Page Content (OCR)
142 teeth were completely free of fillings or cavities. They did not wear undergarments, but had their bodies taped. In addition to a piece of metal, Koehler had a clock or automatic calendar taken from one of the crafts. planet Venus. {p. 166} the story. As the first substantial proof, I asked to see the piece of strange metal he was supposed to have. Koehler said it had been sent to another city to be analyzed. I asked to see pictures of the crashed saucers. These, too, proved to be somewhere else. So did the queer "space clock" that Koehler was said to have. By this time I was sure it was all a gag. I had the feeling that Koehler, back of his manner of seeming indignation at my demands, was hugely enjoying himself. I cut the interview short and called Ken Purdy in New York. But even though the "little men" story had turned out-as expected--a dud, Koehler had done me a good turn. An old friend, William E. Barrett, well-known fiction writer, now lived in Denver. Thanks to Koehler's gag, I had a pleasant visit with Bill and his family. On the trip back, I bought a paper at the Chicago airport. On an inside page I ran across Koehler's name. According to the A.P., he had just admitted the whole thing was a big toe joke. But in spite of this, the "little men" story goes on and on. Apparently not even Koehler can stop it now. The ships seemed to be magnetically controlled and powered. Koehler said that the best assumption as to the source of the ships was the When I arrived at Denver, I went to the radio station where Koehler worked. I told him that if he had proof that we could print, we would buy "Well, thank God that's laid to rest," he said when I told him.