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were crossing a field when they saw ‘“‘a very bright object that appeared to be about 100 feet from the earth and swiftly approaching.” As it flew low over them, emitting a humming sound, something fell to the earth and buried itself in the ground. Mr. Parks reportedly dug it up the next morning and ‘“‘found it to be a large wheel made of aluminum, about three feet in diameter, and a turbine in shape.”’ He kept the object as a memento and displayed it on his farm in Pennfield, Michigan (Detroit, Michigan, Evening News, April 15, 1897). A Mrs. Wyngate “‘residing just over the line of Charleston township” was one of the witnesses who reported seeing a brilliant white light around 10 P.M. on the night of March 31. She said that ‘‘she distinctly heard human voices from above at the time of the occurrence”’ (Detroit Evening News, April 1, 1897). Others around the country were also hearing voices in the sky. “‘I saw the airship last night at 10:30 P.M. over my barn,”’ one Bid Osborne wrote to the Lansing, Michigan, State Republican (April 17, 1897). “About 800 feet long—big brute—row of Japanese lanterns all along top—large wide sail like a fantail dove—dark bay in color—and J heard voices from above—sounded like Jim Baird and Charlie Bicher—no fake—make affidavit.” Another man in nearby Pine Lake, Michigan, named William Megiveron, told the same newspaper that he was awakened by a tap on his window and the glare of light that at first blinded him. The Republican continues: 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 hunters had injured one of the ship’s wings, and they were laying by for repairs. William then says that he was directed to prepare four-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 aboard were met with a merry ‘Ha! Ha!”’ But William says he thinks the occupants hailed from either Kentucky or Milwaukee as they asked for a corkscrew. Bill said 74 / Operation Trojan Horse