New Britain herald., 1924-07-12
THAT THERE DEVIL STILL ELUDES FEM
Posse at Butler, N. ], Now
 Takes Up Chase

New York July 12.-Late last night an investigation committee of the whole, made up of citizens of Butler, N. J., hamlet in the Wat chung Mountains, fifteen miles north west of Newark, went to Calvary cemetery, near the edge of the town, hoping or fearing to verify 8 report that the Jersey devil has abandoned his hounts near West Orange to make his home near Butler.t For the last ten nights any one who 'ventured past the cemetery or into the adjoining wood immediately was greeted by a voice that seemed to come from tree tops, the ground or the air overhead.
 Officer Spring Greeted
 Patrolman Thomas Spring, of the Butler police, who lives beside the cemetery, was the first to come into town and report hearing the voice. He said when on the way home at midnight scream rang out from the top of tree, followed by lingering moan that ended abruptly in a cackle or wild laughter When he looked Up the tree the voice seemed to drift high in the air and descend on an- other tree several yards beyond. Mir. Spring was astonished, but made no investigation.
 More than half the townspeople are said to have heard the uncanny cries without being able to trace them to either man or animal. Different from the West Orange devil, the But Ter apparition has been credited with screaming intelligble words usually threatening, or else pleading cries for help.
 Every one who has heard the so- called "disembodied voice. has in- sisted that the Butler devil is far su- perior in mystery and terror to the fiery-eyed, jumping devil discovered by Officer Deckenbeck, of the West Orange police. Where the West Orange devil has vanished from sight as soon as any one approached Buffers apparition few nights ago developed into an impish prankster and sent MT. and Mrs. Roland Mar GUS Of Butler, scurrying along several mtles of wooded road with the i'm pression they were pursued by gang 1erS, weeping women ani a ven triloquist.
 First Call in Fifty Years
 It was said the voice on this occa sion prefaced his moaning by a loud cry of Help" followed by warning Of Look out" and burst of demon- lSh Laughter. fine voice seemed at times to belong to an invisible man on the road behind them and at others to be suspended on trayeling wire overhead.
 This is the first time in all of the half century that the Jersey devil has been mp to his tricks that Butler has given serious thought to the stories from other towns. But after MT. and Mrs. Marcus and Policeman Spring related their experiences half the townspeople joined in the speculations over the origin of the unseemly voice.
 Last night the popular theory was that it wasn't devil at all, but that some scientist with advanced dis coveries in radio had set up a labora- tory near by and was broadcasting the moans. screams and yells with a de- vice that could throw the sounds where he willed. To support this, those who claim to have heard the ap- partitions cries say the voice sounded hollow. inhuman, as if 1t came from mechanical amplifier.
 The other theory was that some mad Ncntriloquist has taken mp his abode in the wood and, jealous over the popularity Of the West Orange devil. is going to make that kangaroo like creature wish it was back in it's native Austra Han wilds.