Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-19
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Annual Rifle Competitions to Occur
in November.
VOLUNTARY PRACTICE at TIE RANGE
Arrival of the Hilton Medals for the
Brigade Team Members.
not ES OF REST

1t is certainty that the annual rifle COM
petitions of the District of Columbia Ma
| tional Guard will not occur on the dates ex-
| pected-October %, 80 and 31-but in all prob
ability about the middle of November. The
| postponement is made necessary because Of
the illness of the inspector general of rifle
practice in whose hands the arrangement of
| details of the atches naturally falls. When
| the time does arrive, however, for facing the
| targets it will be found that the program
| VIII be an unusually interesting one, with
| prizes of sufficient value to tempt the ma
jority of the guardsmen who take an interest
| in plugging up the bull's-eye with lead-or in
endeavoring to do so.
| feature of the meet, it is thought will
| be the presence of rifle team representing
the New Jersey National Guard, under the
direction of Brigadier General Bird w. Spen-
! Ger, the states inspector general of rifle
practice, and accompanied by Governor
WertS and several members Of his staff
| During the recent competitions at Sea Girt
an invitation was extended to the Jerseymen
&c come down at the time of the District
| brigade competitions, examine the new
range at Ordway and give the local sharp
shooters another opportunity to demon strate
| their superiority over the men from the
| mosquito land, SO far as hitting the center
OF targets is concerned. A recent commun-
| ication from General Spencer making in
| quiry as to the dates for the local matches
would seem to indicate that serious consid-
Grafton is being gwen the invitation, and as
the Jersey team was highly pleased with tie
treatment accorded 1t on the occasion of the
VISIT to this city last year, notification that
1t has concluded to again come to Washing
ton VIII probably be received in few Gays.
speaking of the Jersey rif1emen recalls to
mind that the proposition that team from
the District accompany the Jersey team to
savannah February - next for match
1 no nr,rtn
put, en- the contrary, is being favorably
thought of, and the trip is likely to prove
reality.
voluntary Practice ut the Ranges,
Those members OF the brigade who have
not completed their scores for the season
have an excellent opportunity now open to
, them to make up fo- lost time MONDAYS.
Wednesdays and Fridays have been set
| apart at the Ordway range for voluntary
practice. and by the exercise of a little en-
e1gy poor shots might qualify as marks
men or sharpshooters, and be entitled to
the buttons or cross The National Rifle
Association of America is in possession of
the range on Saturdays, ard its matches
are citing interest.
That Thanksgiving day, from Sun-up to
dark. will be lively period at Ordway is
undoubted. and 1t is also safe to predict
that several companies will hold turkey
shoots in the gallery Thanksgiving eve.
Hilton Medals Have Arrived.
The individual medals for the members
OF the brigade team, which carried off the
Hilton trophy at Sea Girt, have just been
rec eived. The medals are of bronze, and
were made by Tiffany of New York. Each
consists of disk slightly larger than a
silver quarter, and twice as thick which is
suspended by single link from a bar bear
ing the words Sea Grit" On the face is
the inscription The Hilton Trophy Match"
surrounding a wreath. in the center of
" hich is a space to be inscribed 1885"
On the reverse is Presented by the Ma
tional Rife Association of America to -,
member of the winning team. Individual
score. -; team score, - The name of
the member, his score and the team score
are to be engraved in the blank spaces
Each member of the team, including the
captain, is to receive a medal.
Second Regiment Band.
The second regiment is to have a band of
music, the organization of which is UNIQUE
Lieut.. Otto G. Simonson, who has had his
hands full for weeks past remodeling COM
pany d. sixth battalion, is the prime mover
in the matter, and his efforts have resulted
in the gathering together of twenty-sx
first-class musicians These men will be
er listed in Lieut.. Simonson's company, and
VIXEN desired, are to be detailed for duty
as handsmen- Instead of reporting for drill
with the remainder Of the enlisted men. the
twenty-siX members referred to will re-
Port for rehearsal The special desirability
of the plan is that the services of the mu-
SicianS are secured free of charge The
initial rehearsal of the band was held in
second regiment headquarters Wednesday
evening last, and it proved highly satisfac-
tory and encouraging.
Gninhakitnbie Quarters.
Gen. Ordway personally inspected the
quarters of company D, third battalion,
the second floor of the armory building last
evening. Owing to the construction of GER
tain machinery below, the rooms referred
to have been rendered uninhabitable. and
Gen. Ordway suggested that the difficulty
might he remedied by laying a cement floor
Under the wooden flooring and coating the
walls with tar. If these means prove I'M
ayailins other quarters must be found for
Capt. Kings command.
The Military Whcclmen.
The District Guard was complimented
when the United States Military Wheelmen,
at their first annual convention, this week,
elected Gen. Albert Ordway president of
the organization. The objects of the asso-
citation are. among others, to unite wheel
men who have knowledge of military drill
into bodies of such size as to test the prac-
ticability Of moving and maneuvering large
bodies of troops with the bicycle; also to es-
tablsh in perfect harmony with the several
states and with the United States govern
ment a body of men of superior ability and
educa ton, who shall cultivate and maintain
in their several organizations the best ira
ditions of the American soldier
A large number of prominent military men
were present during the convention, and
among those who made addresses was Gen.
Miles, who spoke at length upon the bicycle
and it's military advantages.
Findings of Court-Martial.
Considerable interest was manifested
among the local companies when the Neeley
Zouaves of Memphis visited st. Louis last
summer and participated in the interstate
drill held in the latter city, in direct viola
ton of the orders Of the commanding officer
of the Tennessee troops. The members of
the Medley Zouaves journeyed to St. Louis
as individuals and used borrowed rifles in
the drill. Notwithstanding the course pur-
sued, Capt. kid" Defrey, the widely
known commander of the zouaves, was
court-martialed for disobedience of orders.
The decision of the court was made public
Thursday last. Capt. Deffrey was declared
guilty, but the court recommended that SEN
tence be RENTED, and the governor ap-
proved the findings.
The condition of Second Lieut.. c. NJ Rob-