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THE ITEM
PHILA., FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1888
LITTLE SURE SHOT.
An Interview with the Champion Girl shot of the World.
HER TREATMENT ABROAD
Royally entertained by the Nobility and Adopted by a Childless Old Lady.
MISS ANNIE OAKLEY.
The celebrated girl-shot, Miss Annie Oakley, who is now engaged in giving exhibitions of her prowess with the gun at the South Broad Street Theatre in conneciton with Tony Pastor's company, is a young lady with a very interesting history. She has shot before nearly all the crowned heads of Europe and Asia, who have petted and indulged her in every manner, and made her their most consequential guest.
This wonderful young lady was born at Woodland, Darke County Ohio, August 13, 1866. Ever since a toddling child she has had an inherent
LOVE FOR FIRE-ARMS
and hunting, and at the age of ten, she as often as ammuntion was obtained, would smuggle her brothers musket and steal into the woods, where games at that time was plentiful. Naturally she was a good shot and came home well supplied with game. At the age of fourteen she had paid off a mortgage on her father's homestead with money earned rom the sale of game and skins, shot and trapped by herself alone.
For the past five years she has been shooting before the public with great success; although like the modest young lady she is, she has never laid claim to being a champion, yet a number of our leading sprtingmen had so much confidence in her ability that they offered to back her against any other so-called champion.
AN ITEM representative called on Miss Oakley yesterday afternoon, at her stopping-place in this city, and found her to be small in stature, graceful and ladylike and a charming conversationalist.
In answer to the question how the term "Little Sure-Shot" became applied to her said: "When Sitting Bull, the great Indian chieg, after seeing me shot in St. Paul, Minu,. adopted me in the Sioux Tribe and gave me the name of 'Watauya Cicila,' or Little Sure-Shot. My father was frozen to death in the Winter of 1878, while driving the mail in Montana Territory.
"I shot my first match in 1883, against the champion shot, Jack Oates, at Nashville, Tenn., and killed 46 birds to his 44. Last year I went to Europe and the nobilited treated me so kindly that I nearly cried when I left them.
"I show before the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales on May 5, and gave an exhibition before the London Gun Club, composed entirely of noblemen, and of which the Prince is a member. It was there that he pinned upon my bosom this lovely medal." Miss Oakley here produced
A HANDSOME GOLD MEDAL,
about two inches in diameter and one-quarter of an inch thickness. Upon one side is engraved a picture of the London Club grounds, while upon the other side are the Prince's words of the presentation: "I know of no one more worth."
Miss Oakley stated that the "Charles Lancaster: make of gun was the most popular in England becuase they are lighter than any other manufactured there. She prefers it to any other. Owing to the extreme dampness of the climate in that contru wood-powder is always used in the first barrel. She expressed it as her opinion that it shows a higher grade of skill to kill a bird with two barrels rather than one.
"During my stay in England I shot with nearly every marksman of any not both professional and amateur marksmen, and I consider Lord De Flifford and Earl De Fray to be the finest amateur shots in the kingdom. M. Jourue, of France, is undoubtedly the greated professional shot in Europe; his record of killiking 56 out of 100 Blue-rocks being unsurpassed.
"While in London I was adopted by a childless old lady of considerable means, and before I left she drew up a will in my favor. I receive a letter from her twice a month and she is very anxious to have me come and spend the summer on her estate."
172
Boston Daily Globe.
TUESDAY, APRIL 17.
TONY PASTOR'S STARS.
A Week of First-Class Specialty Prosperously Begun at the Howard.
Tony Pastor's time honored name, which for years has been a household word with a large portion of the amusement-loving community, proved a drawing card at the Howard Athenaeum last evening. The inimitable Tony was ably assisted by the members of his large, capable and very clever company. It would seem that time cannot stale nor custom wither his infinite mirth-provoking powers. The attendance, as was to have been expected, was large, the galleries being filled to their utmost capacity, while the body of the theatre was well filled and true mirthfulness ruled during the entire performance. Little Tich falsified his name, for he great, so great that he won the hearts of all. His description as an eccentric grotesque comedian was fully justified by the excellence of his performance, while the achievements of "little sure shot." Annie Oakley, with rifle and pistol were simply marvellous. If it were possilbe she has improved since her previous exhibition in these parts, when she was attached to Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. The two Armstrongs convulsed the audience with their side-splitting bits of Irish nonsensicality, and were made to do double work for their salaries. Raniza and Amo did wonders on the horizontal bar, and in few words it may be said that Fannie Beane and Charles Gilday in comic songs and dances were good. The American debut of the Sister St. Albert was extremely complimentary to these artistes of song, and theeucomiums they received were fully merited. Revene and Athos, newcomwers also, who are set down on the play hills as eccentric groesque comedians and vaulters, are surely not misdescribed and are justly deserving o praise. James and Iate Donnell, duet performers, have good voices, are of pleasing presence and made decided hits. The Irish dancing masters, Farrell and Wilmott, are admirable in their line of stage performers. The musical Lindsays, whose versalny extends from vocalism to contort on of the body, and who in addition are cery clever instrumentalists, were rewarded with a whirlwind of applause and were called back the second time. Max Pettingill and his wonderful dog "Jim," excited the marvellousness of the audience. Tony's part in the programme was well taken in a role of songs, andthe audience was only satistified when he sang himself hoarse, and had expressed his thanks for the liberal applause given him.
173
ANNIE OAKLEY. THE WONDERFUL LADY CHAMPION WING AND RIFLY SHOT.
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1888. Miss Annie Oakley. (See Portrait on page 4.)
This charming and estimable little lady made one of the greatest hits ever known in Europy while an at-tachee of the Wild West Show. Her amiable manner as well as her extraordinary skill got her into a society which seldom opens its doors to public performers. It is a peculiarity of Miss Oakley that her talent develops more and more every season. We publish her portrait from an excellent photograph made by John Wood, 208 Bowery.
174
Boston Daily Globe.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20.
LITTLE SURE SHOT'S AIM.
Marvellous Shooting by Miss Annie Oakley.
WELLINGTON. April 19.-Miss Annie Oakley, the famous and world-renowned lady expert shot, gave a private exhibition of her skill with the rifle and shotgun at the Boston Gun Club grounds today. There were a large number of spectators, fully one-half being ladies. Miss Oakley commenced her exhibitions by breaking glass balls thrown into the air, using a 32-calibre Stevens rifle, the cartridge being loaded with a solid bullet, after which pipes were broken held in the hand of an attendant. To admirers of her skill desiring mementoes of the exhibition produced half dollars, which were tossed into the air to be marked with a bullet from "[little?] sure sho 's" [rifle?]. At the crack of her rifle the coins vanished and roars of laughter greeted the disappointed souvenir hunters. The rifle shooting of Miss Oakley was fine, but her shooting with a pair of .20 bore shotguns roused the enthusiasm of the most stoic spectator. The first event was breaking four straight [peeria?] birds at [18?] yards' rise, after [which?] [?] s were broken. The gun was then placed on the ground, Miss Oakley stepping back about 10 yards, and at a word the traps were sprung, she running forward, picking up the gun, and breaking pairs of birds
Another difficult feat was laying two loaded double shotguns on a bench; five composition balls were tossed into the air; the first was broken with a bullet from her rifle, and quickly seizing her shotguns she broke three out of four of the remaining balls. At the second trial she broke all five of the balls. The [exhibition?] was concluded with shooting a repeating shotgun, breaking six balls thrown straight away in five seconds.
At the conclusion of the exhibition Secretary D. Kirkwood thanked M ss Oakley for her entertainment and in behalf of the club presented the little markswoman with an elegant pair of gold bracelets. Miss Oakley responded in a neat little speech, after which all the lady spectators flocked aorund the heroine to examine her medals and [presents?], and the sterner sex applied themselves diligently to smashing composition birds.
175
EVERY EVENING-WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1888.
AMUSEMENTS.
Tony Pastor and his specialty company opened a three-nights' engagement at the Academy of Music last evening before a large and highly delighted audience. Every number of the programme found faovr with the house and at times the enthsiasm reached such a pitch as to find expression is vociferous cheers. The company as a whole was by odds the finest ever appearing in a vaudeville bill in this city, and the performance was excellent of its kind. Tony himself contributed two comic songs to the evening's performance and the audience cheered his rendition, "Little Tich," the man with educated legs, did some admirable dancing, and gave a "big shoe act," which was wonderously funny. Miss Annie Oakely, the rifle queen, gave an admirable exhibition of her skill at trap shooting. She opened her act by breaking swining balls with her back to the target and siting through the aid of a mirrior, with the piece invered above her head. She sent bullets creashing through the glass balls without appartent difficulty. With a "No. 20" hammerless gun she did some splendid trap shooting and closed the act with a colt's repeater, breaking a number of balls as fast as they could be tossed into the air. Her performance was exceptionally interesting and her feats with the gun are hte talk of the sportmen of the town today. The performance will be repeated this and tomorrow afternoons and evenings. "Davy Crockett" will be presented the last half of the week by Edwin Mayo.