The Portland daily press., 1898-08-19
SKATER A CRACK SHOT.
The Joke He Played on the Colonel of a
Rival Regiment.
(san Francisco Chronicle. }

Colonel Thomas II. Barry, adjutant.
general to Major General Otis, before
leaving for Manila, told good story Of
Malor-General Skaters shooting in the
days when he was colonel on the Mex
can border. A day before he took ship fol-
the Philippines, Barry, with Brigadier-
General Hughes and "Chronicle'' rep
resentative, discussing Skaters gallantry
before Santiago said:
.''I was Skaters aide years ago when
we both were bronzing under the hottest
sun that shines in these states Shafter
was known as the best shot not only in
his regiment but in the whole country
about One day an officer from another
regiment not acquainted with Shafter' S
ability in this line, visited the post and
soon made it apparent to us that he es-
teemed himself about as expert marks
man as ever pulled a trigger. We secretly
laughed az his opinion Of himself and
whispered to each other, GUST wait till
Pecos Bill gets after him.
swell, his time came. Onel morning
Shafter and started out to ride forty
miles or more to another post, and the
visitor asked to be allowed to accompany
u.s. We trotted along easily until about
noon, when we halted to eat our luncheon
which we packed with US. At that time
officers carried short carbines on such
SERVICE and l had one strapped to my
saddle. The conversation drifted from the
topography Of the country to marksman-
ship and the officer-I call him Smith
said: Say, colonel, have you got any
cf,C+o 1oI
and replied: "Haye 1? Why, I've got
some men that can discount the sharp
shooters you read about. Officers, too.
I'm not much myself, but when you get
back to the fort I'll tell few of the good
ones to show you thing or two.
just then an antelope sprang up
quarter OF q mile away, and all seeing it
at the same moment reached Tor their
carblnes. Shafter was quick est, and in a
second adjusted the sights 10 600 feet
and blazeo away. Down came Mr.. Ante
lope and when we rode up to where he lay
we found bullet over his heart "Smith
examined the wound, looked over the car
bine, and then muttered half aside, Not
bad. You say you're not in it with the
other officers i'll your regiment, colonelf'
- No, said Shafuer, I'm ashamed of my
self along side of them.
90 couple of hours later another ante
lope appeared, but farther away. Smith
uugSbsu Il IAOuoLU anu IIlbIl SlIu eagerly:
Colonel, may | go after him?'
. "Psnaw! You wouldn't chase him on
horse back that distance, exclaimed
Shafter Selling the weapon and leveling
it as he spoke. Ill put lead in his head5
He fired and we saw the animal bound
away. Smith was gleeful. a little
higher colonel, he shouted as we galloped
on. Reaching the place where the game
had been. we were on a high rising piece
Of ground, and, looking down fifty feet,
Shafter pointed to q dark object and said
quietly: Il guess L got the head
"Sure enough Uhe antelope was lying
dead, with bullet through his left ear.
Smith locked as Disguised as any man l
ever saw.
And the officers are Better he queried.
"Shafter's eyes twinkied. Lieufe oan5
Smith, he replied, with assumed stern
ness l want you to say nothing of tnis ut
the post. / ought to have hit him in the
eye and l feel ashamed of my poor aim.
"Smith, who had no sense Of humor,
was dumbfounfed. For years after he
spread the fame Of Colonel Shafter as a
marksnaa far and wide. -