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aluminum and the gas to raise and lower the monster was pumped into an aluminum tank when the ship was to be raised and let out when to be lowered.” There is no further description in the account. The most interesting thing about this story is that the judge mistook the pilots for Japanese, perhaps meaning that they were small men with Oriental features similar to the men described in the controversial modern contact story of Betty and Barney Hill. Can we assume that Judge Byrne was a reliable and responsible witness? One yellowing newspaper clipping doesn’t offer much evidence. But his was not the only 1897 contactee tale. There were scores of others, alba.--b 2. 22+ wes --- nna although no one else reported meeting “Japs.” Most of the people who claimed to glimpse the airship pilots described them as being bearded. Michigan was very much involved in the 1897 flap, and the Courier-Herald of Saginaw followed the reports closely. On April 16 it ran this story: Bell Plains, Iowa, April 16—The citizens of Linn Grove declare there is no longer any doubt among them of the existence of an airship. Yesterday moming a large object was seen slowly moving inthe heavens in a northerly direction and seemed to be making preparations to alight. James Evans, liveryman; F. G. Ellis, harness dealer; Ben Buland, stock dealer; David Evans, and Joe Croskey jumped into a rig and started in pursuit. They found the airship had alighted four miles north of town, and when within 700 yards, it spread its four monstrous wings and flew off toward the north. Its occupants threw out two large boulders of unknown composition, which were taken to the village and are now on exhibition. There were two queer-looking persons on board, who made desperate attempts to conceal themselves. Evans and Croskey say they had the longest whiskers they ever saw in their lives. Nearly every Citizen in Linn Grove saw the airship as it sailed over the town, and the excitement is intense. The Argus-Leader of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, together with many other papers, ran an account on April 15 datelined Springfield, Illinois. Two farmhands, Adolph Winkle and John Hulle, signed affidavits stating that the airship had landed two miles outside of Springfield to repair some electrical apparatus on board. The farmhands said they talked to the occupants, two men and a woman. They were told that the machine had flown to Springfield from Quincy (a distance of about 100 miles) in thirty minutes and would ‘“‘make a report to the government when Cuba is The Grand Deception / 71