"Nessie" Comes to Artist Lake
The Port Jefferson Echo
May 7, 1898
Middle Island
Artist Lake a beautiful body of water in this village has been invaded by a sea serpent. It was seen by Mr. Randall, about six O’clock Tuesday morning. Mr. Randall was on his way to see a man. He stopped at the lake to water his horse. While the horse was drinking and Mr. Randall was admiring the placid face of nature, the sea serpent rose up out of the middle of the lake, about fifteen feet of it being above the water. It had ears like cheese box covers. It remained a moment above the water and then dove, curving its back as it did so. Mr. Randall estimates that at least fifty feet of it appeared above the water before it went entirely under. It had no more than disappeared from sight than it came up again nearer the shore, causing great waves to roll up on the beach. The horse was so paralyzed by the fright that it did not move until the serpent came up the second time, when it started on a run for home. Mr. Randall says he distinctly saw the serpent wink at him, when the horse started. This serpent is supposed to have come from the Connecticut River in the night and came across Mr.. Prosser’s farm to the lake. Mr. Still who lives by the river saw a track that morning, heading east from the river, which looked as if someone had dragged a heavy hogshead lengthwise along the ground. Benjamin Davis, the veteran hunter is watching for its return to the river every night, with his gun and when he sees it, he is going to --- run. Residents near the lake have made arrangements to have Mr. Bayles our notary go to the lake on the serpent’s reappearance and have him take his affidavit as to the correctness of the above facts
Scientist