An Attempted "Alien Abduction" in 1896?

 There is very little doubt that "Martians" stories were great for attracting readers and therefore sales money in the latew 19th century. It is often stated that the accounts of "mystery airships" were created after H. G. Wells' The War of The Worlds was published. In fact The War of the Worlds was originally published in parts in the UK in Pearson's Magazine and in the United States in Cosmopolitan both in 1897.

Therefore the serial and book (published in 1898 by William Heinemann could not have inspired reports from 1896.  It was a popular serial/ Astronomer Percival Lowell had previously inspired the idea of intelligent life on Mars, picked up on by Wells in three books -one preceding the Martian craze:  Mars (1895), Mars and Its Canals (1906), and Mars As the Abode of Life (1908).

There was the well proven hoax known as the Aurora, Texas, UFO incident where on 17th April, 1897  reportedly occurred on April 17, 1897, a UFO crashed on a farm near Aurora, There were claims of a body and even debris.  Not one single shred of evidence has ever been presented and the whole story appears to be yet another small town that was dying out trying to attract attention, visitors and money.

Above: “A Windmill Demolishes It,” The Dallas Morning News, April 19, 1897

a contemporary illustration of the Hamilton "cow-napping"

Next, on 23rd April, 1897,  The Yates Center Farmer's Advocate, a Kansas newspaper,  reported an incredible story that, on the evening of 19th April, local rancher Alexander Hamilton, his son, and a hired man saw a giant cigar-shaped UFO hovering above a corral near the house. Hamilton claimed that in a carriage underneath the structure were "six of the strangest beings I ever saw." Just then, the three men heard a calf bawling and found it trapped in the fence, a rope around its neck extending upward. "We tried to get it off but could not," Hamilton said, "so we cut the wire loose to see the ship, heifer and all, rise slowly, disappearing in the northwest."

It goes on and on and the belief that no one existed who could build airships and fly them at the time is a nonsense.

Above: Ballon-Poisson, a navigable balloon designed by aeronaut Ferdinand Lagleize, c. 1850

And look at this Dirigible airships compared with related aerostats, from the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1890–1907:   

Even early aeroplanes were being built and tested before the Wright Brothers. The idea that the "mystery airship wave" started in the United States "then spread world-wide" is typically American Ufology claiming first bragging rights. That no American inventor could keep such a project secret is also odd when you look at the vastness of the continent and also at a time when so much of it was still unexplored.

Yes, it is very possible that some early inventors tested out their  craft and that these involved landings and encounters is also very likely.

But it is the fact that the accounts are still cited in 2025 despite all of the hoaxing of "Martian crashes" and monsters designed to revive a small towns' fortunes being well documented -but I suppose that involves reading and researching and Ufologists are not really into all of that- that this report is still accepted as being genuine, Colonel Henry Glenville Shaw was, after all, a respectable man in the community -why would he hoax a report.... d'uh!

I find it interesting that one or two people have even made the "Martians" in this account into "Greys" or "Tall Whites"!

Col. Shaw in his younger days (c)2025 respective copyright holder

Shaw'saccount “Three Strange Visitors, Who Possibly Came From the Planet Mars”  comes from The Evening Mail of Stockton, California, 

The story was related by a Colonel Henry Glenville Shaw (1843-1907), a Civil War veteran and news correspondent who had apparently belonged to the Mail’s editorial staff prior to his encounter. At any rate, Col. Shaw’s unusual story "carried some weight" at the time and, of course, there was a second witness who we are assured was real -which does not stop him from being "in on it"!. 

Col. Shaw recounted what happened: 

THREE STRANGE BEINGS

“Were it not for the fact that I was not alone when I witnessed the strange sight I would never have mentioned it at all. Wednesday afternoon I went out to Lodi and Lockeford in company with Camille Spooner, a young man recently arrived from Nevada…We left Lodi on the return trip, I should judge, shortly before 6 o’clock, and we were jogging along quietly when the horse stopped suddenly and gave a snort of terror. Looking up we beheld three strange beings. They resembled humans in many respects, but still they were not like anything I had ever seen. They were nearly or quite seven feet high and very slender. We were both somewhat startled, as you may readily imagine, and the first impulse was to drive on. The horse, however, refused to budge, and when we saw that we were being regarded more with an air of curiosity than anything else we concluded to get out and investigate. I walked up to where the strange looking persons were and addressed them. I asked where they were from. They seemed not to understand me, but began—well, ‘warbling’ expresses it better than talking. Their remarks, if such you would call them, were addressed to each other, and sounded like a monotonous chant, inclined to be guttural. I saw it was no use to attempt a conversation, so I satisfied myself with watching and examining them. They seemed to take great interest in ourselves, the horse and buggy, and scrutinized everything very carefully.

WEIGHED LESS THAN AN OUNCE EACH

“While they were thus engaged I was enabled to inspect them as well. As I have already stated, they were seven feet in height and very slender. I noticed, further, that their hands were quite small and delicate, and that their fingers were without nails. Their feet, however, were nearly twice as long as those of an ordinary man, though they were narrow, and the toes were also long and slender. I noticed, too, that they were able to use their feet and toes much the same as a monkey; in fact, they appeared to have much better use of their feet than their hands. I presently discovered that this was probably a provision of nature. As one of them came close to me I reached out to touch him, and, placing my hand under his elbow, pressed gently upward, and lo and behold I lifted him from the ground with scarcely an effort. I should judge that the specific gravity of the creature was less than an ounce. It was then that I observed him try to grasp the earth with his toes to prevent my lifting him. You can readily understand that their slight weight made such a provision necessary, or they might be blown away.

“They were without any sort of clothing, but were covered with a natural growth hard to describe; it was not hair, neither was it like feathers, but it was as soft as silk to the touch, and their skin was like velvet. Their faces and heads were without hair, the ears were very small, and the nose had the appearance of polished ivory, while the eyes were large and lustrous. The mouth, however, was small, and it seemed to me that they were without teeth. That and other things led me to believe that they neither ate nor drank, and that life was sustained by some sort of gas. Each of them had swung under the left arm a bag to which was attached a nozzle, and every little while one or the other would place the nozzle in his mouth, at which time I heard a sound as of escaping gas. It was much the same sound as is produced by a person blowing up a football.

OF INDESCRIBABLE BEAUTY

“From the description I give I do not want you to get the idea that these creatures were hideous. In appearance they were markedly the contrary. They were possessed of a strange and indescribable beauty. I can express myself in no other way. They were graceful to a degree, and more divinely beautiful than anything I ever beheld.

“The strangest part of this story is yet to come. It is the lights they carried. Each held in his hand something about the size of a hen’s egg. Upon holding them up and partly opening the hand, these substances emitted the most remarkable, intense and penetrating light one can imagine. Notwithstanding its intensity it had no unpleasant effect upon our eyes, and we found we could gaze directly at it. It seemed to me to be some sort of luminous mineral, though they had complete control of it.

“Finally they became tired of examining us and our horse and buggy, and then one of them, at a signal from one who appeared to be the leader, attempted to lift me, probably with the intention of carrying me away. Although I made not the slightest resistance he could not move me, and finally the three of them tried it without the slightest success. They appeared to have no muscular power outside of being able to move their own limbs.

STRANGE AIRSHIP

“Well, after trying in vain to move either of us they turned in the direction of the Woodbridge canal, near which we were, and as they flashed their lights towards the bridge we beheld a startling sight. There, resting in the air about twenty feet above the water, was an immense airship. It was 150 feet in length at least, though probably not over twenty feet in diameter at the widest part. It was pointed at both ends, and outside of a large rudder there was no visible machinery. The three walked rapidly toward the ship, not as you or I walk, but with a swaying motion, their feet only touching the ground at intervals of about fifteen feet. We followed them as rapidly as possible, and reached the bridge as they were about to embark. With a little spring they rose to the machine, opened a door in the side, and disappeared within. I do not know of what the affair was built, but just before it started I struck it with a rock and it gave no sound. It went through the air very rapidly and expanded and contracted with a muscular motion, and was soon out of sight.

“I have a theory, which, of course, is only a theory, that those we beheld were inhabitants of Mars, who have been sent to the earth for the purpose of securing one of its inhabitants…”

Shaw The Human Weighing Machine" for an ex-military man and former journalist (things are a tad sketchy on his part in the said newspaper at the time this story broke but a local publisher had a vested interest in rejuvenating the fortune of his town if not in publishing a story that brought in the cash). 

There are some nice touches and I have noted more than one person jumping on "sent to the earth for the purpose of securing one of its inhabitants…” as being evidence of an early attempted alien abduction. This does the investigation and study of CE3K reports no favours and it is something a debunker can get their teeth into and shout "See! This is what these idiots believe!"

If this account had come from a fully documented official report from the time it would have been interesting. If it had been found in a private diary that could have its ink and paper, etc., analysed (that can be easily done these days) then the interest factor would be higher. 

The sad truth is (although I would have loved for this to have been a genuine incident from the 1890s) that this is highly likely a made up story as it fitted into, and added more to, the Martian craze of the period. What we will likely never find out, unless someone in the Shaw family kept a diary, is whether Col. Shaw later confessed to making the story up but that would mean tracking down descendants, searching for (probably lost) documents and more. Easier for some to claim that this was a genuine CE3K.

Astrophysicists Find Evidence for Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

St. Cyrille, Province du Quebec, Canada -Bibendum or Robots?

 

APRO Bulletin, Vol. 23 No. 3 (Nov/Dec 1974)]

"Our thanks to Field Investigator Wido Hoville for the following excellent and very strange report: Mr. and Mrs. L. had come home from a holiday in Florida during the evening of July 22, 1974. Being tired from the trip, Mrs. L. had gone to bed and her husband was sitting up watching the late show on television. They live in a house trailer near St. Cyrille, Quebec. Other trailers on the lot had been installed but the L.s were the only occupants at the time.

Shortly after the end of the show at about 1:15 a.m. on the 25th, Mr. L. was preparing to go to bed when he heard a strange sound like “bum bum bum” outside, much like something falling on the grass. He lifted the curtain in the living room and saw a reddish-orange round object hovering over the field to the northeast side of his house trailer. He then went into the bedroom to wake his wife and while there heard another sound like buzzing and when he looked outside he saw what he described as a robot like creature, about 6 feet tall, within 15 feet of the trailer.

Needless to say, Mr. L. was shocked by what he saw and he and his wife then went into the living room where they looked out and observed three more “Robots” (they described them as such because of their stiff manner of moving about, as well as their appearance) close to an adjoining trailer and apparently examining the shaft and wheel assembly. From then on, Mr. and Mrs. L. only looked out occasionally to see if the “robots” were still there and because they were very frightened. During the observation, which lasted until 4:20 a.m., they both saw approximately 15 of the robots together in one line close to the creek. The robots stood there for over 5 minutes and when they moved they moved as if one unit, giving the L.s the impression that they were remote-controlled.

During the following few days, the L.s learned that a farmer had trouble with his dog on the morning after the incident. The dog, which usually barked wildly at the slightest provocation, had managed to slip out of his collar and was hiding.

Although only one object was seen, three of what could be landing traces were found. One was where the witnesses observed the object, the others on the other side of the creek, hidden by high bushes which would have screened anything from the L’s view. Since the sighting, when Mr. Hoville’s investigation was made, the grass had been cut on both sides of the creek but the landing marks were clearly seen because the grass had grown twice as high in the area of the marks as in the surrounding area. The grass in the landing areas was not burned, but merely swirled as in the cases of other so-called “saucer nests” around the world.

According to the witnesses, they found a strange substance of whitish color where the robots were seen moving about, and close to their prefabricated shed. A sample is with Dr. Walker, APRO’s Consultant in metallurgy and if analysis yields anything pertinent to the report, it will be included in our Follow-Up column in a future issue. Members must keep in mind that such analysis is done on a volunteer basis and that all of our consultants have positions in industry or education which have to take priority over APRO work; therefore, results may not be immediately forthcoming. Also, since the beginning of the fall, 1973 “flap,” many samples of various kinds have been forwarded to Headquarters and lab work is always slow in yielding results."

                                                           ------

Although I have searched I can find no update on any analysis but that may be because certain APRO Bulletins are no longer available and 1974 seems to be a year missing issues

Below; Bibendum men seen on Reunion Island in the 1970s

It has been suggested that the entities are "typical" or "sound very much like" Bibendum or "Michelin Man" entities. I would say no. I devoted a whole chapter of one of my books on the subject of these Bibendum entities and although some are described as walking awkwardly due to protective "bubble suits"(?) the heads are seen and encased in a clear helmet.  In this case the description leaves a lot to be desired.

No head is seen so there may have been a helmet and "bars of glowing red switched off from time to time" does not give us a Bibendum description.  The You Tube channel Street of Silence decided that "reddish round object" and "robots" with no real description could make for good images!

images (c)2025 Streets of Silence

There have been other occasions when "robotic" entities have been encountered, however, the massive leap from "walking stiffly" to robot-like or even "behaved like robots" under remote control is pushing things. If -if- this is a genuine report then the problem is that we have no idea about extra terrestrial life forms and many factors involved in their moving around in an "alien environment".

This case sounds i8nteresting and not the first to involve multiple entities around a property, however, the details from the APRO Bulletin are all we have and they are being reprinted and re-used a great deal.

If anyone reading this knows of any follow-up or what metallurgy test results found then  please get in touch and let me know!

We have lost far too many cases.

Store Vildmose 1957

 One evening in October 1957, at around 11:00 p.m., a farmer and his wife were driving their car across Store Vildmose, a nature reserve in northern Jutland that once housed Europe's largest raised bog. Suddenly, they saw an unusually bright object either flying or driving towards them across a field bordering the road they were driving on. The object was moving at a speed they estimated to be 30–35 km/h. When the car passed the object in the field at a distance of 50–75 meters, they could now see that it was a type of dome-shaped "vessel" in which two people were sitting. The dome had a strange bluish or greenish glow.

The farmer wanted to examine the strange object more closely, but his wife warned him against it. He followed her advice and they drove away, but very slowly. They then followed the mysterious object through the rear window of their car, finally seeing it disappear to the north.

Illustration of the incident, interpreted by Simon Hesselager Johansen (2022)

The Boy Who Met Five Aliens in a Field — The Broby Case

Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Looks Increasingly Weird

"Another Galaxy" -How Dumb Is That?

Have any Ufologists, especially the ones claiming to be astronomy savvy ever read a book or looked something up online? There is a big difference between our Solar system and our galaxy.  I swear that if I hear one more Ufologist state "they may come from Andromeda" or the new favourite "They may come from Proxima" I am going to scream. Also They may come here from a neighbouring galaxy".

Okay, for the dumb. Solar system SMALL galaxy BIG. 

The idiocy of constantly referring to "intergalactic travel" should be rewarded with a big hat that has a capital "D" on it (for "dunce").  WHY from another galaxy??

The Milky Way is estimated to contain 100 to 400 billion stars. This wide range is due to the difficulty in observing and counting all stars, as many are obscured by dust and gas or are too faint to detect. 

The Milky Way is estimated to contain at least 100 billion planets, with some estimates suggesting there could be as many as a trillion. A 2012 study based on microlensing data indicated at least 100 billion planets, a figure often cited, and recent studies suggest that planets are abundant, with around 18% of stars possibly hosting Earth-sized planets

There you go. We have no idea about the technology that would be used by any alien civilization or how fast they can travel between star systems BUT let's suppose only 1% of the 100 billion planets had intelligent life that is  still 1,000,000,000.  

Let's say it is only 0.5% then that still gives us 500,000,000  and if it was only, say, only 0.1% of 100 billion that would still be 100,000,000.

The next figure is pure speculation for reasons that will be explained but it shows why we need not keep saying "from another galaxy":

Estimates for the number of intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way vary widely, but recent studies suggest there could be as many as 36 communicating civilizations at any given time. Some more recent estimates suggest a range from 111 to 42,777. It is important to note these are estimates and the actual number is unknown, as scientific models used to estimate this number are based on numerous assumptions, with the most conservative models suggesting a lower number while more optimistic models suggest a higher number. 

Perhaps astronomers need to look at UFO reports more rather than dismissing them just as Ufologists (obviously not all of them) need to get an education?

The Stanford, Kentucky UFO & alien abduction mystery, Jan 6 1976 (update...

1974 🇺🇸 #UFOB [INTERVIEW] APRO's researchers Jim and Coral Lorenzen.

The Johnny Sands Case

Source: APRO Bulletin, Vol. 24 No. 9 (Mar 1976)

UFO Evidence web site quotes this article as do several other 'sources' http://ufoevidence.org/cases/case314.htm

Date: January 29, 1976

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Johnny Sands, a country-western singer living in Las Vegas, saw a 60-foot craft at about 1000 feet altitude, shaped like the Goodyear blimp, with portholes around the circumference. The object appeared to land, and Sands then saw two figures approaching. Then, he "froze" -- he wanted to move, but he couldn't. The figures came near him, to about three feet away.

The last extended, intensive period of UFO activity took place in the fall months of 1973 and at this time, it appears that the fall months of 1975 and the early months of 1976 duplicated the "flap" of 1973 with one major difference — whatever the UFOs are — "they" seem to be getting bolder, and in the "abduction" cases under study at APRO, there are emerging threads of continuity in relation to descriptions of occupants as well as the objects themselves. We are also encountering "warnings" to the victims concerning what they will remember or what they can talk about if they do recall their experiences.

A case in point is that of Johnny Sands, 30, a country-western singer who, at the time of his alleged close encounter, was living in Las Vegas, Nevada where he was trying to promote his first recording and was appearing in a show. A polygraph test administered by Robert L. Nolen of Robert H. Nolen Associates of Las Vegas indicates no deception.

Again, as in the past, the occupants are a new type, as can be seen by the accompanying sketch, which was done by a professional artist to Mr. Sands' specifications. Mr. Sands' account is as follows:

He had been out driving to the surrounding towns to check on how well his record was faring at the radio stations and on jukeboxes. He had left Pahrump at 10 p.m. and was driving on the Blue Diamond road, and at about 10:30 p.m., about 22 miles out of Las Vegas, he saw an unusual aircraft. He didn't pay much attention to it, he said, although it seemed to follow him for about 3 miles. At this point, the car's engine began sputtering so he pulled off the road and got out of the car. He walked around the car, removed the gas tank lid and shook the rear end of the car to determine whether he had any gas. He could hear the gas splashing around in the tank, so he replaced the cover and went around to the front of the car and lifted the hood. It was at this time, looking up, he said, that he saw the craft above him at what he estimated to be about 1,000 feet altitude. Sands said it was about 60 feet long and shaped like the Goodyear blimp, with a large, round ring at the midsection. He also said it had windows or portholes (round) about 10 feet in diameter and about 5 feet apart around the circumference of the ring or "doughnut" section, with a light between each. The object was "rusty orange" in color with flashing red and white lights on the ends. It moved slowly over the mountain to the south of him, lighting up the mountain as it did so, and appearing to land.

Then, Sands said, he turned his attention back to his car, and started to take the air filter off. For some unknown reason, he turned and looked down the road in the direction his headlights (which were on low beam) were shining and saw two figures approaching. He could not make out any details, and at first, thought they might have been muggers. Then, he said, he "froze" — he doesn't know why — he wanted to move, but he couldn't.

The two figures came toward him, one stopping about three feet away while the other stayed about five feet beyond. Sands described them as perfectly bald with no eyelashes or brows and with gill-like protrusions on either side of their faces which moved rapidly all the while that they stood there. The eyes were small, black and the centers (or pupils) were white. Sands said the mouths were very small and never opened, and that their noses were "pug" or "flattened".

Sands estimates that the whole episode, from the time he spotted the two figures until they walked away into the desert, took about 10 minutes. When they left, they walked about 150-200 feet away, then, Sands said, a flash of light "came up" and they were gone.

The road on which Sands was traveling is paved, but he says he only encountered four cars during the trip, and that the last one passed by, going toward Pahrump just after he pulled off the road. He had jumped out of his car and tried to wave it down but although the car slowed, it sped up again and continued along its way. After the encounter with the "figures", Sands tried to re-start his car, and it started with no trouble at all and he drove on into Las Vegas.

When Sands initially reported his experience, he went to the police who referred him to the Office of Special Investigations at Nellis Air Force Base. The spokesman for that office said that the Air Force had stopped probing the UFO problem in 1969 and that office only handles internal criminal matters. He also said the base's radar "picked up nothing" unusual that night, but only the base's runway headings were being monitored. A spokesman at the McCarran Airport tower said nothing unusual was noted on their surveillance radar which covers a 55-mile radius from the surface "to infinity". However, he did note that the radar is "line of sight" and would not register craft beyond the mountains.

The 10-minute episode is the fascinating part of Sands' story, in addition to his description of the humanoids who, although one asked him a number of questions, requested that he not reveal anything of the encounter. Sands has only revealed a part of what happened, saying that if he revealed the rest, it would be a breech of trust.

The questions the humanoid (who was standing closest to him) asked of Sands were: 1. What was he (Sands) doing there? Sands responded that he was an entertainer and was in Las Vegas to do a show. 2. Why were so many people in Las Vegas? Sands said that it was a tourist type town and that people came to Las Vegas from all over. 3. What is your means of communication? To which Sands replied that he didn't understand the question, because there are several different means of communication. The humanoid seemed to become irritated and said: "Answer the question!" Sands repeated that he didn't understand, whereupon the humanoid turned to the other, and the two just stood facing one another for 2 or 3 minutes, then his questioner turned to Sands, reached out his left hand and brushed Sands' left hand and told him: "Don't say anything about this meeting. We know where you are and will see you again." The two then trooped off and disappeared in a flash of light.

Sands said that the voice of his questioner was deep, and the words came out slowly and almost mechanically with noticeable spacing between each and an echo-like quality. However, although he could tell that the voice came from the man's "body", the mouth did not move at all.

Sands described the humanoid clothing thusly: A black, silverish all-encompassing overall (the artist got his shades reversed in the painting) with no visible seams. When the questioner brushed Sands' hand, it felt like "rough, heavy duty sandpaper." Besides the white strap which ran diagonally from right shoulder to the left waist, there was a wide white "patent-leather-like" belt on which there hung capsule-shaped objects which were silver colored and about 1 inch long. They appeared to be hanging on hooks and the "man" twisted one of them all the while that he talked to Sands until he brushed Sands' hand and turned and left.

The "men" were about 5'7" or 5'8", about 140 pounds, Sands said, and their gloved hands had a thumb and four fingers like normal humans. He also noted what appeared to be padding over the top of the feet, as well as across the back of the foot. The feet were covered by the same type of material as the rest of their bodies. They seemed to be very light on their feet and made no sound as they walked, as if they were off the ground, although Sands said they were definitely touching it.

Also very interesting is Sands' description of the face of the one who "talked" to him: "The face was wrinkled. Now, body wise, he looked as fit as a 21-year-old but in his face, facial structure — I don't know, something gave me the idea this guy was 300 or 400 years old. It's a very powerful face, a very powerful set of eyes. He's not so ugly as he is powerful looking," Sands told investigators.

The machinations of a film crew calling themselves Dave Dunn Productions who were beginning work on a TV series dealing with the strange, unusual and unknown, served to muddy the waters considerably. On the evening of February 10, they took Sands out to the site of his experience where he was instructed to stay in the car. Meanwhile, an argument apparently started among the film personnel and, hearing snatches of the conversation, including "what will we do with him (gesturing toward Sands in the car) — he's already heard too much," he started to get out of the car, whereupon two "fuzzy things" ran at the door and kept him inside. He said that every time he tried to get out of the car they would repeat the performance.

Mr. Sands called Mr. Lorenzen after they had taken him back to Las Vegas and related these events and was very agitated about the incident. He said that the Dunn people had taken him to dinner and they'd had a few drinks and he wondered if he'd been drugged because he couldn't remember the entire evening.

Piecing the whole thing together, the Lorenzens have hypothesized that the film crew may have had two men dressed in animal-like disguises (the "things" were man-shaped, Sands said) for the purpose of frightening Sands so that they could film him in an actual terrified state.

In a report to John Romero, APRO Field Investigator in Las Vegas, Mr. Nolen, the polygraph operator, states:

"Following are listed the relevant questions and the subject's vocal responses.

"1. On January 29th, did you see two strange figures in the desert? Answer: Yes

"2. Did you communicate with these strange figures? Answer: Yes.

"3. Did these strange figures tell you that they would see you again? Answer: Yes.

"4. Were you under the influence of. anything at the time of this meeting? Answer: No.

"5. Regarding what happened on Thursday, January 29, have you told the truth about what you saw that night? Answer: Yes.

"A total of three charts were obtained using the above relevant questions. During these three charts, Mr. Sands indicated an ability to respond automatically to vocal stimuli. His responses in the critical areas were not consistent with deception criteria."

"After careful examination of this subject's polygrams, it is my opinion that Mr. Johnny Sands was truthful in his answers to the above relevant questions. I am not attesting to the truthfulness of the whole story that Mr. Sands has told, only to the veracity of his answers to the above relevant questions." Unquote.

It has been suggested to Mr. Sands that he undergo hypnotic regression in order to attempt to retrieve further information but he is afraid of hypnosis. APRO consultants feel, however, that some progress may be made in that direction in the future.

In view of Sands' apparent sincerity and the polygraph tests, this case cannot be entirely discounted. Also, there is the verification of the initial sighting of the object by others who called the police department that evening and reported seeing an object in the area, the description of which closely matches that of Johnny Sands'. Obviously, there is considerable follow-up work to be done on this case which is one of the more puzzling ones to come out of the 1975-76 "flap".

Notes -TH

"it appears that the fall months of 1975 and the early months of 1976 duplicated the "flap" of 1973 with one major difference — whatever the UFOs are — "they" seem to be getting bolder, and in the "abduction" cases under study at APRO, there are emerging threads of continuity in relation to descriptions of occupants as well as the objects themselves. "

It is quite clear that although 1973 saw some very interesting cases as with 1965 and 1954 the reports included many misidentifications, hoaxes and so on which taken at face value produced a "UFO wave". Analysis of 1954 reports show how over inflated the number of reports can be and that is helped by press-media and even Ufological sensationalism.

"We are also encountering "warnings" to the victims concerning what they will remember or what they can talk about if they do recall their experiences."

In fact I do wonder and I have speculated on this in the past whether it is the actual percipient who creates these warnings as a way to block out what for them were terrifying world shattering episodes. The use of the term "victims" was part of what Ufology was pushing at the time with Brad Steiger and Joan Whritenour as well as John Keel leading the way. Yes, there is no doubt (and here we assume that these events were real) that at times percipients were unwilling participants but then we have many reports in which people are asked whether they would like to enter a craft and some refuse and the matter is left there. Others willingly walk into craft.

The false phenomenon promoted by Hopkins, Carpenter and David Jacobs pushed the forcible abduction to the extreme.

We have the "warnings" and in some cases the percipients report that the entities warn them that it is best to keep quiet as they will never be believed. That would come under "friendly advice" rather than hostile. It can happen in many normal every day situations.

"Piecing the whole thing together, the Lorenzens have hypothesized that the film crew may have had two men dressed in animal-like disguises (the "things" were man-shaped, Sands said) for the purpose of frightening Sands so that they could film him in an actual terrified state."

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that the team involved were up to something and the argument may have been amongst the ones behind a planned deception and some with integrity. It does seem odd that no one made a fuss at two things keeping Sands in the car which does make a possible deception sound more likely. There is also nothing to suggest that this was an official attempt to discredit Sands but the fact that "he couldn't remember the entire evening" after drinks strongly (if unproven as a drug test should have been asked for immediately) suggests that there was something odd going on.

In these cases, and remember there was a UFO reported independently, the question is how much of what happened is the percipient accurately remembering? It seems that in the years before he passed away, Sands kept to his story and, yes, accounts do slightly vary over the years as the mind fills in gaps and this is a very well known phenomenon in itself which is why witnesses are always questioned as soon as possible while the facts are clear in their mind.

Nothing seems to indicate Sands was lying. For many that is a problem.

Arnold "Johnny Sands" Smith

August 17, 1945  -  June 15, 2019