New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-13

OF his convictions It was most interesting ties;
IN every way ana showed that the shields were al
Mr. Leonard said they were.
Mr. Leonard lives az so. 81 Park Place Brook
,vn He - about forty years OH ana was born IN
New-Jersey. For the last fourteen years D. has
followed the trade II a carpenter II" has Invented
other things. he says. hut * stii "a poor man NY.
Leonard s. rather slender. tfp.ug the scales az
about - pounds. lie has h.rh forehead ana hH'
, eyes and his manner IS modest ana una'si"inS.
The inventor says he has been working on ms ~hirA
FOR over two years The first ono De- made was h't.
the second convex Tests ~ both o. them werr
made Yesterday Tho tests - Herr Doves huli"t-
proof Jacket; mIde shor; time aro in Germany.
caused Mr.. Leonard he says. - cNh'h!t Dr. inv'n-
ton lie docs rot mink 81 !q Identical win I'll"
material ~ The German ,1or's coat ile refused.
Of course 10 dlscioe" ~" sc-rt rh" inventor ' -
the opinion that his shiel c4u stand "a more severe
test than Herr Doves
The shield is seventeen inches long. thirteen
inches wide and and thrre-f1urihs inches thick
MI Leonard said yesterday 70 Tribune reporter
before the tests began The material Is ~ COM
bination Of cotton. wood. wool and fo!t treated
chemically There is no stee. copper. brass, nickel
any kind Of metal plate IN IT. There az" three
plates 81 the composition IN 'hc shield AZ mite
distance npar, from each other. The shield Weighs
eleven pounds.
TIE exhibition took place Mt Atlantic Park Ralph
ave and Prospect Place. Brooklyn. AMI ne only
spectators were reporters nnI few other persons.
The tests took place IN the opcn-a!r shooting gAi-
cry.
AN AMERICAN INVENTOR.
Shortly before =. IN. a man arrived with a
case continuing the shelds. 4 afterward APP
peared and a small American nar He fastened
the flag t. a pole about eight Zee; long arl stuck
Il IN the ground near the entrance 20 the gallery.
THIS to show to the world thai hits Was an
American ties, OF an American Invention. Mr
Leonard arrived shortly after O'Clock hul asked
The reporters to examine the Preparations made FOR
| the test
| lie had bolied together two pieces Of American
kindreI oak. leaving about m inch between them.
These blocks were fastened - a backing of whit"
! pine. That was 10 be the frat test. and BE- tx
| pectel the bullets 10 penetrate both blocks For
the second test he had made target OF corrugated
| Inallcablr steel. mhde hy hand. The steel plates
| were three-sixtecnths Of nm inch thick. and were
! firmly bol.ol together and fastened 10 Il backing
made Of - two-!nch oak PLANK. The Third test was
inch pine boards fastened together at Intervals y
| an inch Ar. Leonard had screwed "a steel plat"
| at the back OF this target AMI b" expected ia"
bullets 20 ring the plate after penetrating the four
ten boards lie nag a.-p SCI up rni'i n atufI
make the tests OF the shields TINT The inventor
Of @fN i6re the to exane the Hen 81 ihc s2oi H.
then handed around 10 ~" t.p'riers ~" Govern
| were t. be used and allowed ihem To- examine th"
Winchester repeating rine., WIN which William
! shooter was TO max" the tests. The shots were
| fired at distance Of ihifty-iNc i'"i
THROUGH THE PIANKS.
Persons near the targets th.n retired to
specifu distance. ana the hrst shot was nrel. II
was found examination that II Ind gone through
| the first oak plank and almost through the sec
ond. The next bullet split ont piece at the back
| OF the second block The third and fourth shots
! split the plank. and the fourth went through both
The next toe, was on the corrugated stool plate
! with the two-nch oak backing. Mr. KchnrIs's
| irs
cheese. and cut through one 81 The bolts, The
! Then the fourteen pine boards We're set up, and
the first shot went through them al. and deeply
| entirely away from IT'S fastenings
FIRING At THE SHIELD
Then came the test Of tlre first shield. This was
fat and was covered with black cloth There
seemed be thin padding on the front, and the
! plate could be felt underneath H. This tied
! up on the part Of the dummy which represented
the chest OF a man. and Mr.. Richards fred the
| first shot II penetrated the shield one inch The
! second shot went In almost an inch and II quar-
Ter and caused the third plate to bulge out slightly
| at the back but IT Gid not 20 through The con
vex shield was then fastened on the dummy two
shots fired and they each penetrated the shield
The Newspaper men carefully examined the shields
after each shot ~ probing ihen YIN n, pin VT
| Teonnrd grew rather indignant AT the many ques-
tons as to whether theie were any st.'l pat IL, ID
the pleasure OF the reporters that was all the eN-
"" "W@!I" said Nr Leonard "are you gentlemen
! satisfied with the results?'
The reporters said they were entirely satisfied.
Now II you gentlemen want me TO do H. CON
narh h M r nchaf T shoot u5 S OF the
| Some Of the newspaper men replied that they
could not ask him TO lake the risk but II hexwantci
| 10 do IL and thought there was no danger, n would
show the public that he had perfect faith In his In
| VcntiOn. ,.,-,
! THAT settles IT, exclaimed Mr.. Leonard. "Wl,'
he went on. turning to Mr.. Richards are you sure
' Won can nut "A bullet In this shield"
! Mr. Richards mumbled something unlntclliglbe;
he was plainly "rattled" Mr. Leonard DID not walt
another friend tied the convex shield on he breast
with the cloth straps at the corners While ne
wa getting ready. Mr.. Richards was stamping
around the ground In great state or excitement;
/ again and again.
The Grounds
! SHOT At LEONARD.
+ Mr. Leonard soon Gained down. and after care
fully cleaning the rife and taking one or two prep