Konnicort team BY two
birds, while ths Geneseo quastos scored 66, and
the P1aitics 6S. The medal for the bost indi-
7ldual ecoro was also carried OF by Mr. Wilcox,
who made in the tournament the record, almost
unparalleled for amateur, OF As straight, one
half double and one-hslf single rises. The fail
ure to win the State medsl was = bitter dissp-
pointmeet to the kennicott Club, which had
confidently calculsted upon possessing the els
CANT trophy. They sill ineist thai it was hard
luck that beat then1 aud in proof Of tha aaser-
ton point to the fact that Of the best men of
their team shot at leses four birds below his
lowest averaee score, whereas they were beaten
but two birds. Whatever post~morten expaoa-
Iiou OF their defeat tho hennicotts can furnish to
console themselves withal, the fact remains that
the Gun Club fairly Won tho emblem OF club
aud they are prepared to maintain 1t,
though the uala1 ia the C1ub's permanent prop !
erty, and is not subject to challenge. As to |
their readiness to try conclusions with |
1ST AND ALL CLUBS
in tho State. tho positiou of the Gun Club was |
not, We are Informed, correctly stated in last
Mondays Tribune. They would seem to have !!
amply demonstrated their Willingness to enter !
The lists against the kennicotts in match of |
len or twenty men on , side. having given shat
Club forma! notification to that effect, though I
with the understanding that the Gun Climb would /
40: accept anything short OF q direct challenge
Though aware OF this stipulation, tho Kenni-
:otts put their challenge in general form. voting
lown motion to issue it specifically to the Gun
1pon their dignity. This slight difference ought
aot to be permitted to stand in the way Of set
lement Of the vexed question Of superiority as
between the two clubs a contest xlth ten or
wouty picked shots On eRch side would DO A.
ended With 40 unusual dcgree OF interest.
TIE OBJECTS OF TIE ORGANIZATION
+ the Gun Club arc not restricted 10 'teduca- |
ion and.advancemeut in wing and trap shoot
OF the Gnme law. and. iu proof Of it's
incerity. has standing offer OF IS revazd for
ach person detected in violating the Law and
onvicted for the ofense.
At tho annual meating Tuesday night the
'lub voted it's approval of the draft OF game
Az prepared by tbe State sportsmeu's Assoc,n-
iop end instructed tho Secretary to write to tho
'oox County members Of the Legislature and
rge their sfr.rta in hahaK OF the passage OF the
ii.
ruw observation-disclosures