Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-07
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
HOW IT HAPPENED.


A few very properly inquisitive people may
want to know why the Washington total in the
Hilton match was smaller than that of last year.
The explanation is an easy one. and one that
cannot be denied by any one who watched the
the home team failed to win was due to two
things. First to, the fact that the regulation
factory" ammunition used with the Spring
field gun has not the penetration or wind-defv-
ing power which is the feature to be looked for
In bullets Of $50 grains propelled by eighty
grains of powder; and, secondly. to the abom-
inably unfair marking INDUCED in by the men
whose duty it was to be thoroughly honest.
The members of the New York team must not
be blamed for using the ammunition with
took advantage of a purposely made loop
hole in the regulations of that organization
which was once 1.-THE National Rifle Association
of America" nor can they be held responsible
for the sharp practice INDUCED in by the
markers No one has word of complaint to
utter against the empire state team-they are
gentlemen and they put up some phenomenal
scores-but Washington has large grievance
against the management which would permit
such disc-bobbing as was practiced upon the
District team, especially at the 500 and COO
yards ranges. The unlearned layman NAV see
for himself how the thing worked. When a
target is hit it is the duty of the marker to
put up on the shot mark disc, the color of
which gives the value of the shot. or course il
is important that the man shooting shall know
how much he makes, but it is equally important
that he should be accurately informed as to the
position Of the shot. 1t is not enough to be
signaled that he made four; he wants to know
whether 1t was high or low, to the right or the
left of the bull's-eye. II he put in q four on
the right and the wind is blowing hard from
the right, then, If he desires to hit the bulls g.
eye. he will move his wind-gauge to the left
and may with his next shot get the coveted
nve But II he gets four to the right and the
marker pops four disc up on the opposite
side Of the center, then the rifeman takes more
right wind, and as a result his bullet whistles
harnllessly by the target on the right side.
That was the game which was frequently
played on Washington Saturday afternoon.
The accusation cannot be denied or knocked
down. There are too many living witnesses; the
ocular demonstration of dishonesty was clearly
visible to numerous pairs of first-class eyes.
Some OF the eyes were adjusted to telescopes
and to them the cheat was plain. On the two
New York targets the marking was deliberate
and accurate, on the Washington targets (and
ON one OF them especially the discs were bob
in fisherman who had an unexpected bite.
There was no attempt on the part Of the mark
ers to locate the shots, and as a consequence
some OF the scores were far below what they
would have been had the markers been COM
PEELED to do that which was right. New York
ers saw the difference in the marking and no
one tried to excuse it or improve it. We're
there no other reason that one would in itself
be sufficient to deter any outside team from
again visiting Creedmoor.
GEN. oRDwAY DEFERs ACTION.
After the matches were over Gen. Ordway
(who was team captain) was urged to then and
there protest against the ammunition used by
the New York team, but he decided to defer
action. No complaint could be made against
a inn aA1v I'D al. nvaA ktn k<.uu
bullet, but the match could have been upset
because the New York men, not satisfied with
their advantage, had violated an association
regulation. This ruls provides that the bullets