The morning call., 1894-06-04
BROKE THE LAW.
Marksmen Use Their own
Ammunition.
STATE SHELLS THROWN OUT
Ouardsmen Openly Violate the
Regulations.
wINKs AT TIE LAW-BREAKERS.
Methods Which Seriously initiate
Against the Appeal for Bet
ter Cartridges.
wINKs AT TEE LAW-BREAKERs.

much liberty aud even more success
The targets were broken because it was
June, and in June the National Guards
men are obliged, according to the letter OF
the State military-ls w, to fire the first ten
of the twenty shots which annually deter
mine their title TO State decorations. The
law was broken simply because the men,
bers of the First California Infantry
pleased TO do some law-breaking in that
particular line.
Only a couple of weeks ago the adjutant-
general OF the State ordered in language
that admitted of no double Interpretation
that in the State rifle competitions for the
season of 1894 only such ammunition
should be used as was issued by the State
authorities. With the most certain knowi-
edge Of This declaration from the Sacra-
Inento Office. and with quite as much
knowledge of the source whence the order
came. the Young men of Colonel Sulllvan's
infantry found 1t III their hearts TO disoDey
II. Inc scorers Wiuked at the violation.
CAPTAINS smiled with a sort of knowing
smile. majors were rather too busy to see
il, and the col0nel-well, the colonel was
not there for that purpose. But the regl-
tai Tifie-practlce Inspector was there,
and be did q deal Of winking.
The acknowledgement of rife practice.
the gentlemen who is supposed TO control
anu uilbtb ltlO LtllC mug u t1O " b''O
National Guard OF the State was there.
but sIngularly enough, the inspeetor-geu-
eral himself had contracted the wlnking
habit to a degree that made 1t entirely I'M
possible Tor him 10 see or IN any measure
understand The manner in which the eX-
press dictates CT the Sacramento chief were
being openly violated
1t is matter of common talk and gen.
eral opinion shat the ammunition with
which the State soldiers had for several
years been provided for competitions OF
the kind held yesterday IS or poor quality.
The fact has been universally accepted
that the cartridges are of such inferior
qualify that good scoring was made I'M
possible by the regulation which ordered
the use Of II en- such occasions. Yet the
State military laws which emanate al III
tRTValS from the itflce Of the adJutaut-
general are one thing and the desire and
the preference Of the TIie-hriDg National
Guardsmen are another. Whatever may
be the quality Of the State ammunition
the Sacramento regulations make 1t COM
pulsOTV upon all militiamen Of California
10 fire with 1t, and there can he no ques-
ton raised about the open lack Of the legal
observance in such a reTlOrman &c as took
place on the range at Shell Mound yester-
day.
There were seven companies shooting.
I'hey were all companies of the First In
tanLry, regiment perhaps the best known
z
the Stale serv &c. l. is customary on Oc-
casionS Of State competition to change
about IN the matter OF scores. Generally
q captain or a lieutenant or one company
Is delegated to supervise the score registra-
ton ofkEanotner company IN the regiment
This rule is in vogue because il secures 10
the authorities an honest lot OF markers,
for under no com bnatiOu OF circumstances
even the most peculiar could II be dreamed
that an officer Of one Company in the First
Regiment would cheat in the favor of an
other company IN the same regiment when
tina sweet green lauTels OF Ilne-nTlDg are
on the prize list.
The violation Of the law was so openly
exhibited yesterday that even some of the
IegImental officers seemed afraid of the
very measures to which their boldness had
urged them. There was little need OF fear,
however, for there are officers, ana then
again there are ofEceTS. Some OF these
latter were the ottcers whose business 1t
was 10 see that the first State life cOmpe-
titiOn Of 1894 was conducted 10 accordance
with the regulations OF Blunt and the sup
Elementary provisions embodied in the
order issued from general headquarters.
With & view 70 determine 10 certainty
the failure Of the First Infantry people to
comply with the law in the matter Of am-
muuItiOn CALL reporter referred TO the
violation TO several OF them.
THE fact is" said one Of the company
commanders, the men are using whatever
ammunition they please. OF course WE
know that General Allen ordered the use
Of the United States Cartridge Company.
ammunition at this shoot, UuL then, yoJ
know, We have something OF an idea OIL
this matter Of rife practice"
But, captain, may it not be fact tina
the ammunition which the State issued fol
this occasion is superior TO the kind agans
which the objections were made at former
competitions ?' the reporter asked.
perhaps so. but then" and then the
captain remem bered that he had promised
TO 90 some scOTe-keeplng.
Colonel Sullivan, is the ammunition
being used by your men all OF the kint
that the State requires 10 be used to-dayY
"Ail Of the Kind, sir; al Of the kind
My men use State ammunition, sir" and
the colonel smiled on the reporter with
sort Of appTehensve smile.
Colonel LaidIaw, the nspectOr-genera
Of rife practice, was found out in the
pistol range. where he shed tie light of hi!
golden trimmings and said things Willy
at one and the same time.
Have you noticed, colonel, that the
law Is being pretty much violated in the
matter Of ammunition over on the rife
ranger" was asked of the genial chief o
the militia gun business.
Il have not noticed il" the colonel re
maFked with nOnChalaDce that almOs
prompted his questioner to think what tn G
!. Il. /. meant on his collar
Lieutenant Barrere, the regimental in
spector OF lie practice, protested that the
State ISSUES half dozen kinds of ammu
niuon, but baIrere is plainly mixed on the
subject
The reason for using ammunition in VIC
lauon OF the State law may be found ID
the oeiief, very general and very wei
founded In National Guard circles. that he
otSie cartridges are Inferior to those tina
Tiiemen themselves can prepare. 1t would
seem, however, that the miiitiamen migh
comply with the law for a wear or two
and II Sacramento cartridges are inferior
the poor scores made with them woulC
prove more substantial argument thar
any other for the Issue of better ammnni
ten Instead OF doing so, the Stale sol
diers appear to complain Of State nowde
during the year. but when an opportunir,
is given them to GemOnst ate 10 the STAT
authorities the inferlorty of this sam,
powder, advantage is taken of the chance
ngt To right wrong, but rather TO imnos
upon the Sacramento officials, ana tim
Increase the probabilities that the sam
psor ammunition will be issued srai,
psx1 year, and perhaps for years To- come
But whatever the purpose the State la,
YVES violated.
CrnnTAJG EOp MEnAIc