(From LaFayette, Ind., Herald, 1895).

The Herald takes pleasure in presenting to its many readers today a brief outline of the career of Fred Erb, Jr., LaFayette's champion shot.

Fred Erb, Jr., was born 41 years ago in this city, in a modest frame, one-story dwelling on Oregon street, on the 16th day of August, 1857. He was given a fair education in the public schools of this city. Young Erb was a born shot, having inherited his talent from his father, who also in his day was a king at the traps, and was the first man ever to shoot a live pigeon match in this country, defeating William King, of London, England, for the world's championship and $1,000 a side. Fred Erb, Sr., also shot a great match with Jack Taylor, of New Jersey, for $2,500 a side, but was defeated in his match. This great event was shot off at the old Opp homestead many years ago. Old timers will still remember this great event, as John Opp at the time made a big barbecue out of the event and over 5,000 persons witnessed the great match.

Fred Erb, Jr., at the age of eight was sent to Lexington, Ky., by his father as a rider of running horses, Fred keeping this up until the age of 18. During his career as a jockey he rode the great winners of those days, known to turf fame as Rambler, Prairie Boy, Silver Tail, Bull of the Woods, Gypsie and other celebrated blue grass stock.

At the age of 12 years his shooting qualities first came into publicity, and while riding the circuit of running horses he was often backed by his father in live pigeon matches, in which he scored signal victories at the trap. Erb's great achievement that brought him into national fame was his challenge to Captain Bogardus, who was then the all around champion of the world. This match came off in March, 1880, at St. Joseph, Mo., Erb killing 93 to Bogardus' 83 birds.

At St. Louis, in January, 1881, Erb in a contest with a number of celebrated shots killed 25 straight birds, winning $800.

Several years ago Erb retired from the professional arena to engage in dog training, having been solicited to do so by many of the dog fanciers of the country. However, the old fever returned and last winter Mr. Erb again took up the trusty and will prepare to go for the championship of the world again. Mr. Erb opened his career last February, when he won the Grand Hotel Trophy, defeating George Beck, of Indianapolis, also defeating Elmer Neal in this city last April. In connection with his work at the trap the same interest will be given his kennel, which now contains some of the most blooded stock in the country. Erb has a national reputation as a successful trainer. He has trained dogs for all the celebrated sports in the country.

Erb's training methods are ideas strictly his own. The dogs are first taught to retrieve, and then after becoming used to the call of the whistle are given actual experience in the field. A visit to his kennel, in the northwest corner of the Snoddy addition, will at any time repay any person who is an admirer of blooded dog stock. The Herald is glad to see Erb back again to battle for the championship honors of the trap, and will not only watch his future career with interest as he battles for LaFayette's credit to again grasp the championship trophy, but will take equal pleasure in heralding forth the great deeds that he will accomplish, as the targets dart from the unknown angles of the traps and in the greater flights of the difficult left quarters of the tough old pigeons.

Mr. Erb defeated Mr. C. W. Budd easily for the American Field Cup at Davenport, Iowa, several years ago. Mr. Erb has made some wonderful scores and we doubt if there is a man living that can equal him with shotgun and rifle, or handling a dog for field shooting and retrieving.

(American Field, January 7, 1899. At the Big Shoot, at Indianapolis, Ind., December 19 to 23, 1893).

Mr. Fred Erb, Jr., was on hand with three dogs, two English and one Irish setter, to do the retrieving. It is needless to say it was very satisfactorily done. The Irish setter had a great race with one of Jack Fanning's birds. The bird was hard hit, but when the dog went 10 retrieve it, it flew around and around in the boundary until finally the dog caught it on the wing. It seemed as if the bird must have flown a good quarter of a mile, but at that it did not cross the boundary line.

(Sporting Life, Philadelphia, Pa., May 20, 1899).

Fred Erb, of LaFayette, Ind., handled the dogs in the live-bird shooting. Fred is an old timer on the traps and has shot some great matches in his day, some of them being unusually exciting.

(The Peoria Herald, May 9, 1899).

Happy Fred Erb is here again this year with his trained dogs - a sight well worth seeing. Mike Hurley, the well known base ball umpire and correspondent of Sporting News, will referee all live-bird events.

(American Field, Chicago, 111., at Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 3 to 4).

Before closing this report it is but justice to speak of the retrieving. It was all done by three dogs (two setters and one pointer) from Fred Erb, Jr.'s kennels, of LaFayette, Ind. The dogs did their work in a quick, snappy way that frequently won the applause of the spectators. During their work for two days they made no mistakes, nor allowed a bird to escape them.

( Nashville Paper).

One of the most attractive features of the tournament has been the retrieving done by the dogs trained by Fred Erb, Jr., of LaFayette, Ind. The faultless work of these dogs has been a source of pleasure to every person who attended the shoot, the marksmen included. Mr. Erb brought seven dogs with him and has opportunity to sell several of them since he came, but as they are dogs that he is training for other parties, he has been compelled to refuse all offers. Mr. Erb is a trainer of gentlemen's shooting dogs, and is also a breeder of fine pointers and setters. His best advertisement is the work done by the dogs he trains.

(Indianapolis News, Dee. 22, 1898).

Fred Erb, of LaFayette, was doing the retrieving today with his dogs. Erb was formerly a crack shot, but in the last few years has devoted his time to training dogs for the field. He has been in big demand this fall to furnish retrievers for live-bird shoots, and has broken in a number of good dogs. He will have charge of the retrieving in the big handicap tomorrow.

(American Field, Dec., 1903).

Last week I spent a couple of days with Fred Erb, Jr., of LaFay-ette, and had a most delightful time. We found plenty of birds, owing to Mr. Erb's habit of stocking the fields every spring with fresh quails. We did not kill many, but I enjoyed watching the puppies which are now in training work on them. Mr. Erb has one puppy less than four months old that would find and point birds and then retrieve them if killed. We shot a few pigeons one morning and I had a lot of fun watching the younger ones retrieve. While I was there some twelve orders arrived for the training device, five one morning before breakfast and all the orders mentioned the American Field as the paper in which the advertisement was seen. Further, Mr. Erb told me that he had received ten times as many orders through his advertisement in the American Field than all of the other papers combined. The training device is by far the surest method I know of making a forced retriever now on the market and at the same time it is easier on the dog. John M. Lilly.

Indianapolis, Ind.

(At the Illinois State Tournament, 1898 and 1899).

Mr. Fred Erb, Jr., the great handler of gentlemen's shooting dogs, did the retrieving of all the pigeons. His work caused no delays of any kind.

(American Field, Chicago, Ill., Aug 5, 1899).

We have always considered that retrieving is an important factor to a successful day's shooting and consequently it is quite as essential that a pointer or setter should be taught to retrieve as to back or drop to shot or to wing. Field trials have made the pointers and setters what they are today, for they have not only stimulated breeders to produce superior animals, but they have developed a higher and more intelligent standard of training. Why not add to this standard the art of retrieving? What state field trial will be the first to require it?

(American Field, Oct. 10, 1903, Chicago, III).

Fred Erb, of LaFayette, Ind., was at the tournament of the Indianapolis Gun club with a string of his retrievers and gave to the sportsmen present a fine exhibition of retrieving, demonstrating beyond all question his ability to make a good retriever in a short time out of any bird dog which has sense enough to come in to him when called.

(American field, November 28, 1903).

I inclose money order for registering two puppies in the F. D. S. B. I refuse to let anyone breed a bitch to my Keystone unless she is registered, and unless he will try to have the puppies registered. My dog Rodstone has been in charge of Fred Erb, Jr., of LaFayette, Ind., for the last eight months, and I have just got him home. He is a magnificent dog in the field, and I only had him in Mr. Erb's hands to make a retriever of him. George Denny.

Lexington, Ky.

(American Field, August 8, 1891).