Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-03
RIFLE SHOOTING.
CAPTAIN Stubs at EstiYal Park Yester.
day Gave Convincing Proof that
He is the
Champion Of the World A Crowd Of
Experts Worked to Point Of
Great Enthusiasm.

Captain E. E Stubbs's exhibition OF rife
Wing-shooting at Estival Park yesterday
afternoon would satisfy the most skeptical
that the captain is the greatest m arksman in
the world, Bogardu5 and Carver not ex-
cepted. Estival Park is we'll known 10 be
perfectly beautiful resort for picnics, ETC.,
and to convert it into a wing shooting ground
is a task that would require the cutting
down of many of those beautiful
tall shade trees which surround it on all
sides and admit OF clear sky spot only in
small circle at the center of the park. 1t
was in this small circle that the test of Cap
tain Stubbs's skill in rifle wing-shooting was
made. His first exhibition was to break
eighty glass balls out of 100, he sitirg in a
buggy, which was driven around the circle at
a rapid speed, the balls to be tossed straight
up into the air by man standing at the side
of the track. 1t is only justice to Captain
Stubs to here state that all the disadvant-
ages Of an irregular travelling horse, shack
ling buggy, and the most reckless of drivers
assisted him in this difficult task. Mr.. VIM.
Bowles, it,, and Colonel Clarence Hunt were
chosen scorers. Messrs. Jerry Cockrell and
VIM. Gates were judges, with Major Arthur
Merriman referee.
By the appointed hour "a PM a large
crowd, composed of all the "sports of this
locality" were on the ground, and Captain
Stubs did not detain them. He took his
position in the buggy, and after one or two
turns around the little foot-way, 50 TO
locate the man who tossed the balls the
captain at once began his work and scored
five balls before missing, which was occa-
stoned by the driver flashing the horse at
the very instant of the shot. A score of
sixteen was then made before miss was re-
corded. Small limbs were repeatedly cut
from the upper limbs of the tail trees. After
Il Il 1. L L
missed. Again, after the two following balls
he scored goose-egg, which was decided as
partly the fault of the captain having ordered
the ball tossed in direction which, owing
to the sudden turn of the roadway, required
him TO turn himself almost completely
around before shooting. The captain then
broke the next succeeding thirteen balls,
when he INDUCED himself in a rest from the
difficult labor of wing-shooting from a
buggy, and entertained the crowd with
fancy wing rihe-shooGng, the first of which
was to break fifteen balls in twelve seconds.
He broke fourteen balls in ample time, when
a cartridge caught in the barrel and pre-
vented his accomplishing the feat. During
this performances the broken parts of glass
and sawdust within the ball fell around him
thick and fast.
Ten one-ounce vials were tossed into the
air in rapid succession and broken without
firing while an assistant tossed the vials He
then tossed up two vials with his left hand
one at time, carried the rifle to his shout
der and fred it with only the right hand,
breaking both. Throwing balls with his
left hand to the ground at distance Of only
about ten feet from where he stood, carrying
the rifle to his shoulder and firing with only
the right hand, he broke two out of three.
With the rifle upside down and resting on
top of his head, two balls were tossed into
the air by an assistant and broken.
Throwing balls over his back, turning and
breaking, was another of his apparently easy
featz.
Two balls were thrown up at one time;
one only was broken, owing, no doubt, to |
the dense foliage of the surrounding trees. |
He was prevailed upon 10 desist from a rep |
etition OF this feat owing TO the danger from |
the location.
Two balls were then thrown by the cap |
tain with his left hand lone at a time, while |
the rifle was manipulated with the right |
hand only, which we're instantly broken.
The captain then renewed the feat of |
shooting on the wing from buggy, when |
be scored thirty.six balls before missing, /
during the latter part of which the horse |
was dashed into tull run each time ball
was tossed into the air, and the enthusiasm
Of the crowd was manifested in continuous
cheers. He then broke another ball, max
ing score of breaking eighty-three out OF |
sighty-eight, when he was prevailed upon
by the parties present to "giye the horse a
-est," which his jaded appearance fully en-
titled him to. At the suggestion Of one Of
our crack shots, the captain performed the
wonderful and almost unhesrd of feat of
breaking eight balls with his rifle thrown
across the line of fire" in rapid succession.
Before the exhibition began, it was COM
non talk in the crowd among A No. l shots
hat the programme published could not be
executed without the assistance of some
rick. Some claimed his rifle to be loaded
With shot; others that the balls were charged
With a chemical which would explode at a
,iven distance when tossed into the air
Captain Stubbs's first eff rts caused all the
doubling Thomases" TO cave in and ac-
him the most wonderful wing
hot with rifle they ever saw. One of the
noticeable features of Captain Stubbs's
hooting is his taking the object at any and
Iii positions with the ssmeIsase and,accuracy.
Whether the bali be on the upward bound,
1t the top, or on the descend, it's all the
anne TO his quick and unerring aim. The
captain promises to attend the shooting at
Mr.. Jerry Cockrell's grounds, at the foot of
Main street, on next Thursday afternoon,
md also 10 give an exhibition to the public |
It the Greenlaw Operahouse on next Thurs
lay or Friday evening. The No. SO Win
hester rife will be the rage here among the
hots, on account of Captain Stubs produc-
ug such wonderful work with it. The shot
,un he uses is w. w. Greenard's hammer
ess No. 10, bore so inches in length.
After enjoying an hour and a half
( the most wonderful exhibition OF
ring shooting with rife, the crowd re-
urned to the city.