The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-10
A DEAD SHOT.
DIR. Carver's Wonderful Feats with q
Rifle.
IN. Y. Times. 6thl

Il.
DR.. w. +. Carver, the man who can put a
bullet through silver quarter while the
coin is flying through the air, is an enlarged
ADD revised edition of Buffalo Bill and Texas
Jack. Being fresh from the broad plains of
the untrammeled west. be has the delightful
air of unconventionality to be found only in
the land of the setting sun. pale-face, to
him, is an object of pity. The aboriginal in
habitant OF the primeval forest is his prey
He must dote on blood; and he can bring it
out OF wasp's wing at 40 yards.
1t is natural that Dr.. Carver should follow
the example set by former warriors who
have blazed their way to New York, and
come eastward in costume presumably the
hunting costume OF the plains) that is never
worn by anybody but east side boys who
have resolved to be trappers, and who sell
dom get further than police station; and
costume that would be worn out with a
night of forest travel or fall to pieces in the
midst of one of the terrific encounters in
which western hunters are constantly en-
gaging. His make up is so much like that
of Texas Jack that we can almost imagine
him sending postal card to that gentleman
from the west asking, "How's things in New
York; and Jack replying, Good; but you
must wear broad brim, and put il on
thick" The long hunting hair the velvet
shirt and the wild expression, as of a man
constantly battling with wild beasts, are all
there.
Nevertheless, Dr. Carver is, no doubt the
best short range marksmen in the world
He gave his second exhibition at Deerfoot
park yesterday, and astonished everybody
who saw him. He is as tlne a specimen of
fully developed manhood as ever walked on
Manhattan island More than six feet high.
every part of his body is built to correspond.
His chest is so deep that it would take DOW
erful rifle TO send ball through it. His
shoulders are broad and high, and, altogeth-
er. he is exactly the man that ordinary peo-
PIE wouldn't put themselves out of the way
10 pick quarrel with.
Fashion articles for the use of hunters are
very rarely ever seen in the newspapers, and
description of DR.. Carver's costume may
be of interest on the plains He wore yes
terday light felt hat, large, with brim at
least four inches wide. Around his neck
was silk handkerchief, blue and brown,
loosely knotted. 1t was not until this hand
kerchef was removed or blown aside by the
wind that the garment known by impolite
people as the undershirt could be seen.
The part of this that exhibited itself about
the neck showed il to be made OF white
linen netting like a fsherman's net, only
with finer mesh, as if made to catch min
nows. Oyer this was the black velvet shirt
or jacket, very short. Gray pantaloons and
button CATERS completed the outfit with the
exception of second silk handkerchief
proIuding from the back pocket of the
pantaloons, and fine buckskin glove on
each hand. His only .jewelry was a gold
watch chain, that might be used TO advantage
in drawing some of the great trees of the
Yosemite, with large charm. silver coin,
with hole shot through it. In this garb he
carried on relentless war against hundreds
of unoffending glass balls yesterday after
noon.
The scene of yesterdays shooting is worthy
of description. A small wooden shed. with
a bar in one corner; in front of this a table
on which were four rifles, several boxes of
cartridges and half a dozen score books.
Fifteen or 20 feet in front of this again, a
barrel and man, the man taking the glass
balls out OF the barrel and throwing them in
the air. and DR.. Carver breaking them with
the bullets rs fast as they appeared. Some
body was always at work Loading a rifle.
The marksman could fire them faster than
the leaders could load And they were the
most remarkable rifes-breech leaders, of
course. When they were opened at the end
one cartridge was showed in after another
till it seemed as if the first one must surely
be somewhere up by the muzzle.
DIR. Carvers costume has nothing to do
with his craftsmanship and his shooting is
strictly business. He seldom misses what
be fires at. Most of the time was taken up
in shooting glass balls filled with feathers.
The balls were of the thinnest film of glass
slightly tinted so as to be seen easily in the
air, and when they broke the feathers scat
tered in every direction. The balls were
thrown about 20 feet into the air and the
marksman was not more than Is yards from
them at any time. 1t was noticeable that
the shot was invariably fired just as the up
ward impetus of the glass bali ceased and it
was about to begin its fall This close glass
shooting riu he Of
markable SIX Ii, probably on account OF the
short distance, even though the average was
nine hits out of every ten. 1t looked much
more wonderful when the assistant threw
the glass balls as far as he could and DR..
Carver broke each one as il few the distance
being not less than 100 yards. Several coins
were shot straight through the center as
they whirled in the air.
One of the most astounding of DR.. Car
ver's feats was his hitting bell metal ball
when 1t was almost out of sight up in the
air. The ball is so made that when the buI-
let strikes it, it rings like small gong The
assistant threw this ball many times as high
as be could throw it, till. sometimes, it
could hardly be seen, but every time the
marksman brought the sound out of it. He
also cut in two ali the lead pencils he could
induce the spectators to throw into the air.
and he fired successfully at large number
of unused cartridges When the assistant
threw two glass balls uD at the same time
the riieman, with double barrel weapon,
first broke one and then the other without
making single failure.
The two requisites for good shooting are.
of course, an lmmovable rest for the gun
stock and a steady hand and arm for the bar-
rel. The secret of DR.. Carvers wonderful
craftsmanship may be in bis immense and
perfectly balanced body, which stands firm
as rock With steady hand also, such a
man may do almost incomprehensiblet things
with good rifle. His body seems able TO
Withstand any attacks of nervousness, vet
when he misses shot he is very likely to
miss the two or three succeeding ones, sure
sign that the miss hurries him. Another of
his peculiarities is that he aims with both
eyes open-so that he can keep an eye on the
Indians, he says, while be is firing at buff
falo.
DIR. Carver's shooting has astonished New
York. Nothing to equal it has ever been
seen here before. Whether or not he would
be able to cope with some of the Creedmore
marksmen, on their long ranges, is an inter-
esting question.