Aurora Texas April 17, 1897 MUFON File

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METAL FROM CRASHED UFO? John F. Schuessler

Did a cigar-shaped unidentified -flying object really crash near Aurora, Texas, on April 19, 1897? Some people believe the whole story was a -fabrication by S. E. Hayden, a local cotton/ buyer? while others are reasonably sure the tragic accident really occurred. Investigators -for the Mutual UFD Network, headquartered in Seguin, Texas, have uncovered evidence that raises doubts about the hoax theory. Sightings of strange airships were reported all across the United States during the spring of 1897. The Aurora incident was just another UFO sighting? but with an unusual twist. It resulted in the allegation that an object crashed and left debris as proof of the event. Bill Case, a state director for the Mutual UFO Network, discovered family members of the original witnesses were ready to tell what happened that memorable day. Mr"s. Mary Evans, about 15 years old at the time, said her mother and father went to the crash site and told her how the airship had exploded and that the pilot was torn up and killed in the crash. He was a small man and was buried later that day in the local cemetery by the men o-f the town. Jim Stephens told his son Charlie how the nose of the airship hit the wi ndl ass ..over the water well on Judge J. S. Proctor *s farm causing a chain reaction explosion. The flash followed by a fire was visible for more than three miles. Investigators have reconstructed the events of the sighting and located the crash site. Using sophisticated metal detecting equipment and guided by the eyewitness accounts they retrieved pieces of metal of various =izes and types. Bill Case said "from all indications there was definately an explosion. The pattern extablished by metals recovered indicates the craft exploded on the 1 ower right side? first blowing bits and pieces over a two or thre?E? acre area east and northeast of th