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Sutton,
West Virginia, BRAXTON DEMOCRAT, 18 September 1952, page
1
Flatwoods
Folks See Monster
Last
Friday evening, about 7:30 o'clock, seven residents of Flatwoods,
were terrified when they saw, according to their description,
a large monster, resembling a man, on the Bailey Fisher
farm, not far from the center of the town. Those who went
to the spot and described the object were Mrs. Kathleen
May, of Flatwoods, a beautician who is employed in Sutton,
her two sons, Edward and Theodore, Eugene Lemon, Ronald
Shaver and Neal Nunley, all of Flatwoods.
On
Friday evening, about 7:30, a group of boys were playing
football on the grounds at the grade school, when they saw
a meteor-like object pass over the town and they thought
it landed on the hill at the Fisher farm.
They
decided to have a look and walked up to the depot and around
the road that leads to the spot. While on the way they passed
the May home and, after telling their story, Mrs. May and
sons decided to go with them. As they approached the spot,
about 300 yards above the farm house, they were still able
to see the way but a foggy mist began to appear about this
time and they noticed a peculiar nauseating odor that had
a tendency to burn their nostrils and throats.
As
they proceeded up the hill, Gene Lemon was leading the way,
and he says he suddenly sighted a pair of eyes, shining
through the fog. He said he thought it might be an o'possum
and turned his flashlight in that direction. All members
of the party saw in the light of the flash a huge man-like
creature.
Mrs.
May and other members of the party described the monster
as follows: It was in the shape of a man with one over-sized
head of a fiery orange-red color. They figured it was at
least 10 or 12 feet tall and its eyes protruded and seemed
to throw off beams of light. They described the body as
of a dark green color and said the creature had small claw-like
hands which were extended in front of it.
After
Eugene Lemon got a glimpse of the creature, Mrs. May said
he fell backward on the ground. All members of the party
ran down the hill.
When
they turned and ran, the creature was still there but how
or when it disappeared they do not know as they did not
look back. No one saw it disappear.
Mrs.
May ran to a nearby home and notified the sheriff and state
police. Sheriff Robert Carr and Constable Cecil Rose visited
the scene and talked with the parties.
A.
Lee Stewart, Jr., of the Braxton Democrat went at once to
the place and talked with each member of the party, receiving
the same story from each one.
About
seven o'clock Saturday morning, Mr. Stewart went again to
visit the scene as it was too dark to see much on Friday
night. He said the grass was waist high on the hill and
there were two wide skid marks about 10 or twelve feet apart
and each about ten yards long and that the grass was trampled
at each end. The odor still persisted on the grass when
you got close to the ground and there were grease marks
on some spots.
The
Lemons boy was so overcome that ammonia and camphor were
administered to him before he was fully restored and all
members of the party were visibly shaken.
The
story as it appeared in the daily papers has caused much
comment and many questions. Calls have come into this office
from New York, Washington, Los Angeles and many other places
to have it repeated. Several news syndicates and magazines
have shown an interest in further information with the object
of using the story. Mrs. May has also been flooded with
phone calls and letters.
Thursday
morning, Mrs. May and Eugene Lemon, accompanied by Mr. Stewart,
flew from Charleston to New York City, where Mrs. May will
tell the story over a national television hookup. It will
be seen and heard at 7:30 p. m. Friday evening.
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