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ng and publicizing his case against the air force。 The only tangible result of his campaign was the quality of the people attracted to ufology； and to his ideas。 Paranoid…schizophrenics and obsessive…pulsive personalities dominated the field。
Many of these groups collapsed inwardly in a short time because of the conflicting egos and the excessive paranoia （members often regarded their fellow members as 〃agents of the air force〃）。 Even NICAP； which had been founded in 1956 by a physicist who was hot on the trail of the secret of frying saucer propulsion systems； came apart at the seams in the late 1960s。 The few qualified members of its headquarters staff departed in an atmosphere of rancor； taking choice files and mailing lists with them； and Stuart Nixon； the office boy during the Keyhoe regime； became director of the organization。
The air force and CIA did not have to try to disrupt the ufological movement。 It is by its very nature a self…disrupting network of disoriented people。
In the spring of 1967； following the publicity that attended Mothman and the UFOs； mobs of strangers descended on Point Pleasant。 Cars filled with students from neighboring colleges would arrive unannounced at the homes of witnesses named in newspaper accounts； often late at night； and expect to be weled。 Mary Hyre and all the others were subjected to silly interviews by people who obviously didn't have any notion of how to go about investigating anything。 Some of these investigators were tactless and impolite； as only teen…agers can be； to the point of being offensive。 One by one the witnesses fell silent； refusing to talk to any more strangers； so newers saw a new mystery…someone had obviously ordered everyone in the Ohio valley to shut up。
While reporters from all the neighboring cities were flocking to Point Pleasant and writing extensively about the UFO and monster sightings； the little local daily； the Point Pleasant Register； ignored the whole situation。 When a girl on the Register staff was pursued by a UFO one night that spring； Mary Hyre printed the story in the Messenger。 The young editor of the Register remained steadfastly anti…UFO throughout the fracas。
It was then my policy to publish only reports in which the witnesses allowed their names to be used。 I avoided 〃blind〃 items。 But as time went on and I saw what was happening to some of these people； I realized they had to be protected； not from Men in Black or sinister government agencies but from the UFO believers themselves。 This unfortunate problem persists； and this is why I have used blind items here； or； in some cases； altered the names of the witnesses or their location。 This is a mon policy in medical books and scientific literature； but it is sad that it bees necessary in studies of this kind。
II
One Sunday afternoon in the spring of 1967； I was walking along Forty…second Street and Third Avenue with a lady friend。 There were very few people on the streets at the time。 Suddenly a tall； thin man came around a corner。 His face was gaunt and pointed； and he was carrying a camera。 He raised the camera and deliberately took our picture； then he turned and ran up the street。 My friend knew nothing about Men in Black； and it is not unusual to see tourists snapping pictures in New York City。 I deliberately refrained from making any ment。
〃That was strange；〃 she remarked。 〃And he was such an evil…looking man。 Why did he take our picture？〃
I could only shrug。 The man； incidentally； was not dressed in black。 He was wearing a sports jacket and slacks but his clothes seemed to hang very poorly on his thin frame。
A few days later； Dan Drasin phoned me。 He was preparing to go back to West Virginia with a camera crew。
〃You know； this probably doesn't mean anything；〃 he said slowly； 〃but the other day I was walking through midtown Manhattan and an Indian took my picture。 He was even wearing a black suit。〃
Dan knew of my concern with the MIB； but he was not well…known to the UFO enthusiasts （I had tried to tell myself that the photographer on Third Avenue was a ufo…nut of some kind）。
〃Probably just a tourist；〃 I offered。
〃Probably。〃
In West Virginia； Mrs。 Hyre was continuing to have problems。 A luminous object appeared over her house and projected a powerful beam of light into her backyard。 She was not home at the time but her husband and several neighbors saw it。 Then one evening her confused 〃little man〃 reappeared on the streets of Point Pleasant。 She was certain it was the same man who had visited her office in January。 This time he was wearing a khaki…colored uniform but had on the same thick…soled shoes。 When he saw Mary approaching him he looked alarmed； took off on a dead run； and leaped into a black car driven by a very large man。
〃By the time I got out in the line of traffic；〃 Mary said； 〃he was gone across the bridge into Ohio。 I didn't get the license number but the color looked orange。〃
Three days later； on May 8； Mrs。 Hyre arrived home from a civic meeting around 11：30 P。M。 Just as she was opening her front door a large black car squealed to a stop directly outside her house。 She stood on her porch and watched as a man got out of the vehicle； raised a camera to his face； and snapped her picture。
〃His flash gun was very bright；〃 she reported。 〃It blinded me momentarily。 While I was standing there rubbing my eyes he got back into his car and it drove off。 I couldn't see if there was anyone else in the car。〃 She paused。 〃Now why do you suppose anyone would want to take my picture like that？〃
Why indeed。 Our Men in Black were now engaged in a new game。 Or perhaps the game had been going for years but no one had ever noticed it before。 As if I didn't have enough trouble already； now I was chasing phantom photographers all over the landscape。
On a rainy night in April a man from Ohio had been driving along Route 2 near the Chief Cornstalk Hunting Grounds when a large black form rose from the woods and flew over his car。 〃It was at least ten feet wide；〃 he claimed。 〃I stepped on the gas and it kept right up with me。 We were doing over seventy。 It scared the hell out of me。 Then I saw it move ahead of me and turn toward the river。〃
Months later； late in October； he returned home from work and found a prowler in his apartment。
〃When I opened the door I saw this man standing in my living room；〃 he reported。 〃I think he was dressed all in black。 I couldn't see his face； but he was about five feet nine。 I started to fumble for the light switch when he took my picture。 There was a big flash of light； so bright I couldn't see a thing。 While I was rubbing my eyes the burglar darted past me and went out the open door。 I guess I arrived just in time because nothing was missing。〃
Burglars with flash guns！
Sixty miles north of Point Pleasant； a young family in Belpre； Ohio； was having the full range of UFO…associated problems。 The man in the family； I'll call bun Ben； had seen a UFO hovering near a chemical plant on the river。 He'd heard you co