Spring-Heeled Jack revisited

Among the oddest criminal cases in history is that of Spring-Heeled Jack. Starting in 1837, with a sighting as recent as 1987, this paranormal creature was said to be capable of very high leaps reminiscent of someone bouncing on springs, wore a tight fitting helmet and skin-tight clothing described as something like an oil skin, and was claimed to exhale blue flame and complete with red glowing eyes. Often dismissed as a folktale, there was a very disturbing aspect to the creature that could only be taken as attempted sexual assault. In october of 1837 Mary Stevens, who worked as a servant girl, was walking near Clapham common, a 200 acre grassy area in south London. The creature lept at her, grabbed her by the arms, and began kissing her and ripping her clothing off. She began screaming, caught the attention of others nearby and the creature fled. This is not typical of victorian period romanticized folktales, which generally contain just about everything except sex. Word spread throughough England, and a hysteria formed. Multiple sightings ensued, and the descriptions of the creature grey to include have metallic claws on his hands. Girls were claimed to be assaulted and struck dumb by the creature, and all manner of supernatural phenomena were associated with the creature, including a claim that he was an incarnation of the devil. Mixed with these widely varying accounts were more sexual assaults.

On February 20th, Jane Alsop answered the door of her father's house to find the voice of a man claiming to be a police officer saying that he had caught spring-heeled jack and that she should bring him a light. When she did, she was assaulted by the creature, who ripped at her dress and hair. A suspect was apprehended, and even confessed, but Alsop claimed that he was not the perpetrator in that he could not breathe blue flame. Sightings continued. In 1870 a group of soldiers spotted him, and even shot at him. The creature dissappeared before suddenly reappearing, slapping one of the soldiers and bouncing off. Later that year, a mob cornered the creature and shot him, but claimed that while he was obviously hit, the bullets bounced off and made a sound as though they were hitting metal. The creature then defiantly lept away. In 1953, across the world in Texas, a creature that may have been spring-heeled Jack was sighted in a pecan tree near an apartment complex. Three witnesses described a creature in tight fitting pants, a black cape and boots.