The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-12-04
JACK THE PUNCHER.
AN IRDiviDUAL OF NERVE AND
NOTORIETY.
PUNCHES lES AND INSULTS T1gsY.
lack Hns Becn About Several Wees and
During that Time Has Iu.uited n Dozen
women and Punched many Young siea.
TEc IN Sly Fellow.

There IL an Individual In this city who
has made for himself n reputation which
will get him Into peck OF trouble before
many more days. Who he is. from
whence lie came, or where he will be, are
questions which are us deep as the most
profound mystery. But he Is here ~
dozens OF mon and as maLy women will
declare. and the only name he is known
by 10 Jack the Puncher"
There have been Jacks" OF ripping,
hugRlng, kissing and whipping notoriety
but the latest Innovation TOO that unenvia.
BILE vocation 10 not SO daring US his pre-
decessors but he Ia entirely TO impudent,
Insulting and dangerous To be at liberty.
The women he has ilsulted have request
oil that they be- given no publicity In the
matter, but young men who have met the
stranger to their sorrow speak willingly
and threaten him with violence II caught.
Jack and his victims have been the SUB.
1ect OF conversation among west side ia.
miles Tor weeks until now many young
women are afraid TO leave thelr homes i'll
the evening and evon young men have
become alarmed about the stranger.
At first the STORY was regarded as a
myth. but assaults and insults became so
frequent that doubling persons became
convinced that THERE was Jack" In this
city, and man whose presence was OBJ
jecti0nabe to them.
jacks manner OF punching men and In
.sultinK women Is characteristic of himself
from what little can be learned OF him.
He Is coward, Tor whon he makes an ut.
tack he does so 80 quietly that tho one at
tackled OF insulted does not see him until
they feel his clutch.
Equally Us mysterious he leaves them
and all they eau tell of their experience Is
that lit was a mum wearing a light over
coat" 1t Yves several weeks ago when
this individual made his appearance on
Adams street between Fourth and sixth
streets and at that time approached a
woman and after taking hold OF her out.
rageonsly iDsulted her. The man made
his escape and was not heard of for sever.
al days and when he was the complaint
came from the residents OF West and
Washington streets.
On that occasion Jack accosted q young
woman at Fifth and West streets and re-
peated Lis outrageous assault. When the
stranger was seen in that neighbour God
Information was lodged with the autbori-
ties, and officers sent out to look for th o
man who was making life Inisera Bile for
women. The search revealed nothing,
and "a several days passed without Jack
being heard OF tho authorities concluded
that the man had disappeared. But they
were mistaken, as Jack bobbed up serene.
ly again OH the west side. anu at this
time in that suburb known as Bancroft u
Banks.
This little suburb Is a lovely spot after
dark and the stranger worked there sever.
nl nights with what he called success. but
to the women lie met. In almost every
instance he appeared along the park drive,
as That tkoroughfaro Ia frequently used
by persons Id going from this city to the
suburb. Jack again disappeared az my,
steriously as he had appeared.
Meanwhile Chief OF Police Dolan had an
extra numter OF patrOmen working In
that nelRhburhood, but Jack was sly
enough not to meet any OF thu blue coats
who would have made him a;prisoner AT
ANY cost The matter becam quiet again
but timid women still had recolleotioua
oil tho experiences OF their friends and
would not leave their homes In company
with an escort.
Sunday WIS another day for Jack and
this time he appeared on the II lglands. A
young mum. whose parents reside OH the
kennett Pike, anu who is well known was
the victim. lie had been IN town and had
ridden us far US Bancrofts lane on tile
cars OF the City Railway Company. Fr or
THIS point, In order TO reach his home ht
hhu 10 pass through lonely field anC
along road which is lined on one sid.
by heavy thicket and 1t was al ong Till
untreqnented road that the you ng mar
was approached. and without rem ark
was dealt stunning blow on the breast.
lhs young man fell to the ground but
managed to reach his home and inform
his parents Of what had occurred. The
indignant parent. armed with shot gun
and accompanied by several neighbors
nuouieu tne tntck6L ana WOOu near whefi
his son hid been assaulted, but they coult
nnd no trace OF the individual This young
man declared his assaiant to be- q maj
wearing light overcoat, having a mus
tache and wearing soft hat. He did o
$50 tho stranger approach nor did he se
him make his escape.
Lust night he was again heard from
Asa young woman was walking owl
Ninth street she was met by the mnn VIII,
insulted her. She ran along Adams tree
and on porch, where she remained fol
Bome time. These are ohly u few OF tn,
assaults and Insults of this stranger
There could be related several others bu
owing to the prominence of the partie
their names are withheld. Last Saturda
the wife of u police officer was insulted
aud a few minutes before he had insult 81
ayounR woman who lived a snort dis
thDee from where he met the married
Indy.
That the villain is as ely as any mar
who has ever terrurized residents Is prov
en- by his continued attacks. 1t Is hoped
that the officers who are now looking fol
him may be- successful In their searcl
and lodge this Jack. the Punch6r," q
'lnsulter" behind prison bars No pun
ishment could be too severe for such
scoundrel. 1t Ia the impression that tn
individual is demented man. but, who
ever hs 10, he should DO he'd resp unsib
for his routageous conduct. Who ca
he De2