Thursday, April 12, 2012

1st Press on the Cash-Landrum case


The first news story to cover the Cash-Landrum incident was the tabloid
Weekly World News March 24, 1981. At that time, the magazine carried "legitimate" stories and not yet transformed to a parody of tabloid newspapers. 



If the embedded pages above are not visible, use this link instead:


I'm guessing the interview and photos were taken in mid-February (speculating that the hearts on Colby Landrum's outfit were related to Valentine's Day).

How this story happened:
On Feb. 2, 1981, Vickie Landrum called Robert Gribble of NUFORC (the National UFO Reporting Center) to report the UFO incident. Gribble reported it to APRO (Aerial Phenomenon Research Organization, where it was intercepted by rogue APRO member Bill English. Then English contacted the Weekly World News and sold them the story. (Not as heinous or unusual as it sounds, as UFO groups had close alliances with tabloid papers at the time.) English had Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum record their story on a tape and forwarded it it to Dick Donovan who wrote the story for the Weekly World News.

Following this, Cathy Gordon of the Conroe Courier wrote a 2-part series that may have beat the tabloid into print, appearing Feb. 21 & 22, 1981.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Cash-Landrum: The Second Testimony of Betty Cash

The second testimony:
Betty Cash’s handwritten account of the UFO incident 

Betty’s original account of the incident is very sketchy and lacks important details that surfaced later. This transcription was made of Betty’s handwritten notes as presented in John Schuessler's The Cash-Landrum UFO Incident on pages 253, 254.

Below, I've preserved the format, matching each line to a line of the original handwritten line, and retained the unconventional spelling and capitalization. There were some crossed through words, which are indicated with [Xed], and some words were written over, which I've attempted to identify in the bracketed line below it.





(Written on Parkway Hospital lined stationary)

PARKWAY HOSPITAL
233 W. PARKER ROAD - 697-2831 - HOUSTON TEXAS 77022



2-7-81
I, Betty Cash, was feeling fine the 
Monday of Dec. 29th, my friend & her 
grandson was going to play Bingo & on
our return Back home we were between
[“Back” appears to have been written over the word “From”]
New Caney & 1960 on the Huffman Crosby
F.M. Road, there was this Bright object
that made the Sky just split up & it
looked like the world was coming to
and End it was a very Bright Red.
As we kept Driving along it seemed
to have gotten closer to the ground.
Vickie told me I had Better stop
or we were going to run into it so I did,
her grandson was so afraid he was
screaming & pulling on his grandmother
Asking her not to get out. , she opened
the door & I got out to. [Xed] But he
[“look” appears to have been crossed out]
pulled her Back into the Seat she looked
out the glass But she said the
light Was to Bright for her to see very
much of the figure Because it was
Burning her Eyes. [Xed]  she got out of the Car &
[Word crossed out, “she" written above it]
stood with one Arm on the car door & one
arm on the Car top, but the light was
so bright & the heat was to much so
she [Xed]  only stood there a short time, the
[“I” appears to have been crossed out, “she” written before it]
object started Back into the sky & again
it had the whole sky(?) lit up & the
[“lit” appears to have been written over another word]
object Moved Upward at this time, I started
Driving Again the Inside of the car 
 Over to Page 
2. 


(Stamped at the bottom of page one)
CASH BETTY J  365 75
01 25 81 51FDW PR 02 10 29
SHENOY V MD RED MI
2404044 PKWY YS


PARKWAY HOSPITAL
233 W. PARKER ROAD - 697-2831 - HOUSTON TEXAS 77022


was so hot we had to turn on the
Air Conditioning, we got to the stop Sign
on 1960 & I counted 23 Helicopters’. As
I sat there looking at the object, I
Carried Vickie & Colby home let them out
it [Xed] took me almost 20 Minutes
[“Woud” appears to have been crossed out.]
to get home, By this time I had a
terrible headache. , lumps were all over
my neck & head, my face was Red
like it had been burned & my Eyes were
swollen Shut & later my Eye lids Bursted
After I was in the Hospital, My face
pilled off & most of my Hair is out &
it is Still Coming out I was Desperalty
sick within 30 minutes after looking
at the object, I stayed home trying to
get Better Until the 2nd Day of Jan. 1981
And I’m still here on Feb 6th 81
I Went home for 9 days But I was so
Sick Again with the Headaches & Lumps
on my head I had to return to the
Hospital and I’m still here, I know
I was not sick until this happed & I
know that is what is wrong with me.
[Ends here, photo of document cropped]

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

UFO Evolution: The Piney Woods UFO

    
  How I wonder what you are.     
Up above the world so high,     
Like a diamond in the sky.
-"The Star" by Ann and Jane Taylor

Initially, the two adult witnesses were unable to describe the object due to the bright light coming from it. The boy, Colby said it was "diamond-shaped".  As the coverage of the story progressed, the women began using the diamond description. Later, further details about the craft were revealed by investigators- completely new details.

Some of the key illustrations of the UFO most closely associated with the original witnesses:


Colby & Vickie Landrum March 1981
MUFON Journal April 1981

MUFON Symposium Proceedings 1982

Colby Landrum early 1981

APRO Bulletin Sept. 1981

Betty Cash Aug. 18, 1981 (Bergstrom AFB interview)

MUFON Journal Nov. 1981

The Unexplained 1982

The UFO Phenomenon Time-Life Books 1987


UFO Cover Up? Live  Oct. 1988

Unsolved Mysteries February 6, 1991


The Cash-Landrum UFO Incident 1998


UFO Hunters Alien Fallout episode aired January 14, 2009

Monday, April 2, 2012

Saucer Smear editor Jim Moseley on the Paracast


Jim Moseley was the featured guest in the first episode of Gene Steinberg's show, The Paracast, and was and invited back many times over the years. Jim was the publisher of Saucer News and later, Saucer Smear, active in ufology from 1953 up until his death in November 2012. Below is Gene's tribute to Jim published January 21, 2012, followed by Jim's Paracast appearances linked in chronological order.

Jim MoseleyThe UFO Field’s Enduring Treasure by Gene Steinberg


The Paracast Show Archives: James W. Moseley Episodes

Explore the personality side of the world of UFOs with Jim Moseley, editor/publisher of Saucer Smear; prolific UFO and paranormal author Brad Steiger

Conspiracy theory expert Kenn Thomas, publisher of Steamshovel Press, talks about the real conspiracies and the ones that don't pass the logic test. In addition, controversial "Saucer Smear" editor/publisher Jim Moseley discusses the "Culture of Ufology."

Conspiracy theory expert Kenn Thomas, publisher of Steamshovel Press, talks about the real conspiracies and the ones that don't pass the logic test. In addition, controversial "Saucer Smear" editor/publisher Jim Moseley discusses the "Culture of Ufology."

Spend an evening with the inimitable James W. Moseley, editor of Saucer Smear and his designated replacement, cultural anthropologist and UFO researcher Christopher Roth. This is going to be one rollicking session that will focus on UFOs in popular culture.

Meet UFO researcher Philip J. Imbrogno, an expert on UFOs and psychic phenomena in New York's Hudson Valley. Also don't miss a special appearance by Jim Moseley, the always-irreverent editor of "Saucer Smear."

Veteran UFO/Paranormal Researcher Roundtable featuring Jim Moseley, editor of "Saucer Smear," and T. Allen Greenfield, author of "Secret Cipher of the UFOnauts" and "Secret Rituals of the Men In Black." During this session, travel through 50 years of UFO history.

We present a special three-hour tribute to the late Fortean author, John Keel, author of "The Mothman Prophecies" and other books. The all-star guest list of UFO and paranormal researchers includes Tim “Mr. UFO” Beckley, Jerome Clark, Loren Coleman, Jim Moseley, Brad Steiger and Curt Sutherly.

 We feature veteran UFO researcher Jim Moseley, editor of Saucer Smear, and contactee/abductee David Huggins, who is featured in the book “Love in an Alien Purgatory: The Life and Fantastic Art of David Huggins.

 Co-host Greg Bishop presents filmmaker Bob Wilkinson, director of “Shades of Gray,” a documentary about the amazing life of UFO researcher and provocateur Gray Barker. Along for the ride are two of Gray’s close friends, Jim Moseley, editor of Saucer Smear and T. Allen Greenfield. And don’t miss a special cameo from co-host Paul Kimball.

 Co-host Christopher O’Brien presents the UFO field’s famous “trickster” himself, Jim Moseley, editor and publisher of “Saucer Smear,” a thought-provoking publication that emphasizes the unique personalities in the field, and their eccentrics.

 Gene and Chris are joined by the irrepressible Jim Moseley, Editor/Publisher of Saucer Smear, who will discuss the fakes and the outright frauds he has discovered, and sometimes exposed, in the UFO field since the 1950s.

 Gene and Chris are joined by the irrepressible Jim Moseley, Editor/Publisher of Saucer Smear, who will discuss the fakes and the outright frauds he has discovered, and sometimes exposed, in the UFO field since the 1950s.

 Gene and Chris welcome back the inimitable Jim Moseley, Editor/Publisher of "Saucer Smear," an irreverent look at the entire UFO scene. Jim will come onboard to present not only his solution to the Roswell UFO crash, but answers to many questions from our loyal listeners. This is one episode you won't want to miss!

February 12, 2012 -- Kevin D. Randle and Jim Moseley  Gene and Chris will be flies on the wall for this episode, featuring a "great debate" on Roswell, the Roswell "Dream Team," UFO abductions and other topics featuring Kevin D. Randle, author of such books as "Reflections of a UFO Investigator," and Jim Moseley, Editor/Publisher of "Saucer Smear."

Gene and Chris present a special "Voices of the Past" episode featuring Jim Moseley, Editor of Saucer Smear, and long-time broadcaster Bob Zanotti. We will revisit the active UFO and occult scene of the New York area in the 1960s, and present long-forgotten show excerpts featuring such researchers as August C. Roberts, Dominic Lucchesi, John J. Robinson, and Yonah Fortner. For a change of pace, we'll also present two of the more outrageous contactees of the period: Andy Sinatra, "The Mystic Barber," and Alexander McNeil.

Jim Moseley passed away on Nov. 16, 2012, and was memorialized in a Paracast episode. 

Gene and Chris remember Jim Moseley, the UFO field's court jester and editor of "Saucer Smear," who died on November 16. His close friends join us with their anecdotes about Jim's amazing life.
. . .

Gene Steinberg launched the site jimmoseley.com to remember the life, work, and merriment of James W. Moseley.