Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-14
CARVER OUTDONE.
Extraordinary Shooting by q Cali.
fOrnia MafksmAns
lSan Francisco Chronicle.1

lSoQ fT10clsCO CurOuCle.1
The celebrated DIR. Carver who left Calif0rn1a
about year ago, and has since perforated the
temple OF fame with bullets from his :, little
rifle" has now most formidable rival In the
person OF DR.. John Ruth, who yesterday gave
an exhibition Of his wonderful skill with the
rifle at Shell Moun3 Park, Berkeley, IN the pre-
senee OF about loG spectators largely CON- oi{,o
and shotgun. There was also fair spriRkling OF
ladies in the assemblage. The DR.. was accompa-
MED BY his wife FL lady OF medium hv
brief display of her skill in the manipulation Of
the rifle and pistol. This was Mrs. Ruth's first
exhibition in public, and she manifested eonsi-
expressed it. she was little skittish upon her
first appearance ;" but after the first two or
the s 6s e were
sion. The balls were thrown into the air by an
attendant, Mrs. Ruth breaking six out OF nine.
attendants hand at a distance of about % feet,
and repeated the experiment with the hammer
of the rifle held downward She also shattered
with pistol several balls thrown in the air,
and also ball held in the hand. Mrs Ruth
was loudly applauded for her steady nerve and
wonderful workmanship. DR.. Ruth then pro-
at glass ball held in the hand of his attendant,
he taking aim through his legs with his back to
the object. He also held the rifle with the butt
pointing downward. He also shot with his back
reclining upon q table. In all these expert
ments he was successful on the first attempt.
lC dioO pcIlOLultu Udlc auSllu DlOIuclo
trick successfully. Turning his back to the
attendant, he sighted the rifle by the aid Of a
small hand Mirror and broke the ball at the first
accomplished, and one requiring considerable
nerve on the part of both himSek and attend
ant, was shooting cigar out of the mouth of
predict that the doctors assistant would not
live to very green old age. Another interest
ing experiment was shooting without sight,
that essential adjunct being covered by piece
DIN
extremity. The absence Of the sight apparent
ly made no difference, as the destruction of the
vttreous spheres continued undated. The fol-
lowing experiments were also successfully ac
compllshed: Shooting ball from the head of an
attendant, the latter being blindfolded; the
same feat with the bandages removed from the
muzzle of the rifle, One-hand shooting with a
small rifle manipulated in a variety of difficult
ways, holding the rifle with the hands placed
the doctor fail to shater the H baIs from the
head Of the attendant. One OF the most mar
vellouS featS performed was the following; Plac-
ing glass ball upon the ground, the doctor shot
In 'front.' of it. and blowing under under it, sent it
flying several feet In the air by the force of the
conclusion, and, before 1t reached the ground,
another shot broke 1t into thousand pieces.
An exhibition of rapid shooting was also given,
the doctor breaking the balls as fast as the
attendant could throw them into the air. The
exhibition closed with display Of short-range
pistol practice, In which the marksman was not
as successful as with the rifle having, as he re-
marked by way Of an apology, had but little
practice with the weapon. All those present ex-
derful skill, and 1t seemed to be the general
verdict that Carvers proficiency with the rifle
was secondary to that Of DR.. Ruth, who uses
44-caltbre Winchester rifle, which was presented
to him by the manufacturers He will soon de-
part for the East, it being his intention to make
tour of the States with his wife and give eX-
hibitionS curing the coming summer, and In the
fall he will either depart for Europe or Aus
tralia.