[Yes Kids, I'm now getting all the AP/UPI Satan stuff!]
By STEVE ROBRAHN Associated Press Writer
JACKSON, Ky. (AP) -- Rumors of devil worship and child ab-
duction have spread like wildfire across a large section of
eastern Kentucky, stumping police who have fielded thousands of
telephone calls from terrified residents.
"This is the first time to my knowledge that a rumor of this
nature has gotten to this proportion," said Elijah Hollon, a
Laurel County sheriff's deputy. "This one seems like it's carry-
ing on much more than anything I've ever seen before."
"It got wild here," Jackson Mayor Frank Noble said. "You
could have brought a bunch of guns in here and made a fortune."
He said he understood that one department store had sold out of
guns.
A survey of sheriff's offices, police departments and Ken-
tucky State Police posts found satanic rumors have spread into at
least 25 eastern Kentucky counties since late July.
In most cases, the rumors hold that Satan worshipers are
looking for blond, blue-eyed children to kill in a sacrifice to
the devil. Someversions say the satanic followers must round up
several children to sacrifice before Halloween.
All the law enforcement officials surveyed last week said
they believed the stories were false. Most agencies reported in-
vestigating and finding no supporting evidence.
Hollon and other officers said they believed the stories
started in Breathitt County, where a grave robbery was discovered
July 18. Two juveniles and four adults were charged in connection
with the grave desecration.
Noble, who also is Jackson's police chief, said officers
found a pentacle or five-pointed star on the floor of a mobile
home the defendants are alleged to have used for satanic
ceremonies. The words "Satan Rules" were inscribed outside a cir-
cle around the star symbol, he said.
At each point of the star, officers discovered a drop of
what was believed to be blood, Noble said. Videotapes and books
on the occult were confiscated from the trailer on Aug. 15, he
said.
Many residents wrongly believed that police were withholdng
information about the grave robbery and possible satanic connec-
tions, Noble said.
"At first we couldn't even calm people down," he said. "Un-
til we got the trailer, we couldn't come right out and say they
were devil worshiping."
