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The Rifle Range.
The Match Between Buffalo Bill and L. C. Daniels-- Bill the Winner.
The rifle match between W. F. Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill, and Mr. L. C. Daniels of Portland, Me., took place on the grounds of the Worcester Sportsman's Club, east of Lake Quinsigamond, yesterday afternoon, in the presence of nearly 400 spectators drawn hither by a desire to see the famous scout, who shoots so well on the mimic stage, try his hand with a marksman of known reputation in a contest where bullets were in use and money at stake. The day was bright, with a cloudless sky, but the air was far too sharp and frosty to admit of comfort in shooting, so that neither of the contestants did as well as in their practice work. Mr. Daniels has the reputation of being one of the best rifle shots in the state of Maine, and came to Worcester confident of easily winning the match with his opponent, who, being much occupied with his show business, has not the time to keep his outdoor practice at the target. As will be seen by the appended score, he came very near accomplishing his purpose, the unlucky sixth shot probably losing him the match. Four of his shots were better than his opponent's best, though the average, which included the unlucky shot, was not equal to the popular Buffalo Bill. The latter is not in the best of practice, having to get it here and there while traveling with his show, and, like Mr. Daniels, claims that yesterday's score is not a fair test of what he can do under more favorable circumstances, which would include a warmer day and more practice at the target. The conditions of the match were for each man to have ten shots at a target three feet square, with a black bullseye four inches in diameter; distance 50 yards; open sights; off-hand, with elbows free from the body; the shots to be measured from the centre of the bullseye to the centre of the shot; the smallest total measurement to win. the stakes were $100 a side. Mr. G. W. Davison of Providence, R. I., was the referee, Mr. Frank Wesson officiated as judge for Mr. Daniel's, and Mr. Isaac P. Austin, one of the Austin brothers, served in a similar capacity for Buffalo Bill. Both men used the Frank Wesson No. 2 mid-range rifle, ten pounds weight, 44-100 calibre. The score was as follows:
Inches. Buffalo Bill..... 21 2-16 L.C. Daniels.... 23 6-16
Buffalo Bill was declared the winner of the match and stakes. The utmost good feeling prevailed, the loser taking his defeat good naturedly and hoping for better luck next time. The spectators were very much interested in the contest, and crowded along the line between the stand of the marksmen and the target making it at times exceedingly dangerous to some of them. No mishap occurred, however, and all were pleased with the sport afforded.
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THE RIFLE.
THE CODY-DANIELS MATCH.
The Worcester Club for the Washburn Badge.
Tomorrow promises to be a red-letter day among the riflemen. The most prominent event, in the popular mind, is the match between Hon. W. F. Cody, (Buffalo Bill) and Lincoln C. Daniels of Portland, Me.
This match is for $100 with a distance of 50 yards. The target is to be a black ground three feet square, with a four inch bull's eye. The shooting is to be "off-hand, standing upright, with elbows clear of the body." Each party is to have ten shots, and the winner will be decided by the least number of inches measuring from the centre of the bull's eye to the several shots. If Daniels wins he is to pay his own expenses, but if he is beaten Cody is to pay his car fare, &c.
The present arrangement is to shoot the match in the afternoon, as parties from Portland are expected, who can not get here in the morning. The ground selected is the range of the Sportmen's Club, just beyond the Lake, near the Salem Harrington farm.
The Rifle Team of the Sportsmen's Club are to have a field day tomorrow, at the Greenwood range, to contest for the badge offered by Mr. Nathan Washburn. This match was begun last week, but was interrupted by the rain, and the score was "wiped out."
In view of the interest of the Worcester riflemen in the Cody-Daniels match, there is a general desire that both matches be shot on the Greenwood range, as might easily be done without difficulty, and it is quite possible that arrangements to that end may be made.
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BUFFALO BILL'S DRAMA. - Hon. W. F. Cody, (Buffalo Bill) and his dramatic company arrived in town early this morning, and are making arrangements for the presentation of the new drama, "May Cody," at the theatre, this evening and tomorrow night. The play is founded on incidents connected with the Mountain Meadow Massacre, and was written by Major Burt of the regular army, an officer familiar with the border wars in general, and the massacre in particular. The Company includes several Sioux Indians, who are to appear upon the stage during the presentation of the drama. The Austin Brothers, already well known here as "cracks" in the use of the rifle, are also of the company. It will be remembered that Buffalo Bill is to be credited with having drawn the largest house ever at the theatre, and with a new and better play there is every reason to expect that his present visit will be marked by a repetition of former successes.
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THEATRICAL.--- Buffalo Bill and his company had the expected full house at the theatre last evening, and Major Burt's drama, "May Cody," served very well in affording the star an opportunity to be seen and heard, without so much obscuration by powder smoke, or drowning by rifle and pistol shots, as in his old plays. He appears in evening dress as well as in that of the plains, and the scenes of the play are not entirely confined to the fort and forest. A part of the company put the audience in good humor by playing "The Limerick Boy," before the presentation of "May Cody," and the drama had an Irish comedy part, which was rendered so as to gain considerable favor. Buffalo Bill was "first, last and always," given unbounded applause.
The entertainment is to be repeated this evening, and all its features, the veritable Sioux Indians, the wonderful handling of a "bull whip," the popular rifle shooting of the Austin Brothers, will no doubt prove attractions to another large house. That meek-looking squirrel gray donkey will appear again.
50
THE RIFLE.
Yesterday's Work at the Range.
TWO INTERESTING MATCHES.
The Cody-Daniels Short Range Match
As was announced in a portion of our last evening's edition of the Cody-Daniels rifle match resulted in victory for the man from the Plains. The contestants were Hon. Wm. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) and Mr. L. C. Daniels of Portland, Me. The match was for $100 a side, ten shots each, at 50 yards, off hand.
The match attracted considerable attention, there being a crowd of several hundred people at the range near the Lake at 2 1/3 o'clock P. M. when the work was begun. Considerable time was spent in practice shots and in arranging the preliminaries, Each contestant had a target to himself, a black surface three feet square and a white bull's eye four inches in diameter. The judges were Mr. Frank Wesson of this city, for Daniels, and Mr. Ike P. Austin for Cody, with Mr. G. W. Davidson of Providence as stakeholder and referee.
The shooting was not remarkable, which is accounted for by the chilly weather, and the fact that both men used new Wesson rifles with which they were not familiar. The score in detail was as follows, in inches and sixteenths:
Shots. Cody. || Daniels. 1..................2- 8 || 2-11 2..................2- 6 || 3- 4 3..................0-13 || 1-11 4..................2- 8 || 0-11 5..................1- 0 || 0- 11 6..................1-10 || 5- 8 7..................3- 7 || 0-11 8..................2- 4 || 3- 15 9..................3- 3 || 3- 12 10................1- 1 || 0- 8
Totals...........20-12 || 23-6
Mr. Cody was declared the winner, his string being 2 and 10-16th inches shorter than his competitor's. A glance at the score will show that Daniels made the four best shots of the day, but he also made the three worst shots, which made bad work with his average. The targets of the two men are appended: -
CODY'S TARGET.
DANIELS'S TARGET.
A curious fact is made plain by these targets, that Cody habitually shot too high, all but two of his ten shots marking above the centre, while Daniels erred in the opposite direction, all but two of his shots being below the centre.