Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-16
PRESIDENTS FINE SHOOTING.
Astonishes n BOer Who Engages to
Match Him,

AstOn1HneS u bOer VINO EnSaEes tO
Match Him.
An Oyster-Bay special to the Chica-
so Record-Herald says: President
Roosevelt has beaten the Dutch. That
is to say, he has beaten a Boer officer
at target practice, and it Is said he
broke a record. At any rate, no such
shooting has ever been done before
around Oyster Bay. and Commandant
w. D. Snyman, an officer on Gen. De
Vets staff, declares he never saw such
skill in South Africa. The match was
between the president, his son. Archie,
Commandant Snyman, Joubert Reitz,
son of the former secretary Of state of
the Orange Free State, and Mr.. Chan
Ter.
Mr.. Roosevelt recently received 32-
calibre revolver as a gift from a friend
in Germany. and said he would like to
try it. Commandant Snyman, who is
celebrated all through South Africa as
crack shot, proposed a match. The
president was ready. So q new target,
with a three-inch black bulls eye, was
produced today and set up in a field
back Of the presidents house.
Fifty yards were measured off and
the president took the first shot. The
bullet struck the bulls eye almost ex-
actly in the center.
Bully shot, shouted Commandant
Snyman, "but an accident, I do be-
lieve," he added jestingly to the pres
ident.
LET me see IL I can't give you an
other accident nearly as good" said
the president, raising the pistol. Crack
it went again. and when Commandant
Snyman and the others saw that the
second bullet had penetrated the hole
made by the first one their faces be-
came very stern. The president smiled
Bully good gun," he exclaimed, and
took aim for the third shot. That, too
followed the other two shots so accu-
rately that there was only one hole, a
trifie enlarged and ragged, yet the third
him were surprised, but the president
continued to talk about what bully
good gun" it was and fired twice more.
All five shots struck so nearly in the
same hole that it looks as though but
one bullet, large and jagged one, had
penetrated the bulls eye. When the
last Of the five shots had been fired, the
president handed the revolved to Com
mandant Snyman and said: Nov,
Snyman, you try it. There's a good
string for you, but Boer ought to beat
it,
Hesitatingly the commandant took
the pistol and stretching himself on the
grass, blazed away. He missed the
bulls eye about half an inch.
"Tll make it the second time," he
said, and again fired. But again miss
ed the bulls eye. ---,-..--
That's enough" he said, getting up
and handing the pistol back to the
president. II can shoot on the veldt.
Mr.. President, as we'll as any man in
South Africa. but don't believe there's
a man in all Africa can shoot with
YOU"
Its Beers luck, the same old fate
of defeat over again." said Mr.. Reitz,
putting his hand on Snyman's shoul-
der.
The president smiled. and taking the
commandant by the hand, shook II
heartily and said: "Well, command
ant, you've been beaten by Dutch
man, and that isn't so bad"
All laughed at the presidents ready
joke.
This ended the pistol shooting, and
then it was suggested that they have d
match with rifles. Archie ran to the
house for his fathers Krag-Jorgensen
and 100 yards were paced off from the
target With the rifle the president
was given first shot, and made bulls
eye. Then Commandant Snyman shot
and made the first ring outside the
bulls eye The presidents second shot
made a bulls eye, but not so good a
shot rs the first one. Ten shots were
fired by each, and the president made
seven bulls eyes. None Of the other
contestants made a bulls eye with
either pistol or rifle.
Commandant Snyman's score was
next to the presidents, but still far be-
hind it. The commandant thinks that
the presidents achievement Of putting
five 32-calibre bullets consecutively In
the same hole Is a worlds record. He
says he never has seen anything that
can approach it and has never heard of
such a score being made at so yards.