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held a press conference in Worcester and revealed his marvelous discov- ery to the world. A Long Island lifeguard, William Leech, was among those who claimed that they heard an airplane engine passing directly overhead in the darkness while on patrol off Long Island. They could not see the object but seemed certain that the sound had come from the sky, not from the water or the island. This report wouldn’t mean much ordinarily, but even while Mr. Leech was talking to New York reporters about the incident, our mystery man was shooting off his mouth in Worcester for the first time. His name was Wallace E. Tillinghast, and he was the vice president of the Sure Seal Manufacturing Company in Worcester. According to the newspapers, he was a man of eminence and reputation and was the holder of several patents. He claimed that he had invented, built and tested an airplane “capable of carrying three passengers with a weight limit of 200 pounds each, a distance of at least 300 miles without a stop to replenish the supply of gasoline, and if necessary, at a rate of 120 miles per hour,” On September 8, 1909, he said, he had flown his machine around the Statue of Liberty and then had soared to Boston and back to New York wetab acca Ie att without landing. The newspapers continued: Another part of this trip is still more wonderful. Mr. Tillinghast says that when near Fire Island [off the coast of Long Island], one of the cylinders of the flier ran irregularly, so the motor was stopped, with the machine 4,000 feet in the air, and sailed forty-six minutes, while two mechanics repaired it in midair, the engine being started again when the airplane was near enough to land to be seen by a member of the lifesaving crew patrolling the beach. Presto, we have an explanation for Mr. Leech’s story! Or have we? Before we can review the flap of Christmas week, 1909, we must dissect the remarkable story of Mr. Tillinghast. It bears many interesting resem- blances to the tales of San Francisco’s mystery inventor. Unlike Lawyer Collins’ well-dressed, well-spoken, middle-aged client, Mr. Tillinghast was located by numerous reporters. He was interviewed. His wife was interviewed. He was well known in Worcester, held a responsible position there, and had no discernible motivation for making up outrageous claims. Rather, he had everything to lose. As soon as the sightings of the mystery airplane broke in the newspapers, he stepped forward and offered an explanation that was taken 100 / Operation Trojan Horse