MICHIGAN HAD AN OUTBREAK OF AIRSHIP SIGHTINGS IN APRIL, 1897 Lansing, MI The State Republican April 17, 1897 April 17--- The following note was left at the Republican office this morning "I saw the airship last night – 10:30 p.m. over my barn, about 800 feet long.. big brute.. row of Japanese lanterns all along top.. large wide sail like a fan-tail dove.. dark bay in color, and I heard voices from above.. sounded like Jim Baird and Charlie Bicher – no fake – make affidavit. Bid Osborne" A dispatch from William Megiveron confirms that the airship was seen at Pine Lake Thursday night. William deposes and says that in the darkest hour of the night he was awakened by a tap on his window and the glare of light that at first blinded him. On stepping out into the night he was accosted by a voice from above, which told him that the light was from the airship; that during the afternoon the ship had been lying concealed behind a bank of clouds over the lake and that a stray shot from the gun of some duck hunter had injured one of the ship’s wings, and they were lying for repairs. William then says that he was directed to prepare 4 dozen egg sandwiches and a kettle of coffee for the crew, and when prepared, the provender was hoisted on board with a scoop fully as large as a freight car, and paid for in Canadian quarters. William further says that the aerial monster appeared about 300 feet above the lake, but only the outlines were visible on account of the brilliant searchlight which made everything below as bright as day and above as dark as midnight during a cyclone. He observed a red light at each end, and thinks the ship was fully a half a mile long. All appeals to be taken on board were met with a merry ha! ha! , but William thinks the occupants hailed from either Kentucky or Milwaukee as they asked for a corkscrew. Bill said if he knew their address he would have the whole crew arrested for violating the fish law for the light reflected so strongly on the lake it was no trouble for the occupants to pick out the biggest and best fish in the lake with a long handled spear. Just before daylight, the ship sailed off toward the city. The whirr of machinery was plainly discernible for several moments. ______________ Bay City, MI The Times-Press April 17, 1897 It beats all how that airship is skylarking around. Thursday night it was seen, in addition to the claim of Muggs Landing in Bay City, in Lansing, Hudson, Battle Creek, Charlotte, and at Pontiac. At the latter place boys hoisted lanterns up the flagstaff at the Grove school, and the people are telling weird stories about what they saw. At Battle Creek the aerial monster descended to earth and tied a letter to the door of a newspaper office. All these “facts” are directly contradictory of the positive statement that the thing came near to earth in Essexville and plowed up a muskmelon patch. Some things are born every minute ____________________ Detroit, Michigan The Evening News April 17,1897 Ann Arbor--- Airship seen here going toward Ypsilanti – supposed to be manned by skylarking students. _____________ Adrian, MI The Evening Telegram April 17, 1897 "THAT AIRSHIP" "Various Phases of its Appearance in Hudson" "Just How The Thing Looked To Some of the Citizens of that Interesting City" A special from Hudson to this paper, conveyed the intelligence that the famous airship had been seen there Thursday night by sundry reputable citizens of that burg. We clip from the Hudson, GAZETTE of this week some private opinions of the matter: “It’s no hoax about that airship,” said Gene Knapp, porter at the Comstock House. “We had just drove down to the depot when some of the boys called my attention to the bright red light which seemed to be sailing into town from the west. It looked like a shooting star at first, but when it got down opposite us, on West Main St., we saw a green light about 25 feet from it, and sure, right there before our eyes. We saw the outline of a dark object against the sky, and some of ‘em thought they could see men aboard. It looked as if one of ‘em was trying to wave his hat at us.” Charlie Lane, proprietor of the Hudson House, was one of the party at the depot and corroborates the story. “This is no mariner’s yarn,” said Mr. Lane to the GAZETTE. “As sure as I live I saw the airship last night. How high was it? About 400 feet from the ground I should say. Shape? Cigar shaped and covered with a canvas canopy. It sailed right along rapidly and easily against the wind, which did not seem to have any effect on it.” “I was near the lake shore,” said Mr. Roy Bean, “and can say that the airship, or whatever it was, is an actuality.” Mr. Harvey Loyster was upon West Main St. and while he does not furnish particulars to the GAZETTE, says that the aerial visitor is, O.K. Ed Southworth and Al Beach had just started for home when the exciting object came into view. Mr. Southworth pointed it out to his companion. When asked how large it was, they thought it was about the size of “Doc” Clement’s busted boom. “It was quite a bit larger than the Republican majority in Hudson.” Said Plim Gilman, who had just started down Main St. “Yes sir,” said Sid Lawrence, who had just left the lodge for home, “It was certainly 25 feet long, had a rudder, was quite a curiosity. We ought to have it for our next street fair.” Chas. Kefuss was leaving his milling office while the air vessel was disappearing over the Main St. Bridge. “It is no fisherman’s yarn,” quoth he, “I saw it, and I know it from the published accounts in all the papers. Purdy Deems was just rising the hill on the walk opposite the Baptist Church. “What does it mean?” says Purdy. “Perhaps it was that long lost and overdue advance agent of prosperity, and individual who started on the road a long time ago and hasn’t got here yet.” “I’ve been in most every State in the Union,” says Jim Peck, “but I never saw an airship before. Ours was the original and the only.” Prof. Geo. J. Tripp, scientist and superintendent of the East Side Schools, was questioned concerning the alleged nocturnal visitor. “How do I account for it?” Queried he, “I don’t try to. I think it was a star the people saw. I would like to have trained my telescope on it, anyway. That would have settled it. Of course, I didn’t see it at all, but how do I account for its moving so fast? Hallucination, some men’s minds move faster than others.” Lee Wolcott, Bert Chandler, W. N. Derbyshire and Will Sweezy, a party of duck hunters returning from Mallory Lake, saw the visitor. They say it resembled a whole flock of ducks, but they had no field glasses, and were unable to make it out clearly. Pittsford--- The operator here says that the airship sailed over this place at 9:56 last night. Clayton: J. B. Kessler and Arthur Hawkins both say they are positive they saw the airship pass over Clayton last evening. Cadmus: This town is excited over the appearance of the airship last night. It was going due east. One excited individual fired a shot at it, thinking it was a flying dragon. ******** John Griewahn thinks he has seen the airship. In the bow of the boat was a man trying to beat John’s record of three seconds on the Abbott voting machine, and in the stern was a queer looking individual giving lesson on “how to break freight cars.” He could see nothing else on the vessel except Page fence. _______________ Saginaw, Michigan The Evening News April 17, 1897 "PEOPLE WHO SAW IT "Three Citizens of Saginaw Claim to have been Favored - Others Deny The Honor" "Speculation Continues to be Rife Concerning the Thing And the Reason it Doesn’t Quit Fooling ...." The airship or whatever it is which has been bobbing all around the country and acting in a most mysterious manner is attracting much speculation. Many people are inclined to treat it as a fake or a good joke, while others are firm believers in the existence of the machine and that the course is directed by human brains. However that may be, the thing which is kicking up such a fuss has not been examined in this State by a reliable authority and the identity of the person of persons running the thing if indeed there is a person on board of it has not been established. Roundsman Halsey and Patrolman Foley of the police force are sure that they saw the machine. They were standing on the corner of Astor and Jefferson avenue yesterday morning about 2:45 o’clock and were attracted by a noise which sounded like the rattle of a drum. Looking in the direction from which the sound came, the officers saw something which is described by Roundsman Halsey as a cigar shaped affair about 30 feet long with nothing above it and something hanging about ten feet below the main body of the thing and carrying a red and yellow light which seemed to be shining through canvas. The affair was traveling about 25 miles an hour in a southerly direction. Thomas S. Prentice, connected with the telephone company, reports having seen the machine the same night from the West Side of the river. A report was circulated that Asa W. Field and V. A. Goddard had seen the machine but Mr. Field said that it was simply a report concocted by Mr. Goddard to stuff a newspaperman with. ________________ Ontonagon, Michigan The Herald April 17, 1897 The airship, which has been seen by the inhabitants of nearly every town in this state and Wisconsin during the past ten days, was sighted by Dr. Geo. McElveen on Wednesday morning, as he was taking an early walk. By the aid of a powerful telescope he made out the aerial monster as it was sailing in a southerly direction and could see the occupants, all of whom he recognized as former neighbors and residents of Ewen. No doubt, he says, but it is the delegation sent to Lansing to work for the county division bill. ____________ Saginaw, Michigan The Courier-Herald April 17, 1897 "TRIP OF THE AIRSHIP" "Seems to be more than a Vision of the Night" "ITS FLIGHT WITNESSED BY SEVERAL" "Seen at Different Points Throughout the State As Well as in other Parts of the Country" Additional particulars of the visit of the mysterious airship to this part of the country were received yesterday. The ship approached from the southwest and after passing over both Saginaw and Bay City appeared to sink almost to earth in the vicinity of Essexville. This was about 12:30. The ship moved with great speed when on its voyage north, but slowed as it approached Bay City. Just before 2 o’clock yesterday morning the uncanny visitor was seen returning to the southeast. Roundsman Halsey and Officer Foley, who were on Potter St., near the city depot, at the time, first noticed it as it approached the city from the north. They were attracted by the whirring noise which increased rapidly in volume and looking up into the sky they beheld a long cigar shaped vessel sailing through the air. It was not very high above the earth and there was a light aboard that illuminated the whole vessel. The noise which they heard resembled that made by a snare drum being played rapidly, and was evidently caused by the movement of machinery aboard the airship. It was going in a southeasterly direction and passed so quickly out of sight that a good description could not be obtained. From the lower side, however, a long basket-shaped object hung down, apparently a boat to be used in case the ship settled down over a body of water. Reports are coming from all over the country which indicate that there must certainly be some truth in the many stories that are being told of the airship. One is to the effect that it is owned by Ringling Bros.’ Circus and is being used as an advertising scheme. That there is some strange object floating about the country is beyond a doubt, but it is no one has been able to ascertain. The following dispatches from various of the country show that the airship has traveled over a great deal of territory in the past few days. Corroboration of the visit of the flying airship to this city yesterday morning has been received from many sources. Among those who vouch for its appearance is V. A. Goddard, who witnessed its flight northward at about midnight, in company with A. W. Field. The night was cloudy and therefore they were unable to see the ship plainly but they distinctly heard the humming noise, which they describe as resembling the noise of an electric dynamo. There were three lights visible, one at either end and one suspended above the vessel, apparently on a mast. The forward light was white and the others were red, It was impossible to tell anything as to its size or shape of the vessel from the view obtained by these gentlemen. _______________ Grand Rapids, Michigan The Evening Press April 20, 1897 A Middleville man not only saw the airship but its outlines were so indelibly impressed upon his memory that he sat down and drew a picture of it. The sketch in all its weirdness is on exhibition in the window of the SUN office. __________ Saginaw, Michigan The Evening News April 20, 1897 "THE AIRSHIP AGAIN" Saline--- Residents of this village were startled yesterday by a severe explosion coming from mid-air. Several persons a short way north of the town say they made out a large object high in the air moving rapidly to the west against the wind. All agree that it was a visit from the airship. ______________ Port Huron, Michigan The Daily Chronicle April 20, 1897 "THAT RAPID AIRSHIP" "Now, the Citizens of Grant, Newaygo County, Claim To Have Spied It..." Bailey, April 19--- The people of Grant Station say they saw the famous airship pass over their town Saturday evening. It was just ahead of the north bound evening train, so it was supposed the airship was racing the train. It was seen by many citizens of that place. It was supposed to have been nearly one mile from the earth and the length was about 200 feet. You have this as cheap as we got it. _____________ Saginaw, Michigan The Courier-Herald April 21, 1897 "THAT AIRSHIP AGAIN" "Saginaw Has an Attraction for the Terrestrial Traveler" Several parties claim to have seen the much talked of airship, which they say passed over this city Monday evening between 8 and 9 o’clock moving in a northerly direction. Two ladies claim to have witnessed the phenomenon, as well as several young men who are of strictly temperate habits. _____________ Monroe, Michigan The Democrat April 22, 1897 Maybe--- Bill Kellie claims to have seen the airship that has attracted so much attention recently in Michigan and Wisconsin. He distinctly noticed several men, one of whom took a drink from a short-necked bottle. ________________ Detroit, Michigan The Evening News April 22, 1897 "THAT PERSISTENT “AIRSHIP” Jackson, April 22--- Geo. Mitchell, a wide-awake and reliable citizen, positively saw the airship last evening. There were lights at each end. ___________ Marshall, Michigan The Daily Chronicle April 23, 1897 The published reports of airships being seen all over the country have caused an estimable woman of Findlay, Ohio to go stark mad. _____________ Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan The News April 24, 1897 A number of Manistique citizens upon their oath say that they saw the much talked of airship on its westward trip, Monday night. C. R. Orr states that the ship seemed to be making 1,000 miles an hour, and Billie DeDue avers that he discerned the outline of the wonder and that it looked like a Washington cigar with a bright light in the center of it. _____________ South Haven, Michigan April 24, 1897 So many people have seen the noted airship that has been flitting for the last two weeks back and forth over South Haven, it would take much space to give all their names. To fill in the time between the down near zero and the sea serpent seasons the airship has played well its part. Any light seen in the night can play the part. From over the river it is nothing to make our crimson electric sign assume the shape of an airship. __________ Marquette, Michigan The Mining Journal April 24, 1897 "AIRSHIP” AT THOMASTON A railroad fireman by the name of Widosky, whose run ends at Thomaston, was in the city this week with a tale of the so-called airship, which he declared had been seen at Thomaston by himself and seven others. Widosky’s friends assert that he is a teetotaler. He was the man who first discovered the ship, or star, or whatever it may be. Monday night he spent the evening at Wakefield and a little before midnight started out to walk back to his home village. He was walking hastily along with his eyes down to see the path. In stepping over a mud puddle the reflection of three brilliant lights caught his eye. They swung slightly. A glance convinced him that the lights did not come from the puddle and he looked up. There in the sky were the lights. One was red, one was green, and the third one white. That was all he could see. If the lights were attached to an airship the body of the craft was not visible. The lights moved rapidly across the sky, but never changed their relative position or distance. They were going southwest. Widosky could hardly credit his senses. He thought first that he was in a dream, that he was not walking home from Wakefield, but that he was lying in bed and had the nightmare. He shook himself, and resorted to various other expedients to convince himself that he was awake. The lights did not move in a straight line across the heavens, but waved, as if whatever carried them bobbed up and down. To satisfy himself that he was not seeing double, Widosky sighted the lights over a stump. Still they bobbed. He watched the strange specter of the air until it disappeared from sight. Next morning, he told friends of the sight he had seen, and of course, was simply credited with having taken his first drink, and was sympathetically told that it always did go to his head. Determined to see if the strange lights would reappear, the fireman stayed up Tuesday night. About midnight he was again rewarded by seeing them appear in the heavens. He hurriedly awoke the roundhouse foreman, a man called Minge, and his family, besides some railroad men, They got up and the entire family watched the lights cavort across the sky. There were seven witnesses in all, and each one is prepared to swear that he saw the red, white, and green lights, and noted the peculiar undulating motion. Since the truth of the story has been attested by this number of witnesses, everyone in Thomaston believes that there is something new in the sky. Opinion is divided only to what it is. The original discoverer of the lights discredits the airship theory and thinks it is a peculiar celestial body. Various other railroad men claim to have seen the lights between Thomaston and Saxon. ____________ Ontonagon, Michigan The Herald April 24, 1897 Thomaston on the line of the D. S. S. & A. Railroad is the latest place where the airship has been seen, and they say there isn’t a saloon within a hundred miles of the place. ____________ Saginaw, Michigan The Globe April 26, 1897 "GENESSEE COUNTY MAN STARTLED BY IT" "Flew Over His Head and Dropped a Canada Paper As a Little Souvenir" Flint, April 26--- News reached here Saturday that the much talked of airship was hovering between the earth and sky about three miles east of the city, in the township of Burton, and that farmers had caught a glimpse of the phantom ship. Daniel Gray residing upon the King farm on the Lapeer road, in the Township of Burton, about three miles east of the city. Here a clew was struck which threw some light upon the much talked of, but rather mythical airship. Farmer Gray related that Friday while working in the field, he heard a terrible rumbling and whizzing sound directly over his head. He looked up and saw a dark object flying through the air with lightning like rapidity. For a moment he was dazed, but when he again looked up the ghost like object had passed beyond his vision, but he saw a paper flying to earth which he immediately picked up, and upon investigation it proved to be a newspaper published as Toronto, Canada, bearing the date Oct. 5, 1896. The paper was dry and well preserved and suffered little, if any, injury in its flight from the heavens. The fine state of preservation taken in connection with other facts in the story would indicate that Mr. Gray was not dreaming when he heard the rumbling noise. ___________ Saginaw, MI The Courier-Herald April 27, 1897 The tail of the airship seems to have brushed over Omer on Saturday evening. ____________ Marshall, MI The Daily Chronicle April 27, 1897 Two Marshall ladies claim to have seen the airship last night. _________ Saginaw, Michigan The Courier-Herald April 28, 1897 Hemlock--- Two well known gentlemen of truth and sobriety, of this place, on their way home from the Bennett house last Thursday night about 11 o’clock, saw what they believed to be an airship sailing at a fearful rate of speed in a southerly direction. No one doubts their statement. ____________ Muskegon, MI The Chronicle April 30, 1897 Last night at 11:30 this town (Holton) received a visit from the wonderful airship. It came from the north and descended till it was about 200 feet from the ground, directly over the bridge. It was lighted with electricity and loaded with revellers who were making a good deal of noise, “A hundred dancing girls were there with zoneless waists and streaming hair” The music was entrancing the like of which never was heard in this place. It wasn’t long before everybody was on the street to look and listen, many in their night clothes. Not a few thought the Judgment day had come. It was about 300 feet long, tall about 40 feet, its breadth and depth about 90 feet. It staid 55 minutes. Its tail commenced whirling and it moved off toward Fremont. But just as it began to move, a grappling hook was let down and caught one of our most truthful citizens who was instantly hoisted on board and carried away. The truthful citizen came back on the 11:30 train from White Cloud and has been talking ever since about aerial navigation. ____________ Saginaw, MI The Courier-Herald April 30, 1897 "THE AIRSHIP SEEN AT FREELAND" Leonard and Henry Krause claim to have seen the airship last Sunday night. __________ Saginaw, MI The Globe May 1, 1897 The airship, balloon of whatever it is, was seen by two residents of Dayton, Tuscola County at 2 o’clock Thursday morning as they were returning home from sitting up with a sick neighbor. They said the object looked like a big cigar with a basket hanging under it. There were lights around the basket, and the forms of three persons were distinctly seen. The airship was traveling at a rapid rate. __________ Marquette, MI The Mining Journal May 1, 1897 "AIRSHIP SEEN AT SIDNAW" A correspondent at Sidnaw, “who will not subscribe his name for fear people will say he had taken a glass to much”, sends a story of the airship which he claims to have seen on the night of the 26th. According to his account he had a better view than most of those who claim to have seen the strange craft have been favored with. He says; “Last night (Monday) I was taking a short walk before retiring for the night. As a rule, I am a person who retires early, but this night I happened t o be out late. It was about 11:00 o’clock.” “I happened to cast my eyes upward, and to my astonishment, I saw three large lights, red, green, and white. When I first noticed the strange object it seemed to be over Booth’s mill, and was sailing in a southeasterly direction. It was going, perhaps, sixty miles an hour. I was near the Nester estate warehouse at the time, and before I could get anyone else to the site, the ship had disappeared from view.” “It was a bright light and I could plainly discern a cigar shaped object and a basket below, somewhat resembling a street car. I should judge it was about 2,000 feet from the ground.” ____________ Grand Rapids, MI The Evening Press April 16, 1897 "WORD FROM THE SKY SAYS THE AIRSHIP IS A MOONSHINE PRODUCT" "Queer Letter Found That Explains the Birth Place of the Marvel" "It Was Put Together in Tennessee From Material Shipped From Three States" Appleton, Wisconsin, April 15--- Many persons in this city declare that they saw an airship pass over the city last Sunday night. Last night on the farm of N. B. Clark, north of the city, a letter was picked up attached to an iron rod eighteen inches long sticking in the ground. The letter, which was not signed, is as follows: “Aboard the Airship “Pegasus”, April 9, 1897 – The problem of aerial navigation has been solved. The writers have spent the past month cruising about in the airship “Pegasus” and have demonstrated to their entire satisfaction that the ship is a thorough success. We have been able to attain a speed of 150 miles an hour and have risen to a height of 2,500 feet above sea level. The “Pegasus” was erected at a secluded point ten miles from Lafayette, Tenn., and the various parts of the machine were carried overland from Glasgow, Ky., to that point, being shipped from Chicago, Pittsburgh, and St.Louis. We have made regular trips of three days each from Lafayette to Yaukon, and no harm has come to the “Pegasus” thus far. "Within a month our application for the patents for a parallel plane air ship will be filled simultaneously at Washington and the European Capitals. The ship is propelled by steam and is lighted by electricity, and has a carrying power of 1,000 pounds." ________________ The following account was popularized by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, and published by Jacques Vallee in his “Anatomy of a Phenomenon”. Yates Center, Kansas The Farmer’s Advocate April 23, 1897 "AIR SHIP TAKES A COW: THE THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF A WOODSON STOCKMAN" Hon. Alesander Hamilton of Vernon, came to town last Wednesday (April 21) and created quite an excitement by announcing that he had been having some experience with the much talked of airship. Mr. Hamilton is an old settler, was a member of the legislature in the early days and is known all over Woodson, Allen, Coffey and Anderson Counties. To a representative of the ADVOCATE Mr. Hamilton wrote. “Last Monday night about half past ten o’clock we were awakened by a noise among the cattle. I arose, thinking perhaps my bulldog was performing some prank, but upon going to the door, saw to my utter amazement, an airship slowly descending over my cow lot about forty rods from the house.” “Calling Gid Heslip, my tenant, and my son, Wall, we seized some axes and ran to the corral. Meanwhile the ship had been gently descending until it was not more than 30 feet above the ground and we came up to within 50 yards of it. It consisted of a great cigar shaped portion possibly 300 feet long with a carriage underneath,” “The carriage was made of panels of glass or other transparent substance, alternating with a narrow strip of some other material. It was brilliantly lighted within and everything was clearly visible. There were three lights; one like an immense searchlight and two smaller, one red, the other green. The large one was susceptible of being turned in every direction. We stood mute in wonder and fright, when some noise attracted their attention and they turned their light directly upon us. Immediately upon catching sight of us, they turned on some unknown power, and a great turbine wheel about 30 feet in diameter, which was slowly revolving below the craft, began to buzz, sounding precisely like the cylinder of a separator, and the vessel rose as lightly as a bird. When about 30 feet above us, it seemed to pause, and hover directly over a three year old heifer, which was bawling and jumping, apparently fast in the fence. Going to her we found a cable about half an inch in thickness, made of some red material, fastened in a slip knot around her neck, one end passing up to the vessel and tangled in the wire. We tried to get it off, but could not, so we cut the wire loose, and stood in amazement to see ship, cow, and all rise slowly and sail off, disappearing in the northwest. We went home, but I was so frightened I could not sleep but rose early Tuesday morning, mounted my horse and started out to find some trace of my cow, but coming to LeRoy in the evening found that Lank Thomas, who lives in Coffee County about three or four miles west of LeRoy, had found the hide, legs, and head in his field that day. He, thinking someone had butchered a stolen beast and thrown the hide away, had brought it to town for identification but was greatly mystified in not being able to find a track of any kind on the soft ground. I went home last night but every time I would drop to sleep I would see the cursed thing with its big lights and hideous people. I don’t want any more to do with them. Mr. Hamilton looked as if he had not entirely recovered from the shock and everyone who knew him was convinced he was sincere in every word. ____________ "AFFADAVIT: State of Kansas" Woodson County As there are now, always have been, and always will be skeptics and unbelievers, whenever the truth or anything bordering the improbable is presented, and knowing that some ignorant or suspicious people will doubt the truthfulness of the above statement, now, There fore, we, the undersigned do hereby make the following affidavit; That we have known Alex Hamilton from 15 to 30 years and that for truth and veracity we have never heard his word questioned and that we do verily believe his statement to be true and correct. E. V. Wharton, State Oil Inspector H. H. Winter, Banker H. S. Johnson, Pharmacist Alex Stewart, Justice of Peace F. W. Butler, Druggist H. C. Rollins, Postmaster M. E. Hunt, Sheriff E. K. Kellenberser, M. D. J. H. Stitcher, Attorney H. Waymire, Druggist Jas. L. Martin, Registrar of Deeds Subscribed and sworn to before me this 21st day of April 1897. W. C. Willie, Notary Public Yates Center, Kansas The Farmers Advocate May 7, 1897 ____________ A BURLINGTON AFFIDAVIT After copying the airship story as narrated by Mr. Hamilton and published by the ADVOCATE, the Burlington DAILY NEWS appends the following affidavit: “There can be no possible doubt as to the reliability of the narrator of the above and we append the following testimonials of old settlers here who know him well." We, the undersigned, residents of Burlington, Kansas, do hereby certify that we have known Mr. Alexander Hamilton ever since he was chased out of Coffee County; that he is in all respects a perfectly truthful and reliable man. And no lover of truth will ever question any statement made by him, provided the right brand is used in the preparation thereof. J. M. Lane, Wm Hanson, H. E. Cowgill, M. E. Grimes, David Grimes, Orson Kent, J. M. Baldwin Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th day of April 1897. H. B. Cheney, Notary Public ___________ SOURCE: RAY VARNER STILL MORE MYSTERY AIRSHIP SIGHTINGS   THE AZTEC UFO CRASH - 1948   |
