The Texas UFO: Fact or hoax

Unidentified Flying Objects have been around for a long time, the most notorious being the Roswell, New Mexico event. On July 7, 1947, a UFO crashed on a cattle ranch northwest of Roswell, scattering debris over a wide area. Bodies of extraterrestrial beings were reportedly recovered and autopsied. The event was explained by the military as a weather balloon crash, there were no beings, and thus began the most notable cover up in American history.

The New Mexico event, however, was not the first of its kind. Some 50 years earlier, a UFO crashed in Aurora, Texas, but never received much notoriety. Around 6:00 a.m. on April 17, 1897, a cigar shaped UFO had been seen flying over Missouri and Arkansas earlier before it crashed in Aurora. We must remember this event happened some five years before the Wright brother’s successful airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

There were eyewitnesses to this UFO crash. In fact, one of them, S. E. Haydon, wrote an article for the Dallas Morning News on April 19, 1897.

Mr. Haydon reported: “About six o’clock this morning the early risers of Aurora were astonished at the sudden appearance of the airship which has been sailing through the country.

“It was traveling due north, and nearer the earth than ever before. Evidently some of the machinery was out of order, for it was traveling at a speed of only 10 or 12 milesan- hour, and steadily settling toward the earth. It sailed directly over the public square, and when it reached the north part of town, collided with the tower of Judge Proctor’s windmill and went to pieces with a terrific explosion, scattering debris over several acres of ground, wrecking the windmill and water tank, and destroying the Judge’s flower garden.”

“The pilot of the ship is supposed to have been the only one on board, and while his remains are badly disfigured, enough of the original has been picked up to show that he was not an inhabitant of this world.

“Mr. T. J. Weems, the United States’ signal service officer at this place, and an authority on astronomy, gives it as his opinion that he was a native of the planet Mars. Papers found on his person – evidently the record of his travels – are written in some unknown hieroglyphics, and cannot be deciphered.

“The ship was too badly damaged to form any conclusion as to its construction or motive power. It was built of an unknown metal, resembling somewhat a mixture of aluminum and silver, and must have weighed several tons.

“The town is full of people today who are viewing the wreck, and gathering samples of the strange metal from the debris. The pilot’s funeral will take place at noon tomorrow.”

Records indicate that the “pilot” was indeed buried in the Aurora cemetery “with Christian rites.” Today the cemetery contains a Texas Historical Commission marker mentioning the incident.

Reportedly, wreckage from the crash site was dumped into the well located under the damaged windmill, while some ended up with the alien in the grave. A large stone was placed at the head of the grave to mark the spot.

Adding to the mystery was the story of Mr. Brawley Oates, who purchased Judge Proctor’s property around 1945. Oates cleaned out the well to use it as a water source, but later developed an extremely severe case of arthritis, which he claimed to be the result of contaminated water from the wreckage dumped into the well. As a result, Oates sealed up the well with a concrete slab and placed an outbuilding atop the slab in 1957. The event was eventually forgotten for many years.

In fact, a Hoax theory was developed, based on historical research performed by Barbara Brammer, a former mayor of Aurora, located 30 northwest of Ft. Worth. In the months prior to the alleged crash, Aurora had been beset by a series of tragic incidents. First, the local cotton crop was destroyed by a boll weevil infestation. Second, a fire on the town’s west side claimed several buildings and lives. Third, a spotted fever epidemic hit the town, nearly wiping out the remaining citizens and placing the town under quarantine.

Finally, a planned railroad got within 27 miles of Aurora, but never made it into the town.

The theory was that Mr. Haydon was known in the town to be a bit of a jokester, and her conclusion is that Haydon’s article was a last-ditch attempt to keep Aurora alive.

It was not until 1998 that the event was resurrected by Dallas TV station KDFW who aired a lengthy report about the Aurora incident. The investigation revealed that something had crashed in 1897, but could find no evidence of extraterrestrial life or technology.

In 2005, UFO Files aired an episode related to the incident titled “Texas’ Roswell.”

Two new eyewitnesses to the crash were uncovered.

Set for third trip to state semifinals

For a third consecutive year, the Timpson Bears are set to represent Region III in the state semifinals. The Bears have been an absolute powerhouse in recent years. Their success has led them to accumulating more playoff experience than almost any other team in the state over the past four years.

The Bears earned the Region III title by defeating the Cooper Bulldogs 34-13 on Friday night in Lindale. Timpson and Cooper each entered the contest with a perfect 13-0 record.

Cooper started the game off strong. They received the opening kickoff and immediately went to work piling up first downs. After controlling the football for about five and a half minutes, Cooper crossed the goal line on a jet sweep like hand off to the wing back giving them a 7-0 advantage.

The Bears then found themselves facing a tough defensive front. The Bulldogs were able to contain Timpson and forced them to punt before the end of the first quarter. Timpson’s defense stiffened their back on the Bulldogs’ second possession and likewise forced a punt.

Timpson quarterback Terry Bussey trimmed the lead to one on an untouched 13-yard touchdown run around the right side. The failed point-after try set the score at 7-6.

Cooper was forced to punt on their following possession giving Timpson an opportunity to put themselves on top. This time, Timpson’s offense relied on the arm of Bussey to get them down the field. A pair of key receptions by Colton Carroll set up a three-yard touchdown rush for Bussey to give Timpson a 13-7 lead.

Following halftime, the Bears received the kick. Their offense then proceeded to pick apart the Bulldogs defense. Bussey capped the drive with a 29-yard touchdown rush.

Cooper punched the ball in early in the fourth quarter to set the score at 20-13, Timpson. This score gave the Bulldogs hope, but the Bears proved that they wanted it more. Bussey connected with Vosky Howard setting up a 22-yard touchdown through the air. Howard has been critical to the Bears’ gameplan all season, and the importance of his contributions during the playoffs cannot be overstated.

Timpson’s final touchdown of the night came with less than three minutes remaining in the game. Bussey picked up his fourth rushing touchdown with a one-yard quarterback sneak giving Timpson the win with a final score of 34-13.

The Bears now find themselves in familiar territory as they head to the state semifinals. This will be their third trip in as many years to this point in playoff action. Despite their success, Timpson has been unable to reach the championship game.

This game means everything to the Bears. Their entire season hinges on the outcome of their Thursday night matchup with the Refugio Bobcats.

Will Timpson get the opportunity to compete for a state championship? Only time will tell, but it’s safe to believe that Timpson will be pulling out all the stops Thursday.