Mysterious cloaked man left political handouts at Denton restaurants

by Nick Stanton of North Texas Daily

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He has not been seen since January 30.

DENTON — A mysterious man whisked through four popular family restaurants recently, leaving strange messages for customers and workers. He handed out fliers to restaurant goers urging them to “Put A Stop to Domestic Terrorists.”

An Olive Garden patron said it really made her feel like it was some type of “cloak and dagger” operation. The man was tall, shaggy-haired and wearing a long trench coat that fell below his knees.

The man’s trek through Denton hotspots on January 30 started at the Red Lobster at 7 p.m. and continued down the row of restaurants on Interstate-35, hitting Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, and On The Border within an hour.

Red Lobster manager Rachel Turlington, who was told of the odd visitor by a guest, said she pursued the man as he continued to pass out pieces of paper slightly larger than a business card.

Turlington said that when she got close to the intruder and asked him to leave, he told her, “This is a national emergency.”

She said she “literally chased him out the door.”

Similar events occurred at the other restaurants around Denton. The man seemed to have no intention of talking, only passing out his cards, witnesses said.

“He was fast as hell,” said Justin Archer, an Olive Garden server and recent UNT graduate.

The man was in and out before management really had time to notice, Archer said.

Managers at Texas Roadhouse and On the Border also made the man leave their restaurants, but in both cases he had already gotten to most of the patrons.

His cards accuse four former government officials of trying to “highjack the United States Government.” They also included quotes from present and past political figures, including President James Madison’s quote, “If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.”

The cards also cited two Bible verses, including Psalm 115:11, which says “All you who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord. He is a help and a Shield.”

Denton Police Sgt. Matthew Cain said that even if the man had filed for a solicitation permit, he wouldn’t be allowed in those restaurants because of their soliciting policies or signs.

The man’s refusal to leave after management told him to do so could be classified as Criminal Trespass, a Class B misdemeanor, Cain said.

To his knowledge, Cain said, Denton police had not been notified of any other bizarre visits since the initial four.

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