Doubt - No 38

Magazine Overview

Title: DOUBT
Subtitle: THE FORTEAN SOCIETY MAGAZINE
Volume: II
Issue: Whole Number 38
Date: 1931 AD = the year 1 FS (interpreted as January 1, 1931)
Editor: Tiffany Thayer
Publisher: The Fortean Society
Country: USA
Price: 35c. (2/- in Great Britain)

This issue of DOUBT, the magazine of The Fortean Society, presents a collection of curious and unexplained events from around the world, reflecting the society's interest in phenomena that defy conventional explanation. The cover features a humorous cartoon with the caption "I STILL DON'T BELIEVE IN 'EM!", depicting alien-like figures in a flying saucer.

Contents and Articles

First Prize and Other Noteworthy Snippings

The issue begins with the "First Prize" awarded to MFS Goldstein for a clipping from the Boston Herald. It also highlights other interesting finds submitted by members:

• Dr. James S. Bruner: Appointed professor of psychology at Harvard University.
• A. Grant: Submitted a quote from Professor Ernest Esclangon regarding "flying saucers," where the professor expressed skepticism.
• Dr. Walter Munk and Dr. Gordon Groves: Proposed an explanation for "Earth's wobble" being due to winds striking the Himalayas.
• Markham: Submitted a report about an 18-ton M-4 tank crashing into an automobile in Milford, Delaware.
• Lasko: Contributed a report about a policewoman in Indianapolis whose purse was stolen.

Personal Accounts and Strange Incidents

Several personal accounts and unusual incidents are detailed:

• Rear Adm. Jeffrey C. Metzel: Died in Chevy Chase after stabbing himself and jumping from a window.
• Brig. Gen. Francis G. Brink: Shot himself in the Pentagon shortly after returning from Indo-China.
• Civil Aeronautics Board: Rejected a crashed airplane's flight record due to an impossibly high speed (2280 mph).
• George Jewell: An undergrad editor who challenged faculty to a grammar quiz.
• A Virginia preacher: Enrolled for a month's study at the Yale Summer School of Alcohol Studies.
• A "veteran" pipe-smoker: A two-year-old in Westgate, England, reportedly enjoyed smoking pipes.
• St. Paul: Sixteen tons of concrete sidewalk were reported stolen.
• Cali, Colombia: Prisoners were reportedly rolling spider webs into cigarettes.
• Cuzco, Bolivia: An earthquake damaged buildings, but Inca structures remained intact.
• Boyaca, Colombia: A decree mandated attendance at Roman Catholic masses for teachers and pupils.

Rocks Fly

A section titled "ROCKS FLY" details numerous incidents of rocks falling or being thrown, often without apparent cause:

• Islip Terrace, Long Island: Rocks crashed through the windows of a home.
• Central Islip: "Several" rocks were found near a householder's property, and later, "several hundred stones" knocked out windows of an advertising plant.
• Far Rockaway: Police initiated a "drive" to stop youths throwing stones at street lights.
• Karachi, Pakistan: Rocks smashed a window in the home of Dr. Qudrat-I-Khuda, and a "donnick" struck a policeman. The incident escalated into a "bombardment" of the area, with police considering the theory of a poltergeist.
• Evansville, Indiana: Limestone rocks rained down on a farmhouse and yard for several nights, described as falling straight down and then making a 90-degree turn in the air.

Ballistics

This section reports on incidents involving bullets and projectiles:

• Philadelphia: A trolley car window was shattered.
• St. Louis: A man died, and a .38-caliber bullet was found in his body, linked to motorists being fired upon.
• Pittsburgh: A woman was wounded in the hip by a "spent bullet."
• Swissvale, near Pittsburgh: A boy was wounded in the chest by a "stray bullet."
• Sound Beach, Long Island: A woman was wounded by a ".22 caliber pellet."
• England: A series of incidents involving shattered windshields of cars and buses, often without a clear explanation or recovered pellet, leading to speculation about airguns or even "William Kent's ghost."

Very Queaky

This section covers earthquakes and volcanic activity:

• California: "Several nice intense flashes of who knows what" were observed during a large tremor.
• General Observation: "Earthquake weather" (hot, still, and humid) is noted as preceding tremors.
• Pasadena, Alhambra, etc.: Residents felt rattling, initially thought to be an earthquake, but identified by Dr. Charles F. Richter as not being seismic.
• Britain: Reports of tremors in Derbyshire, with geologists assuring residents there was no danger.

Foreign Missions

This section details the Fortean Society's activities abroad:

• Ireland: An expedition by the Thayer and Russell families to spread the Fortean philosophy.
• Italy: The society is establishing a presence, with Boris (Prince) De Rachewiltz identified as a key contact in Tyrol.
• Paris: The issue notes the presence of "LIBEREZ HENRI MARTINI" inscriptions, advocating for a conscientious objector imprisoned for refusing military conscription.
• Bastille Day in Paris: A description of the military parade and the contrast with the sentiment of the populace, who seemed to question the cost and purpose of military displays.
• Vox Populi: A reprinted piece by Villiers de L'Isle Adam is included.

The Pay Sea

This section appears to be a literary or philosophical piece, possibly related to the French events described above, featuring a recurring phrase "Have pity on the blind, if you please!" attributed to a symbolic beggar.

Pertinent

This section contains brief, often morbid, news items:

• Daily Express: A man died 12 days after vaccination, with a doctor suggesting he might not have died otherwise.
• Liverpool Echo: A farm-hand was fatally stabbed by a cow during preparation for vaccination.
• Los Angeles Times: A proposal to recommend country-wide immunization against lockjaw was made to health officers.

Nominations

Suggestions for "Fortean Fellowships" or posthumous honors are listed, including:

• Christopher Frey (playwright)
• Johann Holberg (former minister of war)
• Josephine Tey (author)
• J. I. Rodale (publisher)
• Bruce S. Hopping (seaman)
• Lao Tsu (philosopher)
• Chuang Tsu (philosopher)

Canadian Honors

The Revenue Minister of Canada presented a report barring 573 books, including one by Tiffany Thayer, from import into Canada.

Rabies is Real

MFS John Alden Knight reports on the critical rabies situation in Pennsylvania, detailing the extermination of hundreds of rabid animals and the treatment of citizens bitten by rabid foxes and dogs.

On Postage Stamps

MFS Turvey expresses disapproval of new NATO stamps and asks for members' opinions.

Arbitrate

George Bump recounts leaving a religious group that voted against arbitrating disputes, leading YS to propose this principle for Fortean consideration.

Sell Books in India

Information for publishers interested in reaching Indian readers through a publication printed in Hindi and English.

Russell's Best

This section includes various snippets, often with a Fortean twist:

• August Piccard: Playing chess during a bathysphere dive.
• Belgium: Providing funds for Piccard's experiments.
• British Columbia: Farmers shooting pollen at fruit trees to improve yields.
• Syracuse U: Professors perfected a permanent hair removal lotion that is not being marketed.
• Chlorophyll: An editor decries its use in dog food, stating it would diminish dogs' sensory world.
• Memphis, Tenn.: Grave-diggers joined the Canners and Packers Union.
• Detroit: A woman bit a policeman, stating it was "instinctive."

Credits

A comprehensive list of individuals credited for providing data and information for the issue.

Stuart X

An obituary for Stuart X (Henry Clifford Fowler Stuart), who died at age 87.

Calling Tennessee

An inquiry to members in the Dyersburg, Tennessee area to investigate local anomalies, including a report of a disappeared 16-story building and a mysterious perch found near a plow.

Falls - Maybe

Reports of unusual "falls" from the sky:

• Washington D.C.: A puddle of minnows in a street.
• Algiers: "Hundreds of thousands of snails" fell during a "freak" storm.
• Banff National Park: Tiny midges encased in natural ice crystals fell.

The Dead Carcass of Churchly Religion

A brief mention of the magazine PROGRESSIVE WORLD, which caters to those who believe "there ain't no God."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The overarching theme of DOUBT is the exploration of the unexplained and the anomalous, often referred to as "Forteana." The magazine maintains a skeptical yet open-minded stance, encouraging members to submit unusual findings. There is a strong emphasis on critical thinking and questioning conventional explanations, as seen in the editorial's invitation to arbitrate disputes and the society's stance against mandatory vaccinations, framed as a matter of "Religion of Self Respect." The publication also highlights international Fortean activities and the challenges of disseminating such information globally. The editor, Tiffany Thayer, actively engages with members and promotes the society's work through personal accounts and reports from various locations.

This issue of the Fortean Society's publication presents pages 171-175, continuing the "MORE NOTES of CHARLES FORT" series. The content consists of transcribed notes from Charles Fort's extensive collection, detailing a wide array of anomalous and unexplained phenomena recorded throughout history. The publication aims to present these notes chronologically, offering a unique resource for researchers of the unusual.

Anecdotes and Observations

The issue begins with lighthearted anecdotes, including Prince Charles sticking out his tongue and King Frederick IX of Denmark's playful prank. It also notes the passing of John C. MacKay, the reporter who first sent out stories about the Loch Ness Monster, while humorously stating that Nessy itself survives and was 'seen' in May. Several short, critical observations are made about local governance, such as the unilateral decision to add fluorine to water in Rahway, New Jersey, and the authorization of 'doping' in Alberta, Canada. A peculiar incident in Toronto involving a fish tail found in a kitchen tap leads to an official explanation that all fish in the reservoir were 'sterilized,' prompting the headline: "But where Did the Head Go?"

Historical Anomalies and Celestial Events

The bulk of the content is dedicated to cataloging historical events that fall outside conventional scientific explanation. These include a wide range of celestial phenomena such as solar eclipses (539, 847), comets (541, 906, 1114, 1146), meteors (580, 776, 1094, 1129), and unusual lights in the sky (591, 729, 926). Geological events like earthquakes (974, 1113, 1117) and volcanic eruptions (Etna, Vesuvius) are also recorded.

Other notable entries include:

• Biological Anomalies: An Elder tree bearing fruits of the vine (550), a mountain in Gaul emitting a bellowing sound and being severed (562), a peculiar birth in lesser Brittany and Normandy with double heads and arms (1062), a German count devoured by mice (1099), a sow giving birth to a pig with a man's face (1094), and a girl abstaining from food and drink for extended periods (824).
• Atmospheric and Terrestrial Phenomena: Fiery spears seen in Italy (567), a deluge in Italy followed by pestilence (591), excessive mortality in England leading people to drown themselves (655), a battle among birds in England (671), a shower of blood (787), signs of the cross appearing on clothes (789), and dreadful prodigies including thunderbolts and fiery dragons (794).
• Specific Dates and Locations: The notes meticulously list events by date and location, often referencing sources like the "Reports of the British Association for the Advancement of Science" (BA), "Timbs," "Intel. Obs.," "Times," and "Astro Reg." Examples include a great gale in Northumberland (Oct 22-24, 1864), red lights on either side of Mars (Oct 24, 1864), a brilliant streak in the sky over New Zealand (Oct 23, 1864), and a "lengthened sleep" phenomenon (Oct 27, 1864).

Fortean Society Publications and Resources

The latter part of the issue includes advertisements for Fortean Society publications. These include "Order Glacial Period and Drayson's Hypothesis" by John Millis, "America NEEDS Indians" (copiously illustrated), and "Chakotin's RAPE OF THE MASSES." A significant offering is "The Books of CHARLES FORT," a compilation of his major works (The Book of the Damned, New Lands, Lol, Wild Talents) in a single volume, with an introduction by Tiffany Thayer.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the meticulous cataloging of anomalous events, presented without judgment but with an implicit invitation for the reader to consider the unexplained. The Fortean Society's stance is evident in its dedication to preserving and disseminating these records, suggesting a belief that these phenomena, however strange, are part of a larger, often overlooked, reality. The editorial tone is factual and archival, focusing on presenting the raw data of Fort's notes. The inclusion of critical commentary on contemporary events, such as the state of US newspapers, adds a layer of social observation to the otherwise historical compilation.