The San Francisco call., 1896-01-16
E. Wilberry, a Popular Member
of the Rauzo Club, Hauled
to Jail.
RESULT OF a SHOOTING MATCH
Rival Clubs Miss All Targets, but
Kill a Horse and Much
Trouble EnSueS.

All the bicyclists in the Mission and all
their fair female friends have been getting
up from one to three hours before their
regular hour dnring the last few days
They have been moved by anxiety to see
the morning paper and discover if the
news had reached downtown of the raid
by the police on shooting match petween
the Rauzo and the Knocker Social clubs,
which occurred on Sunday.
The two clubs above named include
nearly all the wealth, fashion and dignity
among the young gentlemen residing
south of Market street. The Knocker Club
consists entirely of professional men or
professional men-elect. Among the latter
are the internes at the City and County
Hospital, students at the various medical
colleges, and clerks in law Offices The
Rauzos, on the other hand, are ''in trade. "
There are many influential and wealthy
gentlemen on its roll. Both clubs have
rooms in the building at Twenty-second
and Folsom streets.
Though there has always been the
greatest rivalry between the clubs there
has never been anything but friendliness.
The extreme informality of the many
meetings has allowed of spirited discus
sions and heated arguments, which re-
CURED vast libationS of cold beer to abate.
These discussions often begat contests,
which until the last one were hitherto the
source of much amusement.
This last one, which was the shooting
contest that came off on Sunday, caused
deep mourning, landed one Of the mem
bers in jail, endangered the neck of a
valued and loved Rauzoer, and brought
about the untimely death of a horse.
There was no comfort, even in the fact
that the pneumatic ducks and other tar
gets were not in the least injured by the
clubs marksmen.
The idea of the contest originated six
weeks ago, when the Knockers through
their president, Curly Dog, and their sec
retary, King Woohoo, sent challenge to
the Rauzos 10 compete at the target. The
challenge was at once accepted with the
understanding that the losing club should
pay for tamale banquet, with beer, eject
eras, at the Delmonlco's s of the Mission.
Betting at once began on the result.
The odds were at first in favor of the
Knockers, although the Rauzos immedi-
ately put themselves in the care of Trainer
Rogers, the mentor of the California
Cycling Club, and followed his directions
to the minutest detail. The prime condi-
ton OF the Rauzos made marked change
in the betting, and by Sunday it was hard
to find backer for the Knockers, though
their experience as killers" had given
them an enviable reputation.
After long debate it vas decided to go
to the Pesthouse range, Just beyond
Twenty sixth street. The two CLUBS
reached the designated spot at O'Clock on
Sunday afternoon. There were 1913 mem
bers present. 1t was decided, however, to
leave the shooting 10 two teams, with
twenty-five men in each. The rest cheered
the shooters and firted between shots with
China Annie, the female inmate of the
Pesthouse, who stood on the front porch
of that building and played ''You Can't
Play in My Yard" and ''In the Sweet By
and By" on the little organ till she was
removed by the superintendent.
Each man had three shots at the target
These were taken at intervals when the fog
would tighten enough for the bullseye to
be seen. The target came out unscathed.
Some pneumatic ducks were then set
afoat on Islais Creek and the marksmen
tried on them. They had just fired the
two hundred and twelfth cartridge with
out harming the ducks when half-dozen
sons of sunny Italy appeared with warlike
demonstrations and pltchforks.
1t seems that a stray bullet had killed q
horse belonging TO one of the Italians. The
owner wanted satisfaction. The club
mem bers fed incontinently at the first an
proach of the natives, who at once began
hot chase. A wealthy young brewer.
handicapped by too much flesh, Jagged be-
hind. To avoid capture he ran into a
saloon, dropped out OF back window in
the second story and escaped with only
few scratches and bumps while his pur-
suers were downstairs.
But Edward Wilberry, a contractor.
one of the Rauzos, was not so fortunate.
The Italians, re-enforced Dy police man,
succeeded in stopping him. He pleaded
that he had not shot the horse, but the
officer decided to 'take him in" anyway
The patrol-wagon was summoned, and
Mr.. Wilberry rode back to town in state,
and the wagon, thus saving carfare
The departure was observed from several
coigns of vantage by various members OF
the demoralized clubs. The telephone was
at once set TO work in an appeal for relief
and the prisoner had hardly reached the
Seventeenth-street Station before ATTORNEY
]. c. Flood was on hand with the bail nee
essary to release his friend from du1auce
vile.
The case comes up before Judge Joach-
imsen on Tuesday. Mr.. Flood has no doubt
of the speedy discharge of his client, as it
is only illegal to discharge firearms inside
of Twenty-sixth street Even if Mr.. Will
berry were one of the shooters and it is
stated authoritatively that he is not one of
those who had been chosen to uphold the
Rauzo Clubs reputation, he could not be
found guilty because all the shooting was
done in the sand lots just beyond the
fateful Twenty street line.