In my research I ran across a site that was discussing "airships" of the noted 1896-1897 "Flap". Since I was raised in Kansas, the story of LeRoy and the Alexander Hamilton story of seeing an airship, occupant, and the rustler from the skies, was familiar. I read the familiar tale and was astounded to see the author claiming this was the SAME Alexander Hamilton who had dueled with Aaron Burr. He was a "Founding Father." That Alexander Hamilton, however, was born 1755 and died 1804.
The Kansas Alexander Hamilton of Airship note was one of several men in Kansas with that same historic name.
The Airship Story Hamilton. As Wikipedia puts it (without citation): "An account by Alexander Hamilton of Leroy, Kansas, supposedly occurred around April 19, 1897, and was published in the Yates Center Farmer's Advocate of April 23. Hamilton, his son and a tenant witnessed an airship hovering over his cattle pen. Upon closer examination, the witnesses realized that a red "cable" from the airship had lassoed a heifer,but had also become entangled in the pen's fence. After trying unsuccessfully to free the heifer, Hamilton cut loose a portion of the fence, then "stood in amazement to see the ship, cow and all rise slowly and sail off."[20] Some have suggested this was the earliest report of cattle mutilation. In 1982, however, UFO researcher Jerome Clark debunked this story, and confirmed via interviews and Hamilton's own affidavit that the story was a successful attempt to win a Liar's Club competition to create the most outlandish tall tale.[citation needed]"
According to the 1895 Kansas State Census there were three groups named Hamilton living in Woodson County, Kansas (home to Yates Center). LeRoy was actually part of a neighboring county of Coffee. The story from FATE magazine later carries a line that a group of local men had met in a town and began to talk and dreamed up a tale inspired by all the stories in the newspapers of "airships" beginning in California in 1896 but then continuing into 1897 with more regional sightings in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, etc. They published it and then - they swore on their honor in an avadavat that their tall tale was true.
People have always loved a tall tale and this must have been a great opportunity - especially is a bet or wager was involved for personal or community benefit.
Although many of the time, and later, viewed these sightings as fantasy or as early 'flying saucers' they were on the "drawing board" in so many ways. Protypes were already being explored that would lead in a brief five years to the Wright Brothers first flight of airplane.
Balloons, on the other hand, had been in active use around the globe for one reason or another since the late 1700's, during the civil war in the US, and improvements were an ongoing quest by inventors around the world.
Given the fact that other newspapers from 1880-1897 carry articles of inventors and scientists working to achieve controlled flight by attaching bicycle pedals, wheels, gears, flaps, wings, motors, electric lights and winches...and the fact that con-men were hawking the same goal....indicate that there was enough proof around to indicate it COULD happen. Thus, the stories of men in military looking uniforms speaking a strange language, strange bright lights searching the ground, or even steal a cow for a dinner...become less science fiction and more than science becoming fact.
Two online sources for some very good early discussions and vast survey of newspapers of the
time are found here. The works by Loren E. Gross on airships, and others, are there and readable. A vast resource.
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