Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-27
ELLIOTT IS STILL CHAMPION
Kansas City Man Proves Too Much for
Challenger Crosby.
KILLS NINETY-SEVEN BIRDS IN HUNDRED
Chris GOttIieb wins His Live bird
Match with waIte shemweII-
weather for
All Contests.

In the windstorm which drove the sands
Of the Missouri river into the faces and
ears Of the shooters and spectators, in a
temperature which made winter overcoat5
acceptable, J. A.. r. Elliott successfully de-
Tended his claim to the championship OF
America at the live bird traps from the on
BlauRht of William Crosby OF O'Fallon, Ill,
who had challenged him TO the contest for
800 a side. To say that the result OF the
shoot surprised all OF the people who
thought they knew something OF the rela-
tive ability OF the shooters would hardly be
fair to the men who back Jim" Elliott
through thick and thin, but that the MAJOR
ity OF the men who we're assembled at the
Omaha Gun club grounds to witness the
event were surprised is certain. Acknowl-
edging the ability Of the man from Kansas
City, they believed that in case of a high
wind the shooter from Illinois would have
things in his favor and when the promised
blow ives fulfilled the friends Of Crosby
were almost certain OF his success. The
wind was really in favor Of Elliott. as It
blew so strong as to make the birds seek
cover and a large number of the birds
trapped had to be flushed by balls thrown
at them after their release. The birds un-
der ordinary circumstances could not be
called difficult. but when a brown pigeon
would melt into oblivion and bury itself in
the blowing sand before It reached the lin
its OF the grounds almost any kind OF a
bird would be considered one Of more than
average dificulty.
Large Crowd present.
A comparatively large crowd OF people
from Omaha and Council Bluffs were as
sembled at the grounds to witness the con-
Act z-AG.A aa.a4-a -. . - .aaaz au
ing been announced for $3.50 the day before.
Crosby was the first man at the traps and
caught an easy bird which was bowled over
with the second barrel. From that time
until the sixteenth bird was trapped 1t was
an even break between the men, both OF
whom were shooting in excellent form. The
sixteenth bird at which Elliott shot was
swift and got away from the traps so fast
that It was still going when the second bar
rel OF the gun was empty and the Crosby
hackers were elated. Crosby's eighteenth
bird cam out in a gust Of wind which al
most concealed 1t from view and the score
was even with a miss apiece.
Both men shot perfectly on the second
bunch Of twenty-five birds served them.
Crosby's second miss took place on his nf-
ty-seventh bird, which was a swift one
that few low. His sixtieth bird had power
to cross the fence before 1t dropped dead,
and the sixtieth bird of Elliott Joined it at
almost the same point. From that time
every one of Elllott's birds died as they
should. although one or two of them were
doubtful cases until retrieved.
Crosby missed his eightieth bird, his
ninetieth. his ninety-seveuth and ninety
ninth. all Of which were comparatively
easy birds, and In every case the loss was
due to the state Of the wind and dust,
which almost concealed the birds. At times
the wind was so strong that the guns were
out of the control of the men, but Il was
not as bad In this race as in the one which
followed.
One Of the prettiest races ever seen on
the Omaha Gun club grounds was the nfty-
bird contest between Walter Shemwell OF
Colorado Springs and Chris Gottlieb Of
Kansas City. This shoot was arranged
Thursday for $50 a side, and although 4
closed at the end of the forty-sixth rounC
on account OF the lack OF birds, those WHIT
braved the elements and remained wer,
given an exhibition of bird shooting seldom
equaled by amateurs. Gottlieb was in ex,
cellent form and the first bunch Of twenty.
i've birds went down without a miss.
The wind was constantly growing stronger
and the birds we're dificult to flush. A
cHAhA - AZ NhNh u ~ ran
began to fall and the race was closed In
driving rain, which made IL almost impos
sible to mark the course Of the birds upol
leaving the traps. The birds refused L
respond to the balls in many case
and many were released withou
affording a target. Shemwell lost hi
sixth, seventeenth. thirty-third and thirty
seventh birds. Gottlieg lost his thirty
sixth and forty-hrst birds. winning by
score OF A to AZ.
High Scores I'm State Event.
The close Of the state shoot was re
markable for the high scores made, in spit
Of the high wind of the morning. On &C
count of the live bird shoots in the after
noon the target program was opened at
o'clock and there was no intermission un
til 1t was completed. Fred Gilbert, a
usual, made the high score. followed b.
Crosby, Garrett, Wettleaf and Hirschy Il
the order named, with scores Of 1866. 164
16S and 100, respectively. For the frs
time in the tournament first money wa
divided between two men In a twenty-bir
event. Garrett and Roberts tying in III
third event OF the day.
Following is the score in the state event