Telephone chaos threat

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32560, 20 March 1971, Page 17

Telephone chaos threat

(X Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SAN FRANCISCO, March 19. A trio of hippies known as “Sam’s Cafe,” who perpetrated a mass hoax on 20,000 San Francisco citizens, say that it was the beginning of “a revolutionary holocaust which will destroy the world by tying up everyone’s telephone,” They also promise to reveal more about “judgment day” at a news conference today, which may be attended by United States postal inspectors and police who say the hoax on Thursday was a “violation of law.” “The world will end in chaos,” said a news release

received from the trio yesterday. On Thursday, 20,000 residents received fictitious bills for 5U576.40 and a demand to pay or “action will be taken.” .

The bills carried telephone numbers of the Bank of America, the “San Francisco Chronicle” and two television stations to be called “for further information.” Indignant subscribers tied up the switch-boards for hours, and flooded the Police Department with complaints. Police are seeking Mr M. Keyser, his wife and another man, Mr D. Shire, for questioning. The three once ran an avant-garde art gallery in Berkeley called “Sam’s Cafe,” which closed several months ago. A postal inspector said the hoax was probably illegal i under fraud, defamation or harassment laws.

"Sam’s Cafe” have stated that whatever harassment was suffered on Thursday was only a “drop in the bucket.” “The protesters will protest in the mail and on the phone. The demonstrators will demonstrate in the mail and on phone,” the statement yesterday said. “The students will strike in the mail and on the phone. The rioters will riot in the mail and on the phone >. . They will tie up one listing after another until all the phones are tied up. “The chaos will grow. The protesters will tie up the transportation industry . . . airlines, the railroads, then trucking firms, even bus and cab companies and car rental agencies. “We will all live in chaos until the bill is paid. The wicked are burning in hell.”