Creature Chronicles - No 09 - 1985

Magazine Overview

Title: Creature Chronicles
Issue: Number 9
Date: August 1, 1985
Publisher: Ron Schaffner
Affiliations: OUFOIL, Inc., SBI, Inc.

This issue of Creature Chronicles delves into various unexplained phenomena, with a strong focus on cryptid sightings and folklore. It features reports on potential Bigfoot activity in Ohio, a revisited case of the 'Loveland Frog,' and explores scientific theories behind vampire and werewolf myths. The magazine also touches upon animal mutilations, a peculiar infestation at a Ford plant, and a circus exhibit.

Has Bigfoot Returned to Northeast Ohio?

This article reports on recent activity suggesting a creature, described as 7-8 feet tall, is roaming the vicinity of Newcomerstown, Ohio. Footprints measuring at least 14 inches long and 7 inches wide have been discovered. Don Keating is investigating these incidents, and at the time of printing, no names of witnesses have been made public. Tuscarawas County Sheriff Harold McKimmie and Police Chief James Friel of Newcomerstown have reportedly received calls related to sightings. Researcher Tom Archer notes that witnesses are reluctant to speak due to a 'vigilante factor' and harassment by investigators. The article concludes by stating that an assessment cannot be made without further information and encourages readers to share any details they may have.

Loveland Frog Rekindled

This section revisits the 'Loveland Frog' case, previously covered in Creature Chronicles #4. Following two articles in the local paper, the real names of the two Loveland police officers who encountered the creature have been made public. The author notes that the local newspaper's story is incorrect regarding the timing of the sightings, stating they occurred in the first week of March 1972, not July. The article suggests there may be more witnesses from the 1950s to the present, but obtaining further information is difficult due to the newspaper editor's claims of witness confidentiality. The author's intuition leans towards a publicity hoax to advertise the city of Loveland and its river trail, but acknowledges that people are indeed seeing something. The initial 'iguana hypothesis' was dismissed due to the cold weather in March.

Recommended Reading: Champ - Beyond the Legend

This is a review of Joseph W. Zarzynski's book, 'Champ - Beyond the Legend,' published by Bannister Publications. The reviewer notes that the Ohio Valley is not typically known for aquatic creature activity, but highlights Zarzynski's work as a leading authority on the alleged creature of Lake Champlain. The book is described as dealing with the saga with objectivity and a scientific method, providing geographical and biological background information. The review includes ordering information for the book and its companion newsletter, 'Champ Channels.'

Reward Offered: Alleged Dog-Sized Frog on Loose

This article by Eric Spangler reports on the persistent rumor of a 'Little Miami River Monster' in Loveland, Ohio, which many now believe to be a large frog. The rumors date back to the 1950s, initially dismissed as children's tales. The 'monster' gained notoriety in July 1972 when two Loveland police officers, Ray Schocke and Mark Matthews, spotted the creature. Matthews later identified it as an iguana, but noted that the creature he saw was much larger than typical pet store iguanas. Both officers faced ridicule for their sightings. After years of reluctance to speak publicly, an increased number of sightings over the past two years has led a group of about 20 businesses to offer a $2,000 reward for the creature's capture by legal means and a $50 reward for a photograph. The opening of the Little Miami River Bike Trail has reportedly led to more adult sightings. A pair of boys described seeing a large frog, about the size of a big dog and four feet wide. However, Dave Jardine, head of reptiles for the Cincinnati Zoo, stated that a normal bullfrog would not grow that large, suggesting optimal feeding conditions would only result in a creature about the size of a coffee saucer. The article notes that the Loveland frog is making Nessie 'green with envy.'

Ford Auto Parts Arrive Equipped With Spiders

This Associated Press report details an unusual situation at a Ford Motor Co. plastics plant in Saline, Michigan, where poisonous black widow spiders have been found in dashboard parts shipped from a plastics plant in Mexico. Since June 25, at least two dozen black widows have been discovered. Ford spokesman William Selover stated that no injuries have occurred but the situation is 'thoroughly disquieting.' The spiders are suspected of hitchhiking in the hollow tubing of the sorting racks. Ford has implemented measures to combat the spiders, including insecticide strips, fumigation, hand inspection, and dipping parts racks in insecticide before shipment. The last spider was seen a week prior to the report.

Circus Showing Goat In Unicorn's Clothing

This Associated Press article addresses the 'living unicorn' exhibit at the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. Federal inspection by the U.S. Agriculture Department's chief veterinarian, Dr. Gerald Toms, concluded that the creature is a goat that was medically altered as a kid to grow a single horn. The alteration is described as a simple graft of the animal's own natural horn, likely performed with anesthesia. The circus vice president, Allen Bloom, stated the horn was 'living, vital tissue, not an implant.' The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which requested the inspection, will not charge the circus with cruelty. The circus has capitalized on the publicity with a full-page newspaper ad.

Sea Creature May Be Real

This article from the Cincinnati Enquirer discusses reports of a gargantuan, unidentifiable creature swimming in Lake Erie. Biology professor Andrew White of John Carroll University suggests that the genuine fear expressed by witnesses means their accounts should not be dismissed. Roy Mackal, a former biology professor and co-founder of the International Society of Cryptozoology, theorizes the creature might be a sea snake that entered the lake via the St. Lawrence Seaway. The article references a 1972 incident from the Loveland Herald about a 'Red Monster' found in a yard, described as having one leg, no hair, and being sponge-like and dead. Police and neighbors inspected it, and it later disappeared. The article speculates it might have been a type of lizard known locally as a 'water dog' or 'water puppy.'

Disease Proves Folklore Right: 'Vampires,' 'Werewolves' Suffer Blood Affliction

This Associated Press report details a theory presented by David Dolphin, a chemistry professor at the University of British Columbia, suggesting that the folklore of vampires and werewolves may be rooted in a rare disease called porphyria. Dolphin explained that porphyria is an inherited disease affecting the body's ability to create heme, the red pigment in blood. Symptoms can include severe skin damage from sunlight, disfigurement, and hair growth. Dolphin theorizes that in the Middle Ages, lacking heme injections, victims might have resorted to drinking blood. He also suggests that the use of garlic to ward off vampires might stem from its similarity to chemicals that aggravate porphyria. Norine Dresser, a folklore teacher, finds the theory 'wonderful' for validating folklore. However, Dr. Nathan Bass, an assistant professor of medicine, expressed skepticism, calling it a 'real stretch' to explain all aspects of the myths based on the disease.

Mutilations Blamed On Satan Worshippers

Officials in Union County, Ohio, believe that groups worshipping Satan may be responsible for approximately 200 animal mutilations. Deputy John V. Lala stated that cultists often torture animals before sacrificing them, then consume their flesh and blood. Teen-agers are reportedly targeted for recruitment by these cults.

Coyote Bounty Bill: A Howling Success

This article reports on the Ohio House approving an 84-7 vote a bill allowing counties to offer $50 bounties for the capture or killing of coyotes and 'coydogs.' The bill is intended to address damage caused to farm livestock.

Hefty Slave Labor

This brief report from National Geographic states that certain species of ants engage in slave labor, with colonies of 3,000 western slavemaking ants potentially having over 6,000 slaves working for them.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Creature Chronicles include the investigation of unexplained phenomena, particularly cryptids like Bigfoot and the Loveland Frog, and the exploration of potential scientific explanations for folklore such as vampires and werewolves. The magazine also covers unusual events like spider infestations and animal mutilations. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, presenting reports and theories while acknowledging the need for further information and sometimes expressing skepticism or alternative explanations (e.g., publicity stunts, scientific disease origins). The publication is associated with OUFOIL, Inc. and SBI, Inc., suggesting a focus on UFOlogy and cryptozoology.