New-York tribune., 1908-01-05
GOOD WORK WITH RIFLE
BOYS IN KEEN FIGHT.
Dueschnes Wins IndiUiduol Title
Honors for Curtis High.

The indoor rife tournament under the direc-
tion OF the National Rifle Association which
has been in progress for ten days at the Sports
mems Show ir the Grand Central Palace. came
to an end yesterday with the shooting off of
many ties The competition keen and
the youngsters proved themselves such good
marksmen that il took five or six strings TO
decide some of the events
The rife offered to the boy making the high
est prone finally won by j. Howell
Byrnes. of Morris High School, but excitement
ran high before ne could claim the honors. Six
boys shot four perfect cards in succession. or
twenty consecutive bull's-eyes. Four of these
dropped out in the fifth string. including Garcia,
of Curtis High who was looked on as the prob
able winner This left C. b. Davidson, Of Curtis
High. and j. Howell Pyrnes. of Norris High. to
fight it out Davidson got four on his first
shot. but Byrnes. cool as a cucumber, rang
up bull" and the prize his.
Charles Oeder another Morris High School
boy. the rife for the highest score offhand.
He shot like a veteran, and one after another
the youngsters with whom he was tsd dropped
A Garcia. Curtis High got some consolation
for being beaten prone by winning the prize
another rife, for the highest aggre gate score
of all tickets.
trophy presented by the Forest, Fish and Game
Society Of America. while each individual MEM
Der of the earned silver medal The
trophy viii become the property of the college
university winning it three times, not neces-
sarily in succession
Curtis High School. of Staten Island won
the interscholastic cup with a total score Of
5se. out Of a possible 500 while Morris High
School won the trophy in the sub-target gun
match. and each member of the team a bronze
medal in the form of fob.
II was late in the evening before the match
for the challenge cup representing the individual
schoolboy championship OF greater New York
was settled. 1t was won by G. Duesehnes of
the High School of Commerce He proved him
self al excellent shot, and well deserved the
honor. He received silver medal outright and
his name will be inscribed the cup which
viii be held by his school.
NJ Wieehers, Curtis High, won the rife for the
best total score on one ticket, with the good
score Of 4s offhand and AZ prone, for total of
IS out of possible 100.
A big crowd was on hand for the presentation
OF prizes in the concert hall of Palace incud-
ing most of the schoolboys who have taken par.
in the tournament
General James A Drain. president of the Ma
tional Rife Association, made an address which
was listened TO with great interest He said in
part:
We come not here to talk but to give prizes TO
the victorious marksmen in the contests which
have been waged here with such earnestness but
with so much good nature for the last ten DAYS. 1
cannot however, that / see before me SO
in the affairs of the nation refrain from saving
s, lew words about the deep purpose which lies be-
more a the ot oes1ns nm some Of yGg will want to know
Amellcs-ils principles and purposes, its plans ana
The National Rife Association was organized in
been ben ohtdf here tonight but who was unavoid;
he was the first secretary of the association Later
Hancock and Scoield have also filled that office.
The year just passed has been the most successful
nual national matches over twelve hundred men
Of Twelve en m each repesentn pepeevy s
infantry Of the army, cavalry of the army, the
matches were held at Camp Perry. Ohio. and they
were better than ever before After these matches
to shoot against teams from Canada, Australia and
England for the celebrated Palma Trophy. This
contest the American team won, breaking every
worlds record for the distance and number Of
The interest in rife practice is increasing in all
parts OF the country. but have only scratched
Is supported by life membership fees state associa-
tion fees regimental civilian club college club and
only IS ~ The association gained more life mem
dore Roosevelt. Elihu Root william H. Taft mem
eTnors Of states and others promnent in the life Of
the nation. The association could do a great deal
10 see il at least well taken of the
National Rife Association Of Great Britain. There
William Waldorf Astor gave S50G0 in gift
some years ago and the annual gifts to it by patri
hope to interest Citizens of the United States SUI
hciently for the National Rife Association
of America the financial support which the i'm
portance of its mission justihes-
ton Of citizens Of the riae, but especial
trlr To q he
do maintain large standing army in this
country; indeed considering the character of our
people, that lis not necessary; but rely the
patriotism Of TO bring them forward
volunteers in case OF war Now God forbid that
want it. and would all avoid IL when can with
est plan to preserve peace is preparation. No part
OF the preparation which citizen should undergo TO
make him fit TO defend his country is so important
as knowledge Of how the rife. = is not
soldier who knows only his weapon; but, on the
other hand q who knows everything else
which cen be taught who is not shot is no
soldier.
never was time IN history when rife instruc-
ton was SO important as now In the first place:
game decreases in numbers and hunters form
small minority instead Of large and overwhelm-
ing majority Of population In the second
place individual skill with the rife to-day is worth
just sbout ten times as much as It was nifty years
greater distance and besides present-day sharp
shccfer is iryisihle TO an enemy if he exercises
reasonable care because ne uses snokeless powder.
In the third place, this ration has reached out so
power that the chances of nisunderstandings be
tween country and others are immensely multi
probahle-that you boys who before me tonight
VIII day make Of the same pluck and skill
your country against a foreign foe. May you
shoct well then as YOU have here, The boys
- saw 70 yeu all that / consider the instruction
Of boys The of the rife of innmeasurabie i'm
You yeung men who have here made start