The Coconino sun., 1926-03-26
The Best Marksmap

practice. Workmanship is not
natural gift. In sections of the coun-f
try where firearms are carried there
are better shots than in places where
a gun seldom is used. In the early
days of Arizona there were some re-
markable marksmen, and probably
there never was truer one than
Commodore Perry Owens, who passed
the latter part of his life at Selig-
man.
With a record as sheriff of north
eastern Arizona, Commodore left Hol-
brook and decided to run a quiet sa-
loon in Yavapai- county. On the walls
of the place were glass cases IN which
were the various models of Winchester
rifles which the manufacturers had
sent him, together with the letter to
the big pioneer, for he was almost
giant in size. Once a rifle was sent
which he claimed shot an inch "off"
in a distance of 100 yards, and, in re-
ply to his letter, he was Informed
that his eyesight must be getting dim;
that all the guns the factory made
were perfect. After considerable
correspondence, and test of the gun,
which was returned, it was acknowi-
edged that he was right.
Owens rarely shot from the shoul-
der, but held the rifle at his hip, IN
which position he could empty the
magazine into the identical spot as
far as fifty yards away. He was
swift and sure with a rifle, and no
less so with a pistol With two Colt
ass he could make a tomato can
travel about on the ground in any di-
rection he chose, no shot missing the
bouncing target. Owens was mysti-
fled once in Albuquerque by seeing a
man with pistol break glass balls in
the air, and he tried the stunt himself
only he used real bullets. He got two
out of seven, and quit in disgust, never
knowing the other fellow used differ
ent ammunition.
Owens came from the Allegheny
mountains when young, drlfted into
the wild part of the Indian territory,
into Texas, and thence into Arizona.
He was without fear, but, due to a
wholesale killing at Hobrook where
he won battle with four men, get
ting them ALL" he bore a reputation
of ruthlessness which he could not
shake off. In after years he express
ed regret at the killings, as they could
have been avoided, but only to init
mate friends would he refer to the
sanguinary incident in his term as
sheriff.
Maybe he wasn't the best marks
man Arizona ever knew, but, II there
was a quicker or surer one, he has
not been mentioned.
In the World war, Sergeant Alvin
York. from the same section of the
c4t1TY1nd the
world into wonder at his great exhl-
bition of craftsmanship in the face OF
the foe. Sonre think the best shots
are in the Alleghenies, but they do
not know. However, in that isolated
part Of the country more guns are
carried than elsewhere, and familiar
itv with the weapons breeds perfec-
tion.
Writing on this subject, Raymond
B. Spears, a student of western hte,
expressed the opinion that IN the
Ozarks are to be found the most adept
riflemen on earth. 81 refer especial
w." he wrote, 'to the inhabitants OF
Taney, Christian and adjacent coun-
ties in Missouri. Down to WITHIN
twenty years, and probably to TINS
day, the shooters there handled their
revolvers better than any other DIS
trict's gunner that | ever heard OF,
individually and collectively.
''From Missouri, probably, came
the best marksmen of the west, from
Kit Carson's boyhood onward. Ken
tuclians salted the Missouri wilder
ness with their own skill
'In that particular district, the one
covered by the Bald Knobber clan,
the shooting was with meticulous ac-
curacy. Two men fought; one put his
bullet through the others head, and
followed that bullet with two others
so close together that dollar covered
them, while the victim was falling.
Courage was at the base of the ac-
c1racv. They never shot from am
bush. No bushwhacker, acting the
coward could shoot as we'll as the
brave man who faced his enemy IN the
omen. When at church one night,
two enemies met, one who had the
advantage. of being in the shadow
cast bv the moon, sprang forth INTO
the bright light before he drew ms
gun and thus, all fair and square IN
the open, the two fought-and the
man who would not shoot from
the shadow was killed.
"The practice in that land was TO
ride past trees at top speed, and then
shoot the trifling marks on the bark.
Ouantrill's riders, and the iupshoot
bands of James, Younger and Cook
general terms, covering most Indian
territory desperadoes-and other bad.
men had shooting characteristics OF
the Ozarks.
s.Sporadic craftsmanship appeared
elsewhere: few good men gave
whole lot of mediocre shooters fame.
Occasional good or luck shots made
the reputation of second-rate marks
men, but as a region, with revolvers
and derringers, the Ozarks were as
great as Kentucky riflemen at their
best. Prescott Courier.
DrU DADOTE WIN ATOR