1903 Van Meter monster case revisited | Unexplained Mysteries Wednesday, January 4, 2023 Contact | Find: in NewsForumsImagesColumnsStories Home·News·Forum·Stories·Images·Columns You are viewing: Home > News > Creatures, Myths & Legends > News story Welcome Guest ( Login or Register ) Creatures, Myths & Legends 1903 Van Meter monster case revisited By T.K. RandallMay 4, 2013 · 26 comments Image Credit: John Conway 110 years ago a strange creature was said to have paid a visit to the small town of Van Meter in Iowa. According to reports made at the time, the incident took place over several nights in the autumn of 1903. Several respected members of the community told of a mysterious half-animal, half-human winged creature that terrorized the town's residents during the night. Descriptions of the beast suggested that it had large bat-like wings, left a terrible stench wherever it went and, even stranger, fired beams of bright light from its forehead.The bizarre account recalls how several of the locals attempted to shoot the beast but their gunfire didn't appear to have any effect. Fed up with the menace, a group of townsfolk banded together one evening and pursued the creature to an abandoned coal mine. There they confronted not one, but two of the beasts, which both turned and disappeared down in to the gloom of the mine as the men opened fire, never to be seen again.[!gad]According to reports made at the time, the incident took place over several nights in the autumn of 1903. Several respected members of the community told of a mysterious half-animal, half-human winged creature that terrorized the town's residents during the night. Descriptions of the beast suggested that it had large bat-like wings, left a terrible stench wherever it went and, even stranger, fired beams of bright light from its forehead.The bizarre account recalls how several of the locals attempted to shoot the beast but their gunfire didn't appear to have any effect. Fed up with the menace, a group of townsfolk banded together one evening and pursued the creature to an abandoned coal mine. There they confronted not one, but two of the beasts, which both turned and disappeared down in to the gloom of the mine as the men opened fire, never to be seen again.The story offers a glimpse of rural Iowa history and lore. The superstitious mindset at the turn of the last century, oddly, mirrors a resurgent 21st century trend of Bigfoot hunting and paranormal investigating that populate cable television today. Source: Desmoines Register | Comments (26) Tags: Recent stories: Fox with only two legs is filmed on lawn in England1-4-2023 Has the face of Jack the Ripper finally been revealed ?1-4-2023 Have we been wrong about mummification all along ?1-3-2023 Japanese firm makes ultra-realistic dog costumes for clients1-3-2023 The mystery of the Mary Celeste still endures 150 years on1-2-2023 Red and white lights in the sky over Las Vegas spark UFO reports1-2-2023 << Previous storyTriangular UFO sighted twice in two hours Next story >>Scientists create glowing plants by Taboolaby TaboolaSponsored LinksSponsored LinksPromoted LinksPromoted LinksYou May LikeOnline Shopping ToolsAmazon Left Scrambling As Prime Users Find Out About Secret DealsOnline Shopping ToolsUndoPremium VIP OffersAmazon Has Millions Of Prime Subscribers - But Few Know About This Savings TrickPremium VIP OffersUndoMedicare GeniusPeople On Medicare Are Getting a Big Surprise This WednesdayMedicare GeniusUndoAuto Safety NewsAmazing Air Pump Every Car Needs (It's Genius!)Auto Safety NewsLearn MoreUndoGarageFlooringUSAHere's Why This 1 Day Garage Floor Coating Is Sweeping Texas!GarageFlooringUSAUndoFlex AllowanceTexas: "Grocery Allowance" Everyone on Medicare Can Apply for Flex AllowanceUndoCD Rates SeniorsThe Highest Rates On CDs With No Penalties For SeniorsCD Rates SeniorsUndoZleepSleep Doc Reveals Reasons Why These Patches Revolutionize SleepZleepUndo Recent comments on this story #17 Posted by Lava_Lady 10 years agoSomebody send this story to SYFY they can make another crappy movie out of it. They do make the most awful movies... like 10 year olds wrote the dialogue and 5 year olds drew the graphics. #18 Posted by Lava_Lady 10 years agoIts the same creature known as "popobawa: that terrorised people in Pemba, Zanzibar I don`t think it`s the same. According to the demon hunters compendium: "The Popobawa is much like an incubus, but unlike that particular demon, the Popobawa attacks men in their own beds. As a result, many men take to sleeping outside of their houses in the streets or on their porches. The creature attacks the men while they sleep, overpowering them. Then, it holds their faces to the floor and forcefully sodomizes them for up to an hour (an extremely painful experience for anyone). It then threatens the victim... [More] #19 Posted by Kahn 10 years agoModern myth. As with myths of old, there may be some truth to the events, obscured by imagination of the observers in an attempt to explain what they could not. #20 Posted by RingFenceTheCity 10 years agoView: Read more This winged lizard with the foul odour fits the Mystery Aircraft Frightens Quincy Residents thread. #21 Posted by QuiteContrary 10 years agoI'm surprised the mystery hasn't been solved. That's just not like a cryptid. He didn't mention what sense he got from camping at the mine, just referenced the unease of others. (buy the book I guess) But I'm all for seeking out creepy. And that would be an individual thing. Unless I missed it, the size was never mentioned in the article either. Just "enormous" batlike wings. What about the drawing of the creature is "half-human" as the creature was described? #22 Posted by Gatofeo 10 years agoMost people forget that newspapers of the 19th and early 20th century fabricated stories to sell more papers. This is almost certainly one of those "whoppers." If you think that today's journalism is irresponsible, you obviously haven't deeply examined a 19th century newspaper, especially one with small or limited circulation. One newspaper would fabricate a "whopper," and competing papers would not only pick up the story, but embellish it even more, to lure more readers to their paper. I wouldn't put much stock in any odd story from the 19th century up to the 1930s, especially the smaller one... [More] #23 Posted by Space_Jockey 10 years agoIf I was in the early 20th century, I didn't have UM forums or websites like that, my newspaper or a magazine would be my source for crypto-reports, and If I was a newspaper reporter, I'd be tempted to put as many as I can. It's fun and thought-provoking, even if just to give you a little spook in the woods maybe. To think how much we have changed in a 100+ years, but in many ways, still the same. #24 Posted by Lance Winslow 10 years agoA contract of Insurance comes into being when a person seeking insurance protection enters into a contract with the insurer to indemnify him against loss of property by or incidental to fire and or lightening, explosion, etc. This is primarily a contract and hence as is governed by the general law of contract. However, it has certain special features as insurance transactions, such as utmost faith, insurable interest, indemnity, subrogation and contribution, etc. these principles are common in all insurance contracts and are governed by special principles of law. more info #25 Posted by brlesq1 10 years agoThat's pretty cool. And camping out sounds like fun, even though I don't think anything's there. #26 Posted by Witchygirl94 9 years agoCould this be an early mothman sighting? 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