Spring Heeled Jack has been described by eye witnesses as having a menacing and frightening appearance when you look upon his face. Jack's eyes protrude and glow like red fire,........... he has a slim, pointed nose and ears, an elongated jaw, phosphorus type breath when he breaths, that at times shoots out blue and white flames, when he hisses! His build is lean and muscular and witnesses have described him as being quite tall. Sharp metal tips are found at the end of his claw like fingers and he is dressed in a tight fitting white or silver type body suit, under a long dark cape. Some of the myriad of reports claim that Jack was seen in a type of helmet. The voice of this strange visitor, is said to be extremely high in pitch and his diabolical laughter has been heard many times, after an encounter.
The gravity of our earth did not seem to have the same effect on Jack, as he was seen leaping to extraordinary heights with a single bound!
Jack has been around for a very long time. He was first reported in 1837 and the last official sighting was in 1986!
Sightings were reported all over England, Scotland, Czechoslovakia (his name was changed to Perak, Spring Man of Prague) and he has even made an appearance in the United States!
The long story, all begins ......with a gentleman returning home from work in 1837. The report states that a "man" leaped out over the cemetery fencing and landed directly in front of the witness. Although the witness was not physically assaulted, he was distressed over the ghastly appearance of the "leaping man." The description that was given..... states that the man was devilish in appearance, large pointed ears and nose and protruding.... glowing eyes.
On to October 1837, where we have the report of Mary Stevens. Mary had just got done visiting her parents in Battersea and was on her way to work in Lavender Hill , ......when it happened. While walking through Clapham Common a man leaped out at her from a gloomy side alley. The man proceeded to grab Mary and hold her tightly in his arms, while pressing kisses on her face. The figure was hysterically ripping at her bodice and groping her tender bosom, with his sharp claws! Mary let out a frantic, blaring scream and the attacker fled with incredible leaping bounds.
A search was quickly brought about by the residents of the area, to find the culprit. No one was ever found!
Only 24 hours had passed from the last incident, when the bizarre character leapt directly in front of a passing carriage, which resulted in the coachman loosing control of the vehicle and crashing to the ground. The coachman was severely injured. Witnesses to the event said the figure leaped a 9' high wall, while letting out a very high pitched laugh.
It was at this point that the press named him.....................................
" Spring Heeled Jack."
Events involving Jack, now seemed to be everywhere. Reports came in from Kensington, Hammersmith, Ealing, Stockwell, Brixton, Camberwell, Vauxhall, Lewisham and Blackheath.
The strange experiences were reported in "The Times" as well as other national papers. Letters were coming in from all over London, to the Lord Mayor, describing the clawed , red-eyed culprit. Some of the reports claim that people had literally died of fright,.. upon seeing Jack.
The Mayor ordered the police to search for Jack and cash rewards were offered to the public.
NO ONE WAS EVER FOUND.
On February,19, 1838, Jane Alsop answered a knock, at the front door of her house. A man, standing in shadow, stated he was a police officer and needed Jane to bring a light, because " We have captured Spring Heeled Jack, here in the lane."
Jane fetched a candle and walked out to the cloaked man. Upon handing the man the light, he spun towards her,...throwing off his long dark cloak.....instantly revealing skin tight clothing, resembling oilskin.
Jane screamed in horror when her eyes met, his red eyes of fire. Jack hissed...... shooting out blue and white flames, from his mouth. The frightening looking specter began clawing at her dress, trying to rip it open, while Jane desperately fought him off. After an intense struggle, Jane managed to get away, and ran back to her front steps. Jack continued to reach and claw at her, ripping open the flesh on her neck and arms. Jane's sister heard the commotion outside the front door, and ran to Jane's aid. Upon the sister coming out, Jack immediately fled the scene.
The next very well noted account took place on February, 28, 1838. Lucy Scales accompanied by her sister were on their way home from Limehouse. They were passing along Green Dragon Alley, when they noticed a shadowy figure, standing in the passage.
As they came upon the cloaked person, he spewed blue flames into Lucy's face, which momentarily blinded her! Lucy fell to the ground and was seized with violent fits for several hours.
The brother of Lucy, a butcher who lived nearby, heard the screams of the girls, and ran to their rescue. He discovered his two sisters, who had just got done visiting him, on the ground having a fit. The police were contacted and an official report made. Many people were questioned by the authorities,..............but NO ONE WAS EVER FOUND!
In 1843 sightings were becoming common and covered the country. A favorite pass time of Jack's was to leap out at the mail coaches, and attack the drivers.
Spring Heeled Jack went on to be sighted and reported in 1870,1872 and 1873. Many stories to the events were published in the "Illustrated Police News", "The Times" and the "News of the World" newspapers.
In August of 1877, a group of soldiers in Aldershot's barracks, reported a run in with Jack. A sentry on duty noticed a figure bounding straight toward him, while making some kind of metallic noise.
The soldier yelled out a challenge and the figure disappeared for a brief time. The soldier then returned to his post....and the strange figure reappeared right beside him! The stunned soldier stood frozen, while Jack slapped him several times in the face, with a cold hand.
Hearing the tumult, several men raced upon the scene. The strange character lept over all of their heads and landed directly behind the group. One soldier fired his gun......but it appeared to have no effect on Jack. The figure then bound into the darkness.
The soldiers dubbed him. "The Night Terror."
In Lincolnshire, in the year 1877, Jack was fired upon again! An angry mob managed to chase him down and had Jack cornered , while some residents shot their firearms at him. Jack managed to use his leaping abilities to escape the rage filled crowd and vanish once again.
In 1888, Jack was clearly spotted, just sitting on the roof of Saint Francis Xavier's Church in North Liverpool.
After being fired upon, it seem that Jack realized he had worn out his welcome and wandered out of England. A fantastic amount of reports came in during the years 1939-1945....... from Czechoslovakia! A figure that matched Jack description exactly, was up to his old tricks. In Czechoslovakia he was known as "Perak, the Spring Man of Prague."
It seems Jack has even visited the good old USA! On June 18th, 1953....a figure whose description corresponds with Jack's completely, was seen perched in a pecan tree in the yard of an apartment building, in Houston Texas. The witnesses.....Hilda Walker, Howard Phillips and Judy Meyers, said a man in a black cape, with skin tight clothing and quarter-length boots, was roosted up high in the tree, peering down upon them!
The final report was made in 1997. A salesman named Marshall, living in in South Herefordshire, near the Welsh border, stated he encountered Jack in 1986. Marshall said that a man came bounding along the road with inhuman leaps and upon passing Marshall on the road....SLAPPED HIS FACE! The salesman said he was wearing a skintight black body suit of sorts and had a very elongated chin.
(I know it is wrong,.....but this just makes me laugh!)
So what is he?
Who is he?
Is Jack a marooned alien from a planet with much stronger gravity, then that of our dear earth? Is Jack's home planet of a different atmosphere then our earth,...which gives him the phosphorus or fire type breath?
It certainly seems to me that this fella is not from around here.
After all,........where do marooned aliens go?
There is a tremendous amount of written records, court documents and newspaper articles on our otherworldly friend. I have no doubt that he is very real,..........the question is WHAT IS HE?
Here is a short video on the history of Spring Heeled Jack..............................
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZYvD2XsxPo
No comments:
Post a Comment