The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-11-21
Our Rifle and Pistol Club.
Like John Deitz, Tom Prunty Turns Out
to be Both Irish and not Afraid to Shoot.

DEAR BILLY: was on the point of
telling you about Grumpy John Deitz,
who had charge of one of the pistol
ranges out at Camp Perry, Ohio, as one
ut the instructors of the Small Arms
Firing School, and along came Tom
Prunty and did me trick that John him
self at his grumpieSt could not have out
DONE
# was like this. You know, | was
blowing to you while back about how,
without any practice, had qualified as
Expert Marksman in the militia course
on our club range. Only fired twenty
rounds during the whole summer, never
had time to shoot, always had to be on
the lob running the range, but ---.
Well. I guess | must have done bit OF
talking along the same line, and 1T must
have GOT to Toms ears. And Tom being
President of the club and incidentally hav-
ing done Just as much work during the
season as | had, and not having enjoyed
trip out to Camp Perry to the National
Matches. where of course L got some
practice, why Tom he just naturally got
Interested But first let me go back to
John DeitZ.
John Was Grumpy Only on the Surface.
dare saw lot of people think Lieu
tenant DeitZ is German, or at least OF
German descent, because of his name
that is to say, people who have never
seen him but have seen his name in the
reports of important pistol matches fo1
wears past. But far from it, he is about
as Irish as an American can be and still
not be an Irishman. His home is In New
York City, and of course the real Irish
of the Big Town are about as Irish as is
nossible in this country. John even has
a bropue. And it's the same about his
oruff manner-he is really blame good
fellow when you get onto him.
He is dark-haired, dark-eyed, rudy
faced, square built man, with square
law and a long slender nose. And oh,
how he can shoot pistol. For years he
has been one of the best in this country,
steady, consistently good shot, and
now and then even the best of them all.
Well. maybe life as an instructor III
small arms practice under the conditions
that prevailed at Camp Perry had not
made a big hit with John-and | know
some others who had no praise Tor IL.
ANYHOW, when the first big match came
along, which was the National Rlile Asso-
citation individual pistol championship,
John didn't shoot. And one or two were
so foolish as to wonder if he was afraid
to. afraid he would make discredltable
score. ] dare say some even expected ne
would not enter any OF the matches;
But he fooled them. For he shot IN all
the rest of the pistol events and In the
team shoot which was held as an extra,
and he trimmed whole lot OF very good
pistol shots, too, although he did not
figure as a winner.
John not only has a grumpy way ABOUT
him, but he is a very strict dlsclpllnarlan:,
He wasn't at all popular with some OF
the other instructors who were III Tie
habit of horning in on his range TOT prac-
tice, because he was unable to notlce any
difference between them and the student
officers getting instruction and maze
them observe his range rules caleIully
particularly that pertaining to picking up
empty shells. Well, after the N. X. A:
pistol match and before the National
Match, one of Johns brother officers one
day stopped few minutes on John
range, fired only one string OF flve shots
and. remembering something he had TO
do, started away without picking up his
shells.
"Hey, there" called John, before
aoin' for sthroll will tn officer who Just
failed to hit tn bull's-eye of target ~
kindly come back and pick up his empty
shells"
The other fellow didn't like that in
front of company, and he says:
"Certainly, if you ask it." w
"And why shouldn't ask itT' asks
John.
"Oh, l thought maybe you wouldn't
mind pickin' 'em up, now that you have
quit shooting"
John didn't say anything to that-he