Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-24
THE EVENING STAR.
Wonderful Shooting.
THs EXHIBITION GIVEN BY DR.. JOHN RUTH AND HIS



wIFE-MARKsNAS BRUCR's SCORE.
on Saturday afternoon twenty or thirty gen.
t6men and few ladies were assembled around
an oddly -attired, sallow-faced man Ia the Brook
lNn Driving Park. They listened 10 him "a he
described the mysteries or rife and pistol shoot
ing, OF which he was about 10 give an eXl!bi-
ton. BE was DR.. John Ruth. the marksman.
and on small deal table near him Law The two
rifles and the long pistol With which most or his
shooting was done on the Pacific slope Dr.
Rdtn, IN his general appearance. is not unlike
Dr carver, ana he seems TO be as accurate a
shot Bis face wears reSolute expression. aud
though be is aCaiifornian. his tawny rnoustachp
and goatee make him look like a New FhSlandpr
he wore black velvet jacket, and on his breast
hung number OF trophies won with his fire
arms. His wife stood beside him. and ne told
the spectators that she would assist him IA the
e6hioluon he was about 10 giye. lie said she
was nearly as accurate a Shot with rife and
piSto! as himself. ana added:
i" Most or you have seen DR.. Carver and ad-
nlred bis shooting: well, | propose TO see II
ahu my Vile together cannot equal him. tie Is
COCO SHOT, bII he went TO Europe because he
Knew he had no equal there: but here lie feared
he might meel his match. / am better sup
ported than he was when he shot here. AID
although he has been married since rnpn his
wife cah. shoot AZ ali"
Mrs. Ruth took the pistol as soon as her hus-
fanG had Stopped speaking and ievelled l. al 4
glass bali stuffed with feathers, thai hung from
a cloSStar by piece OF STING. some twenty
Yards ION her. The attendant tad set the
ball IN motion, and as Il swung 10 aud FRO The
ponClEgly for few seconds Then the rap0r
rang CUT the broken glass few from the string
aid a cloCd CT feathers fluttered into the air.
The feat was repeat ed several times and the
lSdy then flitd at a St& tfonary bf H. Bur here n
certain upstcaGiaess OF the hand was observed
ana she was less successful. although her
shooting 10 this way was. Oh the whole good.
She SAID she had been practising in the sun
shine all the morning ana heat ami fatigue had
unStIung her nerves Laying aside the pistol
she took up a light rille, ard with this she
= y orr fGn OF aEs-,
into tie air by man standing about fiftap1
yards from her. The balls were lot thrown wall
some OF them descending in such way that mad
she BIZ them the glass must have fallen uron her
race several times she lowered her rifle With
cut llrlng- and requested the Jhuower to be
more careful. She hired at the stationary balls
holdlng the pistol with the lock toward the
ground, and closed the first portion OF her share
OF The exhibition by sbattering several balls Ia
succession with bullet from the small rifle.
while she stood With Eer back to the mark and
LOOK AIM WITH The AID OF looking glass. which
she held on her arm. When size missed, her huS-
hand hastend TO explain how IL happened, and
on Tie much more frequent occasions OF her
builet striking the balls he took no pains TO
conceal his pleasure lie said she could use the
large Winchester rifle better than the smaller
one, but that ii was ong-range weapon, aud
he reared that flFed at pOint-blank range. IL
might send bullet through the wooden fence
four bundled yard' away. and endaneer the
lives or persons passing along the road. When
ened with powder.
Ii was then DR.. Ruth's turn to show his skill.
LeVelling the pistol at a stationary ball he held
the weapon 50 steadily that the keenest eye
lalleG 10 note vibration; and so surely as q
Duilet spec. just so surely was glass ball shat
tered and the feathers scattered into the air
linen the attendant held bah between his
tDuIlD ana initial nnger, and the doctor pierced
Il SO accurately In the centre that.it fell 10 the
ground without any scattering OF the broken
glass. This feat he performed several times and
then he tGok he short rifle. a ball was throw
into the air, and AFTER it had LEFT the attend
ants hand the doctor whirled his weapon
around behind his back. recovered It. brought
Il, Win MondeIiu5 precision and quicbneSs, TO
his shoulder, and broke the bali before &c
reached the earth. He performed the same feat
after turning completely around While the ball
was IA the AR; cut in shooting the lying balls
VIE tie pistol he was less successful, breaking
only four out OF thirteen.
Then the doctor took up the Winchester rifle
and began TO load it. He is very cautious In
handling this weapon. and at all times. when
lot In the act OF taking aim holds his rifle with
the niuzzle elevated. This precaution probably
saved the attendant from getting into his head
the bullet Intended for another mark for the
hammer slipped from DR.. RuthS fingers, and
exploding the cartridge, sent the bullet whis-
tlng not great many feet above the thrower's
hat.
Il never hurt anybody" said the marksman
cooliy as lie replaced the cartridge that had
bteh discharged. Accidents OF this kind VIII
occur OCCASIONALLY; but, holding my rifle as |
do, no harm can come OF them.
A remarkable exhibition OK quicknes5 OF
shooting and OF manipulating the repeating
fllle was Jnen given. A glass ball was placed
Oh the ground. and Or. Ruth hired a bullet into
the earl b q few inches from IL. The conclusion
sent the bali about eighteen iGches into the air.
and before II again touched the grass the marks
man had removed tie exploded shell, allowed
Iull one 10 be pressed into the space thus made
vacant, and broken the ball. This feat he
accomplished twice out OF four attempts, and
earned a round OF hearty applause
Then Mrs. Ruth stepped forward again, and
!tNe'led tie rifle at piece or glass about an
men AID half square. which her husband
Standing about twenty yards away, held ia his
fingers at arms length. TIE rife cracked and
tie piece OF glass; shyered into a small frlg-
ment, flew 1ICm The Doctors hand. Then he
rot much larger tlan the glass that had lust
been broken, and. turning with his side toward
his Wife, allowed her to see, perhaps an inch OF
Il protruding from his mouth. Mrs. Ruth raised
the rife, ana then, lowering II slightly, said:
wish you could manage 70 hold the card
pointing down little more. Your nose gets In
the way"
DR.. Ruth hastily lowered the pasteboard as
directed ard his wife cut d snail piece out of IL
With the rifle bullet.
How careful she is" said the Doctor, ad-
miringly, as he held up the card. "She hit The
pis &C furtneSt from ny nose"
The feat was repeated twice. and then any
Ole who desired to do so was invited TO fire at
glass balls hurled into the air. 4 few or the
spectators, Including ChaS. A. Wingate, avalled
themselves OF this permission with Indifferent
success; AID then capt. Bruce, the famous
markSman who.upheled the honor OF the Amert-
can rifle team at Creedmoor, took the weapon
TO fire at the lying balls He snot ten times and
made the following remarkable score:
o 0 o 0 o 0-TOtal
MY S}Ju, 23d.