The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-07-19
A Dead Shot With a Rifle.


DR.. w. L. Carver, the man who can put bull
let through silver quarter while the Coin is
flying through tho air, 10 now astonishing tho
New Workers by exhibitions of his skill. The
New York Tins says:
The scene of yesterdays shooting is worthy
of.descriptOn. small wooden shed, with
bar in one corner; in front of this table, OH
which were four rifles, several boxes of cart
ridges and half n dozen score books. Fifteen or
twenty feet i'll front of this, again, n barrel and
man, the man taking the glass balls out of the
barrel and throwing S6sHr-in-flf6 air. and Dr.
Carver breaking them with the bullets as fast
us they appeared. Somebody was always at work
loading rifle. The marksman could fire them
faster than the leaders C .u'l load. And they
were the most remarkable rifcs--brecch load
ers, Of course. When they were opened at the
&l Que cartridge was shovel in after another
till il seemed as if the first one must surely be
somewhere up by the muzL.c.
Spr. Carvcr's costume Ea" nothing to do with
his craftsmanship, and his shooting is strictly
business. lie seldom misses what he fires mt.
Most of the time was taken up III shooting glass
:baiS, filled with feathers. The balls were of the
himncst film OF glass, slightly tinted, SO as TO
be seen easily in the air, and, when they broke,
the feathers scattered in every direction. he
balls are thrown about 20 feet into the air, aud
the markSulan was not more than D yards from
them at any time. 1t was noticeable that the
shot was invaribly fired just as the upward iG.-
pc,uS CI the glass Dali ceased ana IL was ABOUT
to begin its fall This close glaSs-ball shooinS
did not give the idea OF remarkable skill, prob"
ably on account of the short distance, exeps
though the average was hit out of every 10,
1t looked much more wonderful when the asss-
tant threw the glass balls far he could and
D. Carver broke each one il flew, the distance
being not less than 100 yards. Several coins
were shot, straight through the centre, as they
whrled in the air. =. Sec.
One Of the most astounding Of Dr. Carvcr's
feas was his hitting bcll-mctal ball when il was
almost out of sight, up in the air. The ball is so
made that when the bullet strikes it, it rings like
| asVall gong. The assistant threw this bali many
liy&s high as he could throw it, till, some
times, it could hardly be sccn but every time the
marksman brought the sound out Of it. He also
cut in two all the lead pencils he could induce
tkGISpcctators TO throw into the air, and he
&reh successfully at large nunfser of unused
cartridges. When the assistant threw two glass
balls up ut the same time the rilcman, with n
| dou1!c-barrcl weapon, first broke one and then
| the other, without making single failure.
| The two requisites for good shooting are Of
course an immovablc rest for the gun-st"ck
and steady hand AMI arm for the bar
rel. The secret cf DR.. Carvcr's wonderful
craftsmanship may be in his immense and
perfectly balanced body, which stands firm as
rock. With n steady hani also, such q nan
may do almost incomprchcnsible things with u
good rifle His body seems able to withstand
any attacks Of nervousness yet when he miss
a shot he is very likely to miss the two or
| three succeeding ones, sure sign that the miss
| iurries him. Another OF his peculiaritics is
-4Sst lie aims with both eyes opcn-so that he
can keep an eye OIL the Indians, he says, Will c
! he is firing at n buffalo.