MAGONIA ETH Bulletin

Magazine Overview

MAGONIA ETH Bulletin, Issue No. 7, September 1998. Edited by John Harney BA.

Editorial

The editorial section addresses common misunderstandings among ufologists regarding the bulletin's stance. It clarifies that while acknowledging the limitations of the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) and the utility of the Psychological Social Hypothesis (PSH) in explaining how popular culture influences UFO reports, the bulletin aims to examine puzzling reports to identify facts that cannot be explained by psychological or cultural factors. The goal is to strengthen the evidence for the ETH if it proves valid.

WALTON AGAIN

This section delves into the Travis Walton UFO abduction case, building on previous discussions in issues No. 2 and 3. The author reiterates the objective: to understand the *means* by which a hoax could have been carried out, rather than just the *motives*. Several theories suggesting a hoax, often involving Travis and his brother Duane, are presented. One theory, attributed to Town Marshal Santon Flake, posits that the event was staged by the Walton brothers to make money, with the other loggers being misled into seeing a staged object like an inflated rubber raft.

The article critically evaluates this hoax scenario. It questions the credulity of the loggers, suggesting that individuals who would wield chainsaws in a forest might not be as timid or short-sighted as required for such a hoax. If the loggers were not easily fooled, then they might have been complicit, which raises further questions about the police investigation and the potential for overtime payments as a motive for officers to prolong the search.

Police Investigations

The author notes that police initially suspected murder and a staged UFO story as a cover-up. However, the article questions the lack of forensic testing on clothing, trucks, and chainsaws for bloodstains. It also discusses the fingerprint analysis at a phone booth where Walton allegedly called his brother-in-law. The deputies reportedly found no prints belonging to Walton, which the author dismisses as negative evidence for a hoax, arguing that the phones could have been used by others, obscuring Walton's prints.

That bruise

The article dismisses the significance of a bruise on Walton's shoulder, as alleged by the loggers. It points out that bruises typically fade within a week, and Walton's medical examination, arranged by APRO six days after the incident, would have allowed any bruise to disappear.

A normal working day?

The author attempts to establish undisputed facts, starting with the loggers' activities on November 5, 1975. While it's assumed they were working, there's dispute. Walton's own accounts vary: in his first book, he aimed to show a typical workday, while in his second, he claimed to have rested for less than two hours after arriving at the site, then worked normally. This contradicts allegations by Steve Pierce, who claimed Walton was absent most of the day and Mike Rogers disappeared for hours. Walton denies this, citing statements from Rogers and John Goulette.

The UFO

The article highlights inconsistencies in Walton's own description of the UFO sighting, noting that he describes it as hovering ninety feet above the ground in one paragraph and fifteen feet above a logging slash pile in the next. The claim that the slash pile was 75 feet high is also questioned.

Brilliant acting?

The article discusses the emotional state of the loggers when reporting Walton's disappearance and their questioning by Sheriff Gillespie and Undersheriff Coplan. It is generally agreed that if the men were acting, it was very convincing. The author notes that some critics backtrack from the hoax theory, suggesting other phenomena might be involved, such as plasma or electrical discharges, leading to an alien abduction fantasy.

Conclusions

The author concludes that discussing the Walton case as a hoax based on motives is insufficient. It is unclear who was hoaxing whom, and there is disagreement about the reactions of Walton's brother Duane and mother Mary Walton Kellett. The article calls for a coherent account of how a hoax was organized and executed, and who was involved, explicitly stating a disinterest in further discussion of motives.

LETTERS

Jenny Randles, Buxton, Derbyshire: Randles expresses appreciation for the bulletin and mentions her books on migraine and the Levelland case, which she feels were unfairly criticized by Magonia. She discusses the 'OZ factor' at the onset of close encounters and a high incidence of migraine claims among repeater witnesses. She also highlights the Levelland case, noting its connection to atomic test bunkers and the Derek Murray case, and suggests it is more persuasive than other cases presented in Bulletin No. 6.

Christopher Allan, Stoke on Trent: Allan rates the Gill case in Papua (June 1959) as one of the best close-encounter cases, involving nearly 40 witnesses over three days. He challenges readers to provide a convincing non-ETH explanation and asks for their views on the case.

RUSSIAN UFO CRASHES

This brief section criticizes a two-page spread in *Alien Encounters* magazine (issue 28, 1998) that listed UFO crashes and retrievals in Russia, chronicled by Philip Mantle. The author finds the item absurd, neither entertaining nor amusing, and questions Mantle's sanity and the editorial judgment of *Alien Encounters*.

CORRECTIONS

This section provides corrections for errors in previous issues:

• Issue No. 1 (March 1998): Correction to an editorial line and the spelling of 'Trindade'.
• Issue No. 3 (May 1998): Correction to a quotation from Philip Klass's book on abductions, clarifying the distinction between 'TUFOS' and 'EUFOS', and a humorous, hypnotic correction related to Klass's letter.
• Issue No. 4 (June 1998): Corrections to place names ('Trans-en-Provence') and a word ('where').

Contact Information

The bulletin is edited by John Harney BA and is available on the Magonia website. Printed copies are for a privileged few. Correspondence should be addressed to him at 27 Enid Wood House, High Street, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1LN UK.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is a critical examination of UFO phenomena, particularly focusing on debunking or providing rational explanations, often through psychological or sociological lenses (PSH). The editorial stance is skeptical of simplistic explanations and seeks rigorous analysis of evidence, while remaining open to the possibility of phenomena not explained by conventional means (ETH). The bulletin encourages reader participation through letters and aims to correct errors in its own publications.