Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-14
Is THIS A MUTATION STORY,

An Amphibioup Race "D,scovered." With
"Joe" Significantly Near.
A remarkable story is told, says special dis.
patch to The New York Herald from Grand
Rapids, Mich, BY q person who arrived from
thompson Lake, s.resort forty miles from here
much frequented by Big Rapids Four Hundred.
The story is that a race Of smphibious crea-
lures have just been discovered by party Of
our own people in Spirit Cave, which has hith-
erto been supposed to be of very limited area.
Traditions, which had their origin in Indian
sources, were in circulation concerning these
people In the early settlement Of this region,
but were generally discredited, and NO system.
attic investigation to ascertain their truth or
ialslty was ever made. The discovery, which
is said to confirm at this late date their entire
reliability, was made by accident.
The report might be passed over a. cake
were 1t not accompanied by IN affidavit con-
tanning the names Of some Of the best known
people in this city. The written story sent to
this place from Thompson Lake by courier il -
follows:
THEY CAUGHT 'sHRRMArp."
"A party Of tourists in exploring the Spirit
Cave, about two miles from this place, dis
covered in subterranean lake . race Of
human beings with tails and scales. They
are amphibious and subsist on eyeiess
hsh, bats and mushrooms, which abound
in great PROPULSION in this wonderful
cavern. Several well-known and re-
sponsibie citizens Of Big Rapids vouch for the
discovery and the veracity Of this story. They
captured one Of the mermaids. Her cries and
struggles were indeed terrible. She is q very
pretty creature. with pesrly teeth. Her hair is
raven black. and falls in profusion and luxuri-
business three feet down her back. She can
artlculate and apparently can talk with great
vehemence, but her words, if words they are,
are more. OF the nature and shrillness Of one of
the monkey species.
DIR. Burkart saw one Of the males Of this
singular race Of people, and with the assistance
OF DIS. Wood and Dodge nearly succeeded in
landing him. He was . handsome fellow, with
. beautiful beard. These amphibious people
have long sppendagss or tails, closely resem-
bling those OF the alligator. The tail on the mer-
maid captured by the Big Rapids men measures
three feet and nine inches.
THEY swKAR TO THE STORY
Altogether it was . remarkable adventure,
and in order to substantiate the truthfulness of
the wonderful discovery the following we'll
known citizens have gone before C. b. Fuqua,
notary public, and made the following afi-
davit:
''To whom it may concern: Before me, q no
tary public in and for the county Of Mecosta,
Mich, appeared DR.. d. L. Burkart, DR.. W. T.
Dodge, Dr.. +. NJ. Wood, P. B. Doorman, W. C.
Lincoln, Frederick Neahr, Frank Bryant,
Thomas SHELTON and C. W. Comstock, who
hereby testify upon oath that race Of am
phibious human beings, with scales and tails,
was discovered in q subterranean river or lake
near Big Rapid, Mich, August 8, 1891.
subscribed and sworn to before me this
18th day Of August, 1891.
CSC. B. FuoUA,
"'Notary Public, Mocosta county. Mich
"There is great excitement here, and another
and larger party is being formed to further in
vestigsre the case"
Dr. Fuqua is q well-known physician. drug
gist and notary of this town. The strange
story lacks many Of the details needed, and a
party has been made up here to further inves-
tigate the matter.
P. Sit is said tonight that Joe Mulhatton,
the famous liar, is stopping at Thompson Lake.