The San Francisco call., 1898-06-05
THE MEDAL WENT
 TO MERRILL'S GUN.
SToCKTON'S BOY AHEAD IN THE
 LIVE-BIRD CONTEST.
Rice Handsomely Compensated for the Loss of the Trophy by Get
 ting the Entrance Fees.

Frank Merrill of Stockton carried off the honors at the State live bird tourna- ment at Ingleside yesterday. It was the second day of the tournament, which is being held under the aus pices of the Olympic Gun Club, and to- day will conclude the event. Merrill is among the younger members of the shot gun shooting fraternity, but he has the advantage of training that began before he was out of knee brooches. It was the second event of the occasion in which he distinguished himself and won the Gold Dust medal race. This medal has his tory, dating back into the existence of the old California State Sportsmen's As sociation, now defunct The trophy, which is a beautiful piece of workmanship, is perpetual. the winner at each tournament holding the same for one year.
 Every time the medal is contested for the last holder receives the entrance money of the current match. In 1896 it was won by J. S. Tanning, and last year by MT. Rice. Although the latter was not able to hold the trophy yesterday he was fortunate in having entries that net ted him the neat sum of SS5 prize money. The conditions. of the match were twenty live birds, entrance s5, with $l5 and Sl0 for the second and third high guns. Mer- rilb killed all of his birds straight, and he was loudly cheered when he tumbled his last pigeon. The birds were fair lot, but toward the end of the last match the trapper put a lot of surprises in the traps, pigeons that did not lose a second in getting away from the danger line. This caused number of those who were calculating on good things to miss both barrels, although In the majority of cases the birds died out of bounds.
 The opening event was known as the California Wing Club race. ten birds: Five men made clean scores and divided the money, as shown by the following figures:
 Feudner, withdrawn; Merrill, 10: Rice. with drawn; Jackson, g; Nauman, s. Leighton, g; Haight, 10; Fox. 10; Ruhstahler 10; Sears, 10; Wales, '; Vaughan, 4 Owens 8; Kibby. with drawn; Ingalsbe, withdrawn Jones, with drawn.
 The second was the big 2o-bird event medal and Otto Feudner took first purse of $15 on 19 kills. The third prize of $10 was divided by Haight,. Ruhstaller and Burnett, who killed IS birds. The rec ords stood:
 Feudner, 1s; Nauman. withdrawn; Merrill, 20; Rice withdrawn; Ruhstahler, IS; Sears. withdrawn Haight, IS; Jackson, withdrawn drawn; Burnett. IS; Taylor. withdrawn; Jones' r; Vaughan, withdrawn; Heidelberg. 15.
 The Selby race was the third and last event, of the day-1O birds $5 entrance and $25 added. The cash was divided among the six high guns shown in the following scores:
 Feudner, 10; Nauman. 10; Merrill, withdrawn Fox, 10; Rice, withdrawn: Haght, 9; Sears, withdrawn: Leighton, withdrawn Vaughan. withdrawn: Kibby 10; Ingalsbe, 10; Jones, withdrawn; Wales. withdrawn; Burnett. 10; Sprague g; Jackson, withdrawn; Ruhstahler, withdrawn.
 To-day being the last day of the tour nament. it is expected that the attend ance will be larger than on either of the two preceding occasions. Besides the cash prizes, the Fay diamond medal will be contested for, and there are a number of shots who desire very much to carry off this beautiful prize.