Spring Heeled Jack | Page 2

three daughters, to state the particulars of an outrageous assault
upon one of his daughters, by a fellow who goes by the name of the
suburban ghost, or 'Spring-Heeled Jack.'"
"Miss Jane Alsop, one of the young ladies, gave the following
evidence:--"
"About a quarter to nine o'clock on the preceding night she heard a
violent ringing at the gate in front of the house; and on going to the
door to see what was the matter, she saw a man standing outside, of
whom she inquired what was the matter."
"The person instantly replied that he was a policeman, and said, 'For
Heaven's sake bring me a light, for we have caught Spring-Heeled Jack
here in the lane.'"
"She returned into the house and brought a candle and handed it to the
person, who appeared enveloped in a large cloak."
"The instant she had done so, however, he threw off his outer garment,
and applying the lighted candle to his breast, presented a most hideous
and frightful appearance, and vomited forth a quantity of blue and
white flame from his mouth, and his eyes resembled red balls of fire."
"From the hasty glance which her fright enabled her to get at his person,
she observed that he wore a large helmet, and his dress, which appeared
to fit him very tight, seemed to her to resemble white oilskin."
"Without uttering a sentence he darted at her, and catching her partly
by her dress and the back part of her neck, placed her head under one of
his arms, and commenced bearing her down with his claws, which she
was certain were of some metallic substance."
"She screamed out as loud as she could for assistance, and by

considerable exertion got away from him, and ran towards the house to
get in."
"Her assailant, however, followed her, and caught her on the steps
leading to the hall door, when he again used considerable violence, tore
her neck and arms with his claws, as well as a quantity of hair from her
head; but she was at length rescued from his grasp by one of her
sisters."
"Miss Alsop added that she had suffered considerably all night from the
shock she had sustained, and was then in extreme pain, both from the
injury done to her arm, and the wounds and scratches inflicted by the
miscreant on her shoulders and neck, with his claws or hands."
This story was fully confirmed by Mr. Alsop, and his other daughter
said--
"That the fellow kept knocking and ringing at the gate after she had
dragged her sister away from him, but scampered off when she shouted
from an upper window for a policeman."
"He left his cloak behind him, which someone else picked up, and ran
off with."
And again on Feb, 26th, of the same year, we find the following:--
"'THE GHOST, alias 'SPRING-HEELED JACK' AGAIN.--At
Lambeth-street office, Mr. Scales, a respectable butcher, residing in
Narrow-street, Limehouse, accompanied by his sister, a young woman
eighteen years of age, made the following statement relative to the
further gambols of Spring-Heeled Jack:--"
"Miss Scales stated that on the evening of Wednesday last, at about
half-past eight o'clock, as she and her sister were returning from the
house of their brother, and while passing along Green Dragon-alley,
they observed some, person standing in an angle in the passage."
"She was in advance of her sister at the time, and just as she came up to

the person, who was enveloped in a large cloak, he spurted a quantity
of blue flame right in her face, which deprived her of her sight, and so
alarmed her, that she instantly dropped to the ground, and was seized
with violent fits, which continued for several hours."
"Mr. Scales said that on the evening in question, in a few minutes after
his sisters had left the house, he heard the loud screams of one of them,
and on running up Green Dragon-alley he found his sister Lucy, who
had just given her statement, on the ground in a fit, and his other sister
endeavoring to hold and support her."
"She was removed home, and he then learned from his other sister what
had happened."
"She described the person to be of tall, thin, and gentlemanly
appearance, enveloped in a large cloak, and carried in front of his
person a small lamp, or bull's eye, similar to those in possession of the
police."
"The individual did not utter a word, nor did he attempt to lay hands on
them, but walked away in an instant."
"Every effort was subsequently made by the police to discover the
author of these and similar outrages, and several persons were taken up
and underwent lengthened examinations, but were finally set at liberty,
nothing being elicited to