The Athens Messenger newspaper of November 18, 1966 contains a glaring issue which I decided to tackle with a bit of old-fashioned detective work. The right side of the clipping, which likely is the only copy left unless an archival copy exists somewhere, is missing a significant bit of text.
So, I decided to try to guesstimate what is said. The clipping below shows the issue rather clearly:
The lost text on the right.
An even closer frame grab from a YouTube video helped improve the readability of the text for me to interpret the text:
Blowup of broken part of newspaper with better text images that helped me interpret the lost text.
So, I began by researching case a little more, based on the wording his this fragment.
Fragment of newspaper- Original text as seen in above image:
What is it? They don’t know
but they’re sure it c
One thing that b
lette is the pigeons,
disappeared from t
ed power plant bui
where the creature
spotted.
Pigeons can be s
other building
throughout the
the huge double
power plant.
A best guess of the original newspaper text:
What is it? They don’t know
but they’re sure it (can’t be caught.)
One thing that b(ecame) clear (to Mal-)
lette is the pigeons,(have all but)
disappeared from t(he now darken-)
ed power plant bui(ldings around)
where the creature (had been initially)
spotted.
Pigeons can be (seen living in the)
other building(s that lay scattered)
throughout the a(rea of the complex at)
the huge double (smokestacks of the old)
power plant.
The power plant was a clue that I followed up on, and I found the answer in the TNT factory where there was indeed a twin smokestack power plant. It seems that this is likely what was being referred to in the missing text.
Twin smokestacks of the power plant on the TNT property. Likely what the missing text fragment was referring to.
The two couples chased by the Mothman. Mr. and Mrs. Steve Mallette and Mr. and Mrs. Roger Scarberry. The “lette” in the missing text likely referes to the Mallette family.
So ends my exercise in recovering a little lost history. How correct is my interpretation of the lost text? I’d give it at least 75% correct or better! If you have suggestions to better my work, I am quite open to suggestions!