Monster Story Hoax, Youth Tells Sheriff

[admin]

"Monster Story Hoax, Youth Tells Sheriff That story about the hairy, monster reportedly northwest of Stillwell evidently is a hoax. Sheriff in Abbott announced Tues afternoon. Brian Jones, the 17 year youth who started the admitted to Abbott that he made up the whole thing. "He told me that he had told the story to the Ritchie brothers and that they had later told their father. Robert Ritchie,'' Abbott said. Robert Ritchie, believing what his sons and Brian Jones had said, reported the incident to Abbott and others.

Reward Offered For Beast Alive A 15,000 reward for the safe capture of an elusive creature reportedly seen in Adair County has been offered by a West Texas oilman. Jack Grimm said the bounty applies to the safe capture of the creature allegedly roaming around Adair County—or to a similar Beast said to be in the hills north of AWleoe, Tex. The rules are that the creature be previously unidentified and undiscovered. "I don't want to pay a reward for a bear or a gorilla that escaped from the zoo," Grimm told newsmen. The monster seen near Abilene is said to be shaggy, and about seven feet talL Grimm said that he doubts that the beast reported to be in this area is the real thing. "I really discount that sighting. I really discount those that might be seen in the south," he said. Grimm, who has placed in world poker playing tournaments, is betting on what he- calls the "big three." Those are $5,000 rewards for the capture of Big Foot, Big Bird of South Texas and the Loch Ness monster. Grimm, an oilman, has paid the way for a news reporter and photographer to track Big Foot in the​ rugged mountains of the U.S. Northwest and has sent team crews to photograph the Loch Ness monster. The newsmen looking for Big Foot found an Indian chief whose sons had seen it, said Grimm. A film crew photographed a fuzzy outline of what the oilman thinks is the Loch Ness creature. "I'm a geologist by profession. It's a contribution to science. I get a great deal of pleasure from pursuing these things. "I don't belittle these sightings. I think they're worth checking out by qualified people. But most qualified people won't stick their necks out."

BIGFOOT Foot Hunter Here Inspects Claw Marks Bob Stamps, a self-appointed hunter from Midwest City who is dedicated to the search for the legendary ape-like creature known as bigfoot, inspected a dairy barn near Dutch Mills, Ark.. where an unidentified creature recently visited. Stamps, accompanied by 15 Bigfoot investigators from Oklahoma and Kansas City also inspected an area .Sayi . . rwkssi tk* whit* fatts mm to •** took t|aW tt* MlajaV north of Stilwell where a creature was reportedly seen recently. Since then, the creature in the Stilwell area turned out to be a hoax, but the one reported to be near Dutch Mills is still a mystery, After interviews and observations in both Stilwell and Dutch Mills, which are about 10 miles apart. Stamps told newsman he was "fairly convinced" that at least one of the Bigfoot creatures he believes live in the area was responsible for at least one of (S«« Mg Foot on Pun* 30) Vol. 81—No. 26 county officers. A few days later, the newspapers, radio and television heard about it. Too Late. By that time, it apparently was too late for Brian Jones to deny the story. Abbott said Brian Jones admitted the hoax after a polygraph test made Tuesday in Fort Smith, Ark., showed that he was not always truthful. It all started one night when Brian Jones reported seeing a large, hairy animal at the Robert Ritchie home in the Mulberry Hollow Community north of Stilwell. Jones said he was picked up by the creature and then dropped when his brother approached with a flashlight. The youth reportedly had a claw mark on his back. "Brian told me that he told the Ritchie brothers about seeing the red eyes looking at him through the screen window, and about being attacked by the monster because the boys were being rowdy and he wanted to scare them so they would settle down." Abbott said. After the story got around, several men and boys loaded their guns and started a massive hunt for the, elusive creature in the Mulberry Hollow area. Nothing was found. The story also attracted newspaper reporters and cameramen from television stations in Oklahoma and. Arkansas. Other Reports Although Brian Jones' monster is a figment of his imagination, others have reported strange goings-on not related to the first incident. Ed Bailey, a dairyman near Dutch Mills, Ark., discovered claw marks on the screen door of his dairy barn and on nearby trees. He also found two large footprints near the barn. No one knows who they belong to, but some think practical jokers may be at work. A man living northwest of Stilwell reported this week that an unidentified animal had scratched up a rabbit house. The man said he did not wish to reveal his name or address. Mildred Kaiser, who lives in the Oak Grove Community, told officers last week that, a big brown bear had attacked her dogs."