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This article was published in the daily newspaper La Tribune de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada, page 1, on September 23, 1968.
COATICOOK. -- The testimony of two girls who claimed to have seen a Martian, close to High School de Coaticook, spread a panic by several children of this city in the weekend. A young boy, Andre Bolduc, came home frightened and in tears. In addition, a young girl refused to sleep alone in her room as usual, because she was afraid.
Even though Saturday evening, around 8 hours, a crowd of almost 50 people had massed close to High School because it was claimed again that the explorer who came from another world was seen, the majority of people remained skeptical. Saturday, the municipal police force was called on the spot, for, it was said, "the invader was on the roof of the building." The constables Rene Marcoux and Gilles Sauvageau made the investigation. According to Mr. Marcoux, the phenomenon would be explained owing to the fact that the lights of a garage, located close to this school reflected on a wind vane which is on the roof. However, it seems according to witnesses that the thing had been possible. The majority of the interrogated people insisted that they had seen an object which emitted "flashes", orange, red and green. Some say that they saw this object which resembled a star moving in circle before disappearing or to become motionless.
The young Sharley Green stated: "It was towards 9h.30, I saw a green face which had neither nose, neither of mouth, nor of hair." She claims that the being emitted intermittent gleams. For her part, the young Fabienne Champagne stated to have seen only the trees moving but she is certain that a Martian was there. For his part, Jacques Lessard stated to have seen a large orange, gray and green ball making two turns and disappear. According to him, a ring surrounded the object. It is from this ring that the flickerings emanated.
In addition, traces were shown. They are supposed to be the traces left by "the invader." These traces are approximately an inch broad, six inches long. The marks are distant of five inches. However, some believe that they can be traces made by a mower but at this place the grass had not been mowed. In addition, a witness who went twice on the spot took note that at one day of interval, there was one more trace.
The rumours from the most serious to the most whimsical circulated in Coaticook. Some even wanted that a radio station of Sherbrooke announce in their news program that a woman who was leaning on the slope of her gallery to see the saucer had fallen down and had dies from her wounds. Others said that more than 100 people had gathered at the airport of Sherbrooke to see such an object. These rumours show quite well what the state of mind which reigned in certain circles was like. Unquestionable thing, all those who say to have seen the flying saucer are ready to swear that it is the truth and fail to understand that the unhappy ones who did not have "this vision" do not believe them. Yesterday evening, nearly 80 children had massed close to High School and in various fields of Coaticook to watch for what would occur. Under the direction of Pierre Bolduc, Jacques Lessard and Pierre Baker, young people surveyed with flashlights and communicated between them by walkie-talkie. They were indignant at the skepticism of several and watched with attention all the movements that seemed suspect to them. In addition, several observed the sky.
In addition, Jacques Lessard also led the representative of La Tribune in a field of Mr. Boivin where the grass was crushed. It was a circle of approximately 42 feet in diameter.
COATICOOK. -- Mr. Jean Dicaire, of the Saucer Institute of Research, of Montreal, stated that he is very skeptical as for the veracity of the appearance of a Martian in Coaticook. The expert on the matter made a point of stressing that all these comments are personal and do not engage in anything the Association of which he is member. According to Mr. Dicaire, the trace of the place where the saucer had allegedly landed appears to have been made with human hands. According to him, if there had been a flying saucer, the ground would have been pressed and not dug. In any case, measures were taken to cast light on the matter. Photographs and questionnaires, that once filled will be sent to the authorities which will study the file.
"Even if it looks ridiculous and if you'd expect to be called an idiot, at the time when people believe to have knowledge of such a phenomenon, they should alert the competent authorities, said Mr. Dicaire. Asked about the problem arising from the appearance of flying-saucers, Mr. Dicaire declared that personally he believes in the collective hallucination. However, in such cases, when there is more than five to ten people, there are always one or two of them who saw something different. When all the witnesses say the same thing exactly, it would be impossible that it then is a matter of collective hallucination," added Mr. Dicaire.
Mr. Dicaire also stated that personally he does not believe that the flying-saucers are the product or of the United States or Russia, for these countries would not yet be scientifically powerful enough to build machines that could move at such speeds and without noise.
Mr. Dicaire believes that the visitors would come from Venus. He explained that he was influenced by the theories of Robert Charoux, theories that claim that at the moment when the Atlantic was immersed, people of the Earth might have foreseen the disaster and have abandoned Earth for Venus. Those would now try to return to their native soil. For those who are interested in this theory, it is exposed in the book: "Unkown History of Mankind Since 10.000 ans." Mr. Dicaire believes personally in two theories, either that this is about space patrol, or they are people of another planet who want to come in contact with us. Mr. Dicaire pointed out that he currently carries out research in order to be able to communicate with them by telepaty [sic]. In any event, according to Mr. Dicaire, if the thing is true, there will be more appearances.
See the case file here.
