The San Francisco call., 1896-11-25

shoot into the air from the corner of
o Farrell and Market streets are positive
that they discerned the picture of 'Faker
Billy" on the alleged aerial ship, which
caused many people to crane their necks
and cry, "Oh, there she goesl"
The balloon swept along rapidly and at
tanned height OF at least half q mile
before 1t struck new current, when it
changed it3 course and slowly drifted in
the direction of the Alameda marshes.
where in all probability the remnants OF
it will be discovered by some duck-hunter
to- m orrow.
OAKLAND. CAL, Nov. 24-One of the
funniest stories in connection with the
airship was that told by a so-caIled
detective-reporter, who came over here
last night from San Francisco to create
some imaginary men playing with an
imaginary airship on Inspiration Point.
This individual came over about 10 clock
and boarded a Piedmont car He asked
the conductor for his name and number,
and requested the carman to take a good
look at him so that he could prove he had
really been to Blair's Park The detective
must have been OF very amaleurish dis
the conductor knew what his mission was,
and that he was connected with the
American Detective Agency, and that he
was working for the Examiner.
The conductor referred to is No. Is and
his name is Crist. The man who claimed
to be an Examiner reporter was large
man with black mustache. On coming
in from Inspiration Point he went straight
to the Examiner branch Office, on Broad
way, and left for San Francisco on the
1:20 broad-gapge train. His plan, as out
lined to friend, is this:
He was to tell story of having gone to
Inspiration Point, where he saw two men
who were working with machine like
balloon placed iengthwise, to which was
attached light and some arms and an
apparatus like kite. When the detective
reporter approached the two men were to
run away and pack their traps with them.
The detective-reporter further stated that
he had been perfecting his plans for sew
eral days, so as to upset THE CALLS story.
Conductor Crlst said tonight: "I was
accosted by an individual last night who
wanted my name and number. l gave
him the latter when he told me he was an
Examiner reporter. After promising me
faithfully not to use my name and saying
he wanted it to prove that he had been
out to Blair Park gave it. He came out
on the 9:3S car and reached the park at
TO- He wanted to know what car he could
take back in order to catch the IL % local.
/ told him to get the 1858, and l presume
he did. He could have reached Inspira-
tion Point and returned if he hurried, but
a OF Il eli do ~
ever saw the point"
The Examiner amused Oaklanders this
morning by publishing the following:
Alexander D. McAvoy OF. the American and
International Detective Agency, whose Office
is in the Mills building in this City, last evcn-
ing discovered the source of at least some of
the mysterious lights, perhaps all of them.
By quiet investigation he learned that Blair
Park, in the northern suburbs of Oakland, is
the place OF operation of two men who have
been hoaxing the people of Oakland and this
City. He stationed himself in the park and
watched for what he might see. AT exactly
twenty-eight minutes after 10 o'clock be saw
rising from Inspiration Point, high shelf on
the Piedmont hills, about 500 yards from his
place of observation, an object kite-shaped
about ten feet in length, with wheels like
little windmills. On the sides of the structure
were lights, and from 1t hung a Japanese Ian
tern, red in color, and about one foot in diam
eter 1t moved slowly before the wind He
plainly saw two men on the point, and ac-
costed them as they descended the path.
They told him that they were sending up OBJ
3ects such as he had seen to mystify the people
and to give them material for newspaper
articles.
The absurdity of the above can be appre-
ciated when 1t is stated that at exactly
lo:2s O CLOCK last night and for hours be-
lore and for hours after, the rain fell in
torrents, and a Japanese lantern red In
color and about one foot in diameter
I would have lived about half second. De-
tective McEvov said he saw the apparatus
900 yards from his point of observation. -
man who could see through 500 yards of
last nights storm on Inspiration Point
would make fortune in dime museum.
A HlGH-SPEED WORM.