Bizzare Twist at Beaver (Hoffa Hoax?)

BassFan.com ^ | 1 April 2004

[annyokie]

Bizarre Twist at Beaver 4/1/2004

In what is certainly one (if not the most) bizarre events in the history of professional bass fishing, Paul Elias hooked and boated a black leather wallet this morning. Big deal, right? Well, this wallet contained the drivers license, several credit cards and UAW Local 108 membership card of long missing and suspected murdered union boss James Hoffa. A hoax? Apparently not.

Arkansas State Police were called to the lake, and 20 acres of prime water was immediately cordoned off as a crime scene. Elias said he hooked the wallet in "about 20 feet of water." According to Arkansas State Police spokesman Art Kellen, the wallet had been in the water for some time, but the ID was preserved because plastic is slow to break down.

Divers were called to the scene and in the lake's clear water quickly located a pair of concrete blocks with men's black wingtip-style shoes molded in to them. "The shoes match the general description of the color and type of shoes Mr. Hoffa was known to be wearing the day that he disappeared, according to the Detroit police," stated Arkansas State Police investigator George Skully. He added: "The northern boys (Detroit Metro Police) are sending a man down right away, and he should be here in a few hours."

Elias told BassFan that he was shocked when he saw what he had. "My first thought was that someone would be glad to get their wallet back. But when I looked through it, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I thought it was a joke until I got to that Michigan driver's license. I remember what that whole deal was, and I recognized the name and picture right away."

BassFan will continue to follow this story as it develops.

[annyokie]

I don't know if this is true, but it isn't filed as a hoax in this newsletter.

[TexasCajun]

I don't know if this is true...

Does the date April 1st mean anything to you?

[Sacajaweau]

Hooked a bas*, huh?

[annyokie]

That's why I am skeptical.

[annyokie]

ping

[AlbertWang]

If you dump a body into this particular lake, after about 18 months the billfold and ID will be nothing but slime. uhhh...... that's what I've been told, its not like i have any firsthand experience.

[norwaypinesavage]

All fishermen are liars, except you and me.

[Blue Screen of Death]

Anyone know what kind of line he was using? 10lb test, 12lb test? What kind of rig? Sliding sinker with 24inch leader? Was he using a Ranger Bass Boat with a Merc? Tell us the important stuff!!!!

[annyokie]

Any one who fishes off a boat other than a Javelin with an Evinrude 200 HP motor is a piker. (A little fishing humor there.)

[Dacus943]

"If you dump a body into this particular lake, after about 18 months the billfold and ID will be nothing but slime. uhhh...... that's what I've been told, its not like i have any firsthand experience"

Sorry to disagree with ya! I checked and was still able to read the stuff in Nylon Type Wallets with no problems!

By the way thanks for causing me to freeze my butt off, and catch this horrible cold!!! ;->

[lilylangtree]

Geez, I liked the idea that Hoffa was holding up some corner of a high-rise.

[gg188]

Arkansas...?

[wolficatZ]

"George Skully"

( x-files theme music..)

[woofer]

I thought it was a joke until I got to that Michigan driver's license. I remember what that whole deal was, and I recognized the name and picture right away."

BZZZZZT! The story almost had an inkling of believability to it until the writer slipped up with the picture onm the Michigan license. No state put pictures on their drivers license in the 60's. Laminated, too!

Happy April Fools!

[Diver Dave]

...and UAW Local 108 membership card...

Uhhhh, Hoffa was a Teamster - Not UAW.

Entertainment Score = 9 1/2. :)

[archy]

Arkansas...?

Yeah, Arkansas. Of particular interest for two reasons. One being that it was in an Arkansas lake that one of the weapons used in the RFK murder was found, and also because Arkansas is gas-tank close to Memphis, center of operations for Jimmy Hoffa's adopted son and heir Chuckie O'Brian.

[archy]

BZZZZZT! The story almost had an inkling of believability to it until the writer slipped up with the picture onm the Michigan license. No state put pictures on their drivers license in the 60's. Laminated, too!

Not so. Hoffa didn't disappear fromn the parking lot of the Machus' Red Fox Restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on Detroit's northside until July 30, 1975. And on and off from 1970 to 1975 I was a bouncer and doorman at nightclub and biker bar on the Illinois state line across from a junior college town when Indiana had a 21-year-old drinking age and Illinois' was 19. Both states had photos on their driver's licenses, and so did Michigan, which has used photographs since 1965.

The story may or may not be a hoax. But not on the basis of a driver's license photo. That detail is correct.

[archy]

I don't know if this is true, but it isn't filed as a hoax in this newsletter

See following previous FReeppost.

[archy]

Arkansas...?

Arkansas.

[gg188]

Does the fact that the article is dated April 1 make one think that maybe this is an April Fool's joke?