163

THE WORLD

FLOYD-JONES THE WINNER

He Shoots Two More Birds than Murphy in the Decisive Match.

At the grounds of the Carteret Gun Club at Bergen Point there was an excited and enthusiastic gathering of sportmen yesterday afternoon to see the pigeon shooting match. They had come from all over the county for the third and final contest between Egar G. Murphy and W Chauncey Floyd-Jones for $1,000 a side. A better day could scarcely been chosen. There was an exhibition of marksmanship seldom equalled anywhere.

Miss Annie Oakley, formerly of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, who claims to be the champion wing shot of the world, was among the spectators. She appeared to enjoy the sport keenly, and hearily applauded whenever a fine shot was made. Once Floyd-Jones's second in loading his gun dropped a shell on the ground and did not pick it up, but replaced it with anorther from his pocket. Floyd-Jones took the gun with a side remard to his second that was not audible to the bystanders. He fired and missed.

"Oh! He's supersitious!" exclaimed Miss Oakley. "He thinks he lost his luck when his second dropped the shell. Why, the last match I shot my contestant dropped a shell and refused to pick it up. He fired and missed the bird. I picked up the shell and used it, killing my bird wit hthe first barrel. Oh! no, I am not superstitious at all."

The first match for $4,000 a side occurded on Jan. 19, and was won by Floyd-Jones by one bird, he killing 78 to Murphy's 77. On Jan. 28 the second match for $500 a side was captured by Murphy by 10 birds. He killed 77 and Floyd-Jones 67.

Yesterday out of the 36 birds missed but few fell outside of the 80-yard boundary. In the three matches, Murphy killed 235 birds, while Floyd-Jones can only claim 228.

The conditions were 100 birds each, 30 yards rise, and 21 yards boundary. Murphy made a straight run of 22 birds at the outset of the match, and Floyd-Jones broke on the 12th. Murphy had a dacided advantage all throughout the match until the last ten birds when he missed four to Floyd-Jones one. At the end of the first 25 birds they were both tied, and at 50. Murphy was two ahead, and at 75 it was the same.

The Murphy contingent were offering great odds on their favorite without any takers except one man, who offered $5,000 to one on him, and was promptly taken up by one of Floyd-Jones admirers.

Murphy made good use of his second barrel, but Jones gained slowly on him, and ties the score at 78 birds, upon which the Floyd-Jones faction broke forth into loud cheers. Murphy then dropped one behind, but tied the score again at 95. He missed the 98th bird, while Floyd-Jones's coolness carried him over the critical point, and he won by two birds, Murphy missing the last one. Following is the score:

Chauncey Floyd-Jones-- 1xxxx, x1xxx, 10xx1, xxxxx, xxxx0, xxxx1, xxxx1, 0x01x, x0x0x, x00x1, 010x1, 0x1x1, xxxx0, xx0xx, xx0xx, xx0x1, xxx01, xxxxx, xxxxx, xx0xx. Killed, 83; missed 17; times second barrel used, 100; best run. 22; worst break 2.

Mr. Murphy and his brother were among the first to congratulate Mr. Floyd-Jones on his victory. Mr. Floyd-Jones had his cousin, George S. Floyd-Jones, to look after him and Mr. Murphy's brother Walter did the sae for him. Mr. Floyd-Jones used the same weapon he had at the two previous matches, a Scott hammerless premium gun, bored for the Kynoch thin brass shells, and weighting 7 1/4 pounds. The shells were loaded with 3 1/2 drachms of Schultz powder, an ounce and an eight of Np. 7 shot in the right barrel, and the same of No. 6 in the left. Mr. Robert Cornell was referee. The birds were gathered by dogs Ralph and Phil.

At the conclusion of the match Miss Okaley tried her hand at killing a few birds, and her fine shooting was heartily applauded.