Evening journal., 1915-10-16
CHANCERY DECREE
SILENCES dupont
CLUB Shooting
Order Delayed, However,
TO Permit Fall Tournament
Over the Traps Today
MUST erect WALL IF
GROUND IS TO Be USED

Chancellor Charles NJ. Curtis has
handed down an order granting a
preliminary injunction restraining !
the dupont Trapshooting Club from
using the traps on its grounds near
Henry Clay under present conditions.
The Injunction was issued In the
case recently brought by Michael w.
Nslonev and Eugene L. Husbands in
the name of Attorney General VOL
colt. against the dupont Trapshooting
Club
At the request of William s. Hilles.
one of the solicitors for the gun club,
and upon his assurances to the
Chancellor that every precaution
would be taken to protect persons
using the public road during the an
nual fall shooting match to be held
on the clubs grounds today, the sign
ing Of the order for the preliminary
Injunction will be withheld until Mon
day morning.
The decision Of Chancellor Curtis
follows:
The Chancellor. An information
has been filed by the Attorney Cen
eral upon the relation of two citizens
against the officers of an unincorpor-
eted association Of persons organized
10 shoot guns at targets The or
ganization is named DUPONT Trap
shootiEk Club. and has a membership
If at least four hundred persons.
Some of the targets are flying targets,
being clay discs flung from a me
ehanical device called a trap, in such
a way as to initiate to a degree the
fight of a bird rising from the
ground. The club occupies a tract
of land north Of one of the suburban
settlements on the western outskirts
of the CITY of Wilmington, and near
some of the mills testing plants and
other branches Of the DUPONT COM
nanv. q manufacturer of explosives.
In this neighborhood there are
numerous residences to the south
chiefly occupied by laborers, whlle
to the northeast and west Is farm
ing land, spsrcely settled. The lano
of the club is bounded on the eas'
py a public road, the only public ap-
proach to the city from the north,
and one much used by vehicles and
nedestrians. OF the five traps, one
ie located one hundred and eighty
nine feet from the westerly side OF
Fhe public road, and the others ahoul
the FIRST three being on line aDou'
nernendicular to the line OF the
road and the other two being at al
anqIe with the first three and facing
to,rards the road There Is prac
Hoallv no obstruction to the high
NJ shot from the premises OF th'
rIpb onto the public road so tar a.
annears in the evidence. At eaci
tran are five places marked as sta
tions. or points, from which the gun
ners shoot. so that there may D.
twentv-five persons shooting guns
the same time.
Rv the information. the Attorne
reneral asks that the shooting o
nernetually enioined as a public mus
ence because it is detrimental .
nnblic health and safety, and ask
also for a preliminary injunction
rbe grounds of complaint may b
classified into % annoyance froI
the noises incident to shooting an
(9) danger to users of the hlghwa
from noises and from shot fallin
into it.
MANY afidavits we're filed on eao
side of the cause as to the volum
character and effect of the noise
mon the health and comfort OF PEI
pie residing within the range thereo
Particularly obnoxious was u
shooting at night. Nine sick peop
. and two doctors testified respectir
the effect of noises on health. Ihel
we're also afidavits of several pc
sons whose horses had been trlgn
ened to a dangerous degree by u
noises while passing along the roa
A large number of persons maze
hdavits that they had been stru'
by shot in the road, and some hit
hard as to indicate that 1t was mo
than a spent shot, but one IN nlgl
From the permises of the club q
road to the southwark descen
rapidly by a very steep grade 10
covered bridge over the Brandywi
river at the bottom of the hi
Horses, too, we're so struck and ru
aways resulted in some cas-
and horses were made permanent
nervous. or gun shy thereby. One su
runaway horse dashed down [
steep hill in the road and anoth
runaway was with difficulty prevel
ed from doing so. Indeed, shot "
found in many places in the pub
road. and even thirty feet beyond
limit Of it fartherest from the cl
premises. None of these facts as
shot in the road we're denied by
defendants.
So far as the effect of the moi
from the firing OF the guns is cS
cerned, it is not deemed by me nee
sary to reach conclusion at I
time, or TO grant a preliminary
junction against the firing of 81
on account of the noises thereof
Continued on Page Two.