Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-10-02
Spring-Heeled Jack.

1t is now nearly half a century since
the inhabitants of London and its su-
burbs were kept in a constant state of
terror by a man, who, under various dis
guises, would suddenly appear before
the unsuspecting pedestrian, and, after
having nearly frightened the traveller
out Of his or her senses, would as sud
denly disappear with terrible bounds,
leaving the impression upon his alright
ed victim that his Satanic Majesty had
COndescended to pay him visit in per-
son. Evening was the time generally
chosen by this eccentric character for
his exploits, and, doubtless, there are
many who can recollect the pang of fear
which shot through their hearts when,
leaping from some dark corner, out of q
doorway, or over a hedge, he stood be-
fore them.
Who this singular being was, or what
the true object of his capades, can only
be left to conjecture, as he was never
captured; certain it is, that robbery was
not the motive, for he was never known
to take a single coin from his victims,
even when fright had rendered them an
easy prey, nor did he often practice any
other degree Of cruelty beyond soaring
them, which, however, was quite sutEci-
ent, as in some instances the sufferers
never thoroughly recovered the shock
to their nerves.
The only surmise to his identity that
was ever hazarded was that he was the
Marquis of Waterford-then famous as a
ringleader in all that saVOred of fun and
frOlic, but not a shadow of proof could
be ever adduced in support of this the
DRY. The more general belief appears to
have been that there were several per
sons concerned in the affair; that they
were membres of high families, and that
the cause of their Pranks was bet OF
SO, 5000 that they would procure the death
of not less than thirty human being, APP
pOrtiOning them with nice discrimina
ton as follows: Eight old bachelors; ten
old maids and six ladies' maids, and as
many servant girls as they could, trust
ing that by depriving them of their reas-
on, they would accelerate their deaths
This is, of course, incredible, but the
chief clerk of the Mansion House Police
Court, in a letter to the newspapers, said
it was so reported to a committee that
was formed by the Lord Mayor for the
purpose of tracking and prosecuting the
scOundrels.
It is difficult to assign the exact local
ity which gave birth to this eXtraOrdi.
nary freak, either side of the Thames
claiming the distinction, some av5rring
that it was at Hammersmith, others
again that it was Barnes. The mos
trustworthy account gives the palm tC
the latter village.
It was the latter end Of1837, at Barnes
that the ghost made its appearance IL
the shape of a large white bull, attacking
many persons, more particularly women
many of whom suffered most severely
from the fright. At East Sheen, in thu
form of white bear, the alleged spiri
carried on similar gambOls. His ghost
ship then extended his operations to tn
town renowned for maids of honor
and in the course Of a few days all Rich
mOnd was aghast at the tales of womel
being frightened to death and of chill
dren being torn to pieces by him. tn
search after the unearthly visitant wa
here becoming too warm for him, and b
shifted the scene Of his labors to Ham
Kingston and Hampton, at which latte
place he was seen, clad in armOr Of bras
with spring shoes and large claW-lik
gloves, but being holly pursued he scale
the walls of Bushey Park and vanished
Teddington, TWickenham and Hour
slow, all had stories to tell of his appear
ance and in Sion Park, the seat of tn
Duke of Northumberland, many an
fearful were the injuries said to hay
been inflicted by him. at IsleWOrth