Letters, Aug. 31, 1931

Tom Hickman's Shooting

Sirs:

In your August 3 issue of TIME I see a note on the Texas-Oklahoma "Bridge War" to the effect that Ranger Captain Tom Hickman had "hit 18 out of 20 matches at 50 feet shooting from the hip;'' also that Ranger Goss had "cut a playing card at 20 yards with his pistol inverted."

Such accuracy is truly remarkable but is never encountered except in the movies. I fear the reporter on that detail was a bit enthusiastic since the .45 Colt Single Action, pet side arm of Captain Hickman, is not capable of shooting 20 shots at 50 feet inside a circle less than about 1¾ inches in diameter even when fired from a machine rest which eliminates all personal errors. Hip shooting also is principally used in the movies and not by the well regulated pistol expert.

I suggest that you ask Captain Hickman for the facts in this case as TIME has been misinformed.

CLYDE T. ERVIN

Chief Physicist

The Peters Cartridge Co.

Kings Mills, Ohio

TIME placed too much credence in one (a non-Texan) who claimed close acquaintance with Captain Tom Hickman and his pistol prowess.—ED.

From Captain Tom Hickman this reply:

Sirs:

... I have read with much interest the copy of Mr. Clyde T. Ervin's letter which you so kindly enclosed. He is absolutely correct about the correctness of pistols.

The thing that puzzles me is the fact that the publishers of the different newspapers and magazines would use such a story as the shooting yarn without making the least effort to verify it. During the entire dispute over the Red River free and toll bridges, I did not have a pistol in my hand, in fact 1 am such a poor marksman that I never shoot until the other fellow has shot at me. I have been busy writing letters trying to explain how it could be do'ne. Ranger Bob Goss, a member of my company, can hit a playing card turned edgewise with his pistol turned upside down. He does this about twice out of every five shots. . . .

TOM R. HICKMAN

Captain

Company B, Stale Ranger Force Fort Worth, Texas

Journal-Post & Doherty

Sirs:

As a constant reader of TIME since Volum 1, No. 1, I have noticed the article in your issue of Aug. 17 regarding my father, the late Walter S. Dickey, and the agreement between Mr. H. L. Doherty, M. B. Sharp and myself.

The present management of the Journal-Post has not changed one whit because of this arrangement with Mr. Doherty. He has no representative on the Board of Directors, nor in our employ. We are not. therefore, concerned with the opinions of far-distant newspapers as to this arrangement which is of importance to the people of Kansas City's own territory, many of whom hope it will be the means whereby an unbalanced newspaper situation born of jorce-majeur will gradually be corrected.