Annie Oakley Scrapbook

LAND AND WATER Pigeoun Shooting.

Fixtures In future will be found on the last page but one of LAND AND WATER. __________________________ THE GUN CLUB.

VISITORS mustered in force on Saturday, the company present including a large number of ladies, an extra attraction being Miss Annie Oakley, of the Wild West Show, who gave her private exhibition of gun and rifle-shooting, which was the same as that recently performed begore her Majesty and the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the addition that, after doing wonders with the rifle at glass balls and clay pigeons, Miss Oakley con cluded her performance with a trial at twenty-five blue rocks, from the regulation five traps, at 23yds, rise. There was much applause at her skill, and certainly there were, amongst the company, many good judges of shooting. Of the twenty-five rocks, she brought down eighteen, some being long shots. On the termination of the performance, the president, Visconnt Stormont, on behalf of the club, presented her with a gold medal commemorative of the event, and said how gratified those present were, and trusted she might long live to wear it. In reply, Miss Oakley said she had travelled through many countries, and had reveived much kindness and courtesy, but never more than in England. She thanked the President, com mittee, and members of the Gun Club for the reception they had given her, and also for the handsome medal his Lordship had just handed to her, which she should certainly wear with very much pleasure.

THE FIElD.

SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1887.

SHOOTING WITH ONE OR TWO EYES OPEN. A few days ago a correspondent (whose letter has been mislaid) wrote to us saying that, although he had always been in the habit of shooting with one eye only, and was probably too old to change his habit, he wished to know what was generally considered to be the best mode of practice, in order that he might have his son trained in the way he should go. And he also wished especially to know which method is adopted by Miss Annie Oakley, the "Little Sure Shot" of the Wild West Company.

As to the first part of the question, we may state, as the result of a long discussion which occured in our columns a few months ago, that the general consensus of opinion was in favour of keeping both eyes open. And with respect to the question espicially relating to Miss Annie Oakley, we append the characteristic reply of "Liitle Sure Shot," who has thus very kindly answered the letter submitted to her.

Sir,—In answer to your question in the letter just recieved, I will say that I always shoot with both eyes open. No matter whether shooting with rifle, shot gun, or pistol, I always adhere to both eyes—believing that, if a person can see with one eye, he can see better with two; but I don't mean to say that there are no good shots who shut one eye. As to learning to shoot, no one evertaught me anything. I will say that the English blue rock is the most difficult of any shooting I have ever tried, and I have done all kinds, even shooting walnuts from the head, sighting from a mirror. I am in hope, however, that I will learn to kill blue rocks before I leave England; but I can assure you I will need both eyes to do it. Annie Oakley ("Little Sure Shot").

The Daily Press

Kind words for an American Favorite.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West show is meeting with extraordinary success in England. Not only are our English cousins in raptures over the performances given, but the press are lavish in their praise of the performers. The Evening News of London thus speaks of America's champion female shooter, Miss Annie Oakley ([?]) who gave an exhibition of her skill with the shot gun and rifle on the grounds of the Middlesex Gun Club, at Dunellen previous to her departure for England with the Wild West show. The News says:

"The most notable of the many clever and interesting items in Buffalo Bill's programme, were the splendid marksmanship of Miss Annie Oakley, Miss Lilian Smith, and Bill himself, the first-mentioned lady being far and away the best of the three * * * I was also honored with a long and pleasant conversation with Miss Annie Oakley in her tent. This champion shot is as amiable as she is clever, and I don't think that I can pay her a higher compliment than that. Her shooting record is quite phenomenal, and her countrymen are justly proud of her; but all their petting and enthusiasm have failed to spoil her. She is as popular with the other members of the company, of all colors, as her performances have made her with the general pubic."

The Courier, also of London, publishes a portrait of Miss Oakley, and says:

"Besides her wonderful markmanship, Miss Oakley is an accomplished housewife, as the neat and cheery appearance of her tent on Arapeah Avenue, within the encampment, and those vistors who are fortunate to be invited within cannot but admire the quiet and lady-like manner in which she acts the part of hostess. The Prince of Wales was particularly pleased with, and complimented her most highly, as did also the Queen."

The Item.

Miss Annie Oakley Recieves a Medal from the Gun Club, of Notting Hill, Eng.

That lovely young lady, and most remarkable shot of her sex, Miss Annie Oakley, is being overwhelmed with honors and admiration in England, where her shooting has aroused a genuine furore. Her latest exhibition was a private performance before the members and friends of The Gun Club, at their grounds, Notting Hill, on June 11. The following programme was accomplished without a fault

1. Short exhibition of rifle shooting, small rifle. 2. Shooting Clay Pigeons, first two straight. 3. Pulling the trap herself. 4. Standing back to trap, turning and firing. 5. The snap shot or killing bird close to trap. 6. Shooting double. 7. Picking up gun after trap is sprung. 8. Same shot double. 9. Standing 20 feet from the gun, running and firing after the trap is sprung. 10. Holding gun with one hand, throwing ball herself. 11. Throwing two balls [herself?], breaking both. 12. Throwing ball [backwards?], picking up gun, and breaking it. 13. [Breaking?] six balls thrown in air in four seconds. 14. Breaking five balls in five seconds, first with rifle, others with shot guns, changing guns three times. 15. To shoot at 25 Blue Rocks from five traps, standing at 25 yards distance.

In the live bird shoot, concerning which special interest was manifested, Miss Oakley killed 18, while two fell dead just out of bounds. We quote from the London Daily News:

"At the end of the regular programme Captain Leighton threw a shilling in the air which Miss Oakley hit with a bullet. Then came the pleasantest part of the day's proceedings, and one that cannot fail to render Miss Oakley's memories of her visit to England very gratifying. The President of the club presented her with an extremely handsome and valuable gold medal, larger than a five shilling piece. On the obverse was engraved a highly artistic view of The Gun Club's grounds at Notting Hill. The members are seen in the tent, an attendant is springing one of the five pigeon-traps in the foreground, a well-known shot is standing behind with gun leveled, and a number of pigeons are visible in the air. On the clasps of the medal Miss Oakley's name and the date are inscribed, the whole forming a beautiful memento of a good day's sport."

Miss Oakley used her 7lb hammerless L. C. Smith, which was critically examined by her English admirers and unanimously declared to be a first-class fire-arm in all respects, and especially remarkable in its shooting qualities.

THE REFEREE.

By advices from England I learn Miss Annie Oakley, of the Wild West show, is still creating a sensation in England by her wonderful shooting, and she has received invitations to banquets and received innumerable presents from the scions of royalty and noblemen.

There are many who practice fancy trick shooting, but none of them except Lilian Smith class with the "Police Gazette" female rifle shot.

Miss Oakley's performances and feats with the gun are accomplished by skill, while one-half of the balance of trick shots accomplish their feats by trick and device.

This is how shooting is done by Miss Annie Oakley's imitators: One of the oldest is the bell trick. This is done by having a target placed on the stage with a very small, quarter-inch hole as a center, through which the marksman is supposed to put his bullet. Surrounding this is a piece of black cloth, and back of the cloth a saw plate. If the marksman hits within eight or ten inches of the center, the bell, or rather the plate, which is set loosely, will ring, and the audience will naturally suppose the bullet or bullets penetrated the bull's eye. This explains how stage shots placed from twenty to twenty-five shots in the bull's eye in so many seconds.

The next trick is the match trick. This is done by placing a large number of parlor-matches in a circle, with the heads of the same pointing inwardly. If the marksman hits, or rather puts his bullet, which is not difficult to do, any place in the circle, he must light one of the matches, and thus lighting the circle. This trick is always done at the back of the stage, and the audience cannot see any of the matches, and suppose, naturally, it is but a single match. Another is to fasten a single match on an iron plate, and if the marksman shoots any reasonable distance near it, it will light from the splash of lead on the solid plate.

In the cigar trick the marksman is supposed to shoot the ashes off a cigar held in the mouth of an assistant. The trick is generally a bona fide one, but can be done by having a wire run through the cigar to the ashes, and at the report of the gun have the assistant touch the wire with his tongue and knock the ashes off. Shooting a silver dime from the mouth, and between the teeth of an assistant is done by having one marked with a bullet, and showing one not marked to the audience, the assistant changes at the report of the gun and spits out the marked one and shows it to the audience.

The thimble trick is done by placing a thimble on the assistant's head with a thin string attached, and at the report of the gun it is pulled by another assistant behind the scenes. Shooting through the ring of a watch is done by shooting over the ring, and then, before showing it to the audience, placing the ring of the watch over the hole made, and on a nail placed there beforehand.

Snuffing the candle, which looks so difficult, is done by having the candle placed close to a solid block of wood. The concussion of the bullet puts out the light, although the bullet hits within three inches of the candle proper. The professor gave an exhibition at one time in a Pennsylvania town where [the?] authorities strictly forbade the firing of solid bullets, and gave as good satisfaction as though he were firing and doing the trick bona fide. So much for stage rifle shooting.