The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-21

4 y
OF the Firemen's Convention and word
or two about Boston, l may write at an"
other time. o. ID.
Remarkable Shooting.
IRA PAINE HANDLES SHOT GUNS, DUELLISG-PIs-
Tolls, REvOLvgRs, RIFLES, AND CARBrNEs-
| BREAKING GLAss-BALLs, LEAD-PENCIIs, PEA
| NUTS, GRAPES, AND BUSINESS CARDS.
from The Detroit Free Prcs'.l
| Yesterday afternoon Ira A. Paine gave a
private exhibition OF bis abilities as a marks
man before score or more OF invited
guests, and il was one OF the most remark
able exhibitions OF the kind ever given in
the world. Among the guests was T. c.
Banks, business manager and one OF the
editors OF the Forest and Stream, a paper
| devoted to the interests OF the sportsmen OF
America. Mr.. Banks Is familiar with all OF
the famous achievements with fire arms,
thaving been Immediately interested in sOne
| Of them, and at the close OF Mr.. Paine's
work he pronounced it one Of the most re-
markable exhibitions he had ever wit
messed.
| The shooting was done Oh the river bank
back Of the Park House, Hamtramck, where
i the suns rays were strong and where the
| wind had an interest in whatever was going
on. There was no seeking OF shelter, no
trick. loaded shells or prepared powder,
cracked glass balls, or other Ilegitimate
methods sometimes adopted by exhibition
marksmeu.
WITH A SHOTGUN.
| Mr.. Paine began bis work tv shooting
with an ordinary double barreled shotgun
or breech-loading fowling-piece at glass
balls thrown by his assistant IN any and
every direction and as rapidly and as far as
possible. After breaking every ball thus
thrown Mr.. Paine shot at balls thrown high
| in the air, and broke them first at the point
where the upward night stopped, then after
they had fallen half to the ground, and
finally when within three feet OF the ground.
WITH A DUELLING-PTsToL.
| II TIE mafksman exhibited his steadiness
OF nerve and correct eyesight in the above
feats, he made those facts trebly manifest 10
the second part OF the programme, which
was shooting with a regulation single e-barrel
| dueIlng. pistol. All shots were made at ten
PAGES, the first object being block OF wood
| two inches square, which he centred with
the bullet aud sent spinning through the
air. Then he shot at a crab-apple about an
| inch i'm diameter, which was suspended on
wire hung in front OF the face OF the tar
eet.board. Next bis assistant. Joseph
jacques, a sixteen-year-old boy, who lives
| in this city, beld az ordinary lead-pencil
before the target-board, and Mr.. Paine sent
bullet which broke the lead-pencil in
halves. A peanut, not more than an inch
in length, was strapped in an upright
position to the top OF young Jacques's
head. and at the first shot the nut was
cut in two. An ordinary grape hanging by
thread and swinging before the target
board was next hit with pisio.ball, after
which dozen balls were put through as
many -postage-stamps on envelopes taken
from the spectators and held between the
thumb and finger OF young Jacques. All
OF these feats were vociferOusly applauded.
the spectators being at loss to account Tor
the shooters marvellous aim. Still Mr.
Paine had another feat more incomprehen-
sible than all. His assistant placed an ordi-
nary busness-card against the target-board
with the edge of the card-not more than
one-sixteenth OF an inch thick-toward the
shooter. Then Mr.. Paine, with the duel
lling-pistol, took a long, unerring aim, and
at the first shot bit the card on the edge,
cutting it in exact halves. The feats with
the duellng-p pistol closed with the shooting
OF a cork from stone bottle without iniur'
ing the bottle or spillng It's contents.
WITH AN ARMY REVOLVER
Mr.. Paine exhibited several very deXterous
shots, for which he was heartily applauded
His assistant standing thirty feet away
tossed glass balls at him, and he shot them
before they could hit him. Then Mr.
Paine threw the balls himself and broke
them with the revolver before they could
reach the ground. With small rifle suct
as is used in shooting galleries Mr.. Paine
broke balls thrown at him and away from
him.
WITH A WINCHESTER RIFLE,
a most serviceable weapon and not partis
ularIy easy TO handle with accuracy, Mr.
Paine shot double balls thrown into the air
bresking both Of them, and put twelve
shots into sx-inch target in eight seconds
He then performed the most difficult shot
known 10 rifle. e.practice-yiz., the ficOchel
shot with glass balls. A glass ball is placed
upon the ground, and the rif1eman, by
shooting into the ground, under the ball.
throws the globe into the air four or five
feet. aud before The ball falls to the ground
lii il broken by second shot. To do thi:
not only requires very nice Judgment In
hitting the ground in such way that tht
ball will not be broken. but the empted
.bell must be thrown out OF the rifle and
another cartridge must be thrown In III
place before the second shot, which breaks
the ball, can be made. Hence great quick
ness, nerve, and faultless aim are also ne
cessary. Mr.. Paine successfully made two
ricochct shots, ending the fancy-shot pro
gramme.
AT LONG RANGE.
About a third OF mile from the shoot
ing.ground was a red spar buoy, looking u
the spectators to be about the size OF lead
pencil. Wishing 10 see what Dir. fain'
could do at long range, requests were mau'
that he would shoot at the buoy. The marks
man unhesitatiDgly complied. explaining
first, however, that he would be obliged u
guess az the elevation, as bis rifle was no
fixed for loug-raDge shooting: The mrs
shot went several hundred feet beyond TN
buoy, the second one went about zoo zee
beyond the spar; and the third one alisht
ed within fifty feet OF the object. All wer
line shots. The fourth shot dropped along
side of and bespattered the buoy with wa
ter raised by the shot. :.
Then reloading the rifle with sixteen car
tridges, Mr.. Paine said be would get up.
little sauall around the buoy. and, firing Il
rapId succession, the sixteen shots wer
sent around and within from six inches
two ieos Of the buoy, causing the water
fairly lump. Thus ended most entertoit