The Washington times., 1903-05-31
Better Attendance Than in
Any Previous Year and
Better Scores Made Than
Ever-Major Bell Highly
Pleased.
Money Needed to Send the
American Team TO Eng
land-To Contest for the
Palma Trophy-WaShing-
ton Slow to Contribute.

guardsmen spent most of their time last
week at the outdoor rife range at Ord
way, and by Tuesday OF this week all OF
the official practice for the spring sea-
son Will have been finished. Major James
z. Bell. the earnest, hard working IN
spector general of rife practice of the
local citizen soldiery, says the men have
taken more interest and have done bet
ter work this year than was ever done
b. Washington's volunteers.
This is the result of the work done by
Major Bell and the other inspectors CT
rife practice During the past few years
these men have labored long and con-
scientiously in the endeavor to interest
the men in the ranks in rifle practice
and To make marksmen, sharpshooters,
and experts of raw recruits. They, per-
force, had their troubles doing it, but
at last their efforts have been rewarded
III fitting fashion, and the men. the in
structors and the National Guard are
all the better for it.
Good Attendance.
At every days practice this spring the
attendance has been more than twice
as large as 1t was last year. and in al
most every instance the scores have not
only been better than any others pre-
viously recorded, but far above the aver
age During the first weeks practice the
men shot TO qualify as marksmen, and
when the survival OF the httest came
those who qualified as marksmen were
retained 10 try TO qualify as experts.
On Tuesday next, the men who stand up
the longest and have the best scores
will be full hedged experts with the
rife Major Bell accounts for the great
Improvement in attendance and work
by the fact that this year all Of the
conditions are most favorable for the
guardsmen, and the local militiamen are
in competition with those of all Of the
States and Territories in the United
States.
In November Major Bell viii send
TO the Secretary of War a report
On the scores OF the members OF
the District soldiery. The District
boys work will be compared with
that of the guardsmen of other
volunteer organizations in this country.
and it is the purpose of Major Bell, as
we'll as each of the men who handle the
rife. that the District of Columbia shall
head the list and not grace the last rung
OF the ladder. Major Bell firmly be-
neves his mems work viii stand out in
bold relief when compared with that of
other organizations.
The Shooting of George Deitz-
Although il was believed the accident
which occurred at the range Tuesday
afternoon when George L. Deitz received
a bullet wound in the head from rifle
in the hands of Frank Roche would
have q fatal termination, the ply
sicians at the Emergency Hospital.
where Deitz IS treated, have cleared
away the cloud of gloom by announcing
that Deitz is practically out OF danger
and will in all likelihood recover from
the wound.
The accident occurred about 1870
o'clock Tuesday afternoon, when Com
pany D, Sixth Battalion, Second Regi-
ment, D. c. y. G., was ordered out for
its Official practice on the range Both
Deitz and Roche are members of the
command Roche had bad luck on his
string at 200 yards. and after luncheon
had been served he spent a short time
in looking over the rife that had been
issued to him. He placed empty shells
in the rife 10 see what was the matter
with It, and later put loaded shell! in
because the empty ones did not work
the same as the full. after discerning
what the trouble was with the piece, he
laid it on the grass, about thirty feet
from blanket upon which Corporals
Deltz. Scroggins and several other
soldiers were loIling. He lay near the
piece for some time. and when he arose
his finger accidentally touched the trig-
ger, and the rife was discharged.
Deitz viii Recover.
1t was not believed anyone had been
hurt, but the officer of the day repri-
manded Roche for dischasging the piece
from any place other than the firing
line. Later Scroggins discovered that
Deitz was unconscious and when he re-
moved the hat from Dstzs head he
found a deep bullet wound on the head.
The wounded soldier was taken to the
Emergency Hospital and by order of the
commanding officer Roche was arrested.
Under the able treatment OF the Elmer
gsncy Hospital physicians. Deitz has
been restored TO consciousness and Will
recover. The Maryland authorities in
vestigated the shooting, and as the Dis
trlct OF Columbia National Guard off,
ciais would not prosecute Roche he was
released. but some further action may
be taken later by the Guard officials
At the end OF the next fiscal year all
Of the men who have qualified as marks
men. sharpshooters, and experts at this
Strings practice Will be decorated with
crossbars and medals, and Judging from
fhs work IN the past week or ten days
it viii be literally decoration day"
Gene to Sea Girt for Practice.
Friday night Privates George E. Cook
ana Samuel Wetherald, of the Second
District Of Coluntsa Regiment left
fnI Sea Girt to practice rifle shooting
prior 10 going to Bisley. England. to
shoot for the Palma Trophy. These