Death After Attempt To Talk To Mars

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31153, 1 September 1966, Page 13

Death After Attempt To Talk To Mars

fH.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) NITEROI, (Braal) Aug. 30. Police investigating the strange deaths of two men in lead masks said today they had been told the men had been trying to communicate 1 with the planet mars before they died. Discovery of the decomposing bodies of the two men' nine days ago started police! inquiries. So far forensic experts have, been unable to explain how' the two died. They were found in woods near here, with lead masks on their faces. The story that the two had been trying to communicate with Mars was told to investigating police by Elcio Correio Gomes, now being held for questioning about the deaths. "I have heard some fantastic tales in my time, but this beats the lot,” said one harassed detective.

"We shall get to the bottom of this strange business some

tune. Correia Gomes was said by relatives of the two dead men, Manuel Pereira da Cruz and Miguel Jose Viana, to have exercised a powerful Influence over them and to have conducted a series of spiritualist sessions and seances at his home. No charges have been brought against Correio Gomes, but police are checking his movements before the two men disappeared. At one attempt to “communicate with Mars.” according to the witness, there was a vied ent explosion which put an end to that particular experiment. He was also said to have told police he threw 250,000 cruzeiros, part of a sum he owed Jose Viana, into the river Paraiba “as a gift to the sirens to protect both of us from death." There have been several rei ports of a flying saucer-like object over the spot where the bodies were found.