[meteorite-list] MY REGRETS AND APOLOGY

From: wahlperry at aol.com <wahlperry_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 02:03:11 -0400
Message-ID: <8CCC39DC3A8261F-1488-7545_at_webmail-d011.sysops.aol.com>

Hi List,

I will try to make this short and sweet.?


In Wisconsin we all know the true story. Myself and Marc Fries both
responded to the list about what happened. Bill Kies has since sent me
an apology off list. West Texas, who knows what he is talking about.
Georgia -get over it.


I was contacted by an older gentleman regarding meteorite hunting. It
took ?awhile for me to gain trust in him and then I took him under my
wing and began to teach him about meteorite hunting. I gave this
individual numerous meteorites including some sentimental ones that
were found by Jim Kriegh and myself. I gave him these to start his
collection. I invited this gentleman into my home and trusted him like
a father. I decided to show him the ropes and how to hunt. I took him
out for a few hours one day and we did not find anything. On another
occasion I decided to take him to an area that I had been working for
the past 8 years. This was a cold find area and I am working closely
with a University in classifying and mapping out this unique fall area.
On this particular day this man found a nice meteorite. This meteorite
was found less than 50 feet from where I left this individual in the
strewnfield. Granted, I had told him to go out to this valley before
but not to this exact location that I was working on. If you read the
story in Meteorite Times and the posts to the List from the finder you
will get an idea of how it went that day with the exception of an
exaggerated distance that he walked. It was a cool find and I was happy
for him. As far as cutting the meteorite, please read the Meteorite
Times story again and you will understand what happened. I reminded
this individual on several occasions that this area needed to be kept
confidential to preserve the work that I have completed and am
submitting to the University. I reminded him that I had been spent 8
years working the area to get it to this point and the finds have
become few and far between. I asked him to keep this area confidential
and he assured me he would.?A short time later I received a phone call
 from a friend saying this individual had invited them to hunt "his new
strewnfield". They declined the offer knowing the true story behind the
find.


When I returned from my first Wisconsin hunt I decided to call this
individual. I was excited to share the hunting story and tell him about
the trip and Brix's find. He had just sent a couple of nice posts to
the List congratulating Brix and myself about the find. You would think
that if he was angry with me about the meteorite he would have NOT sent
these posts as recently as APRIL. During our conversation he informed
me that he had taken 6 to 8 people out to my strewnfield meteorite
hunting while I was away. I was extremely upset about his decision to
expose my area. You have to understand I spent 8 years in this area
5-10 days a month working in secrecy, quietly documenting things and
staying out of sight. Now it was exposed, he had spent 2 hours in the
area I had spent 8 years. His only explanation was to ask me why I
wanted to keep it quiet and what I was trying to accomplish. He wanted
to share the area with everyone. Any hunter who had diligently spent
time in the field will understand my frustration.If he would have found
the area or meteorite on his own it would have been different. I still
will not publish this data for years. After becoming angry I told this
individual that I will never take him hunting again. I asked him to not
contact me. A few days later he decided that I tricked him into giving
me half of the meteorite, threatened to sue me by email, threatened to
post stories about the Georgia incident if I did not give the meteorite
back to him. He also tried to extort me by email and left messages on
my cell phone. I have kept all of these records. I have forwarded all
of his threats to the IMCA and notified Art at the Meteorite List. This
is why Robert Ward had to post this story for this man.?


If this gentleman had expressed an interest in having the other half of
the meteorite I would have GLADLY given it to him before this incident.
He even came over and took photographs of the 2 halves together. We
hung out and discussed different polishing methods and whose half would
look better. He never asked for the other half back. If it was truly an
issue for him he would have asked for it while he was in my home with
the 2 halves together. ?You can now understand my frustration from the
betrayal, threats, and trying to ruin my hard work in this strewnfield.
Remember 2 hours versus 8 years is a huge difference.


As far as splitting finds goes, Rob, we know what your agreements are
but why don't you state them publicly? What is your policy with your
hunting partners on your rare finds in Oman and other countries? What
about all of the Glorieta hunters who split their finds? Also what
about the hunters who go to the Sahara? As for me, with all previous
UNIQUE finds I have split them 50/50 with my hunting partners
regardless who finds them. Just check out the Portales story on the
meteorite hunt page at nevadameteorites.com.







Regards,?

Sonny?








-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Ward &lt;ironfromthesky.com at gmail.com&gt;
To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 8:39 pm
Subject: [meteorite-list] MY REGRETS AND APOLOGY

Hello List, Count Deiro and several others has tried to post this andit
would not go through for some reason, so I am giving it a try.?Regards,
Robert WardDear Listees,Like many of us, I was taken aback by Bill
Kies' outburst concerningSonny Clary's alleged bad behavior in the
Wisconsin field. WhileBills' attack was admittedly shrill, I couldn't
help but wonder whatactually happened in Wisconsin...or what happened
with Sonny inTexas....or in Georgia. Well, after much soul-searching, I
have cometo conclude it's my responsibility to share what happened in
Nevada.First, however, I have two admissions to make for which I am
embarrassed:1. After I found my first meteorite, Nevada's largest,
Sonny Claryinformed me "It's customary to give the person with whom you
arehunting half of whatever you find." I had no reason not to
believehim. Sonny had the meteorite cut the very next morning. When I
wasadvised that Sonny's custom of meteorite sharing was not customary,
Iasked for it back and he refused. I became angry and I
threatenedSonny, and for that I apologize.2. I felt stung by the first
wave of criticism when the meteorite wascut, and in an effort to
deflect such criticism, I allowed Sonny topost on his web site and the
List an accounting of my find where Ideclared that splitting the
meteorite had been done in gratitude forSonny's mentoring me. This was
also inaccurate, and for thisfabrication I apologize as well.This was
not the first time that Sonny and I had hunted, and as Istood in shock
and delight looking down at my first find, Sonny said,"Guido, I know we
don't have a deal and I don't want to piss you off,but it's customary
to give the person with whom you're hunting half ofwhatever you find."
Sonny was a mile away when I found this meteorite,at our third location
of the day, and one where I had hunted beforewith my grandsons and
friends. When I later asked Sonny why he hadarranged to have it cut so
quickly, Sonny admitted that he had done sobecause "I knew there was a
chance that you would change your mind."Folks, I was blessed to find my
first meteorite at age 73. From anexperience which should have been a
source of only immense joy, I havealso sadly experienced confusion,
sorrow, anger and embarrassment.Sonny still refuses to return the other
half of the meteorite, andwhile that's deeply upsetting to me, more
importantly than anymeteorite or the anguish experienced, I am sorry if
I've disappointedyou, my friends on this great List.Humbly and
sincerely,Count DeiroIMCA
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Received on Mon 17 May 2010 02:03:11 AM PDT