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S. Ryan
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 01, 2005 - 12:19 pm: | 
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About a week ago I was reading about an odd character named Spring Heeled Jack, genuinely thinking this was a childrens fairytale.As the report went on, I realised the report of this creature was actually non fiction. I immediately conducted a search for details of him on the internet and was breathless by what I found:
* This freak(or man), SHJ,terrorised England throughout the 19th century. His attention seeking actions were very interesting.Clad in a cape, with icey hands and sometimes breathing fire, he struck at women from nowhere and raped them aswell.Before anyone noticed, he was gone into the night , dissapearing in seconds.He lept away hugh distances and was totally uncatchable and was never caught.
* In 1888, a freak , just happened to be named Jack, struck at prostitutes in London, then swiftly dissapeared into the night. Nobody ever saw him despite being in a built up city area.On the night of the 'double Event' he made some very stealthy manoeuvres indeed.With hundreds of policeman and detectives after him, he was totally uncatchable.
* Does anybody find this disturbing? Is it possible that this Spring Heeled Jack, after years of tormenting and raping women , decided to up the steaks of his attention seeking thrill ride and terrorise East London for a while?
I see on this website there are over 70 suspects listed. I believe this character is a bona fide suspect. |
Dan Norder
Chief Inspector
Username: Dannorder
Post Number: 507
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2005 - 12:02 am: |
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Hi S,
Springheeled Jack is one of many examples of mass hysteria that bears little or no relationship to anything that actually happened for real. Sometimes stories just take on a life of their own, especially when it's a boogeyman. The same sort of thing happened with Monkey Man and Face-Scratcher hysteria in India, the Mad Gasser of Matoon (Illinois), and many, many others. Jack the Ripper, on the other hand, was a real person. Adding Springheeled Jack as Ripper suspect would be like listing Dracula or Robin Hood.
Dan Norder, Editor
Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
 Profile  Email  Dissertations  Website
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Monty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Monty
Post Number: 1538
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2005 - 12:24 pm: |
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S,Dan,
Just for clarification Dan, you saying Spring heeled Jack is a myth?
I know the descripitions and spring type action are far fetched but the basis of these stories are factual attacks on women. The Mayor of London and the Duke of Wellington believed in this and both tried to do something about these assaults.
I know that the story of this attacker did grown (due to sensationalism) out of proportion and resulted in the mythical creature known as Spring-heeled Jack, but this myth is based of fact. Women were being attacked in and around London in the mid 1800s.
As for this Guy being a bona fide suspect for the Whitechapel murders S, the period which 'Spring-Heeled' struck was Mid 1800s. I would reckon he would have been far too old at best, dead at worst to be a contender for the title of Jack The Ripper.....but as inspiration ? I cite BTK.
Just thinking out loud !!
regards
Monty
I'm funny how, I mean funny, like I'm a clown? I amuse you. I make you laugh? I'm here to f**kin' amuse you? Whattya you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny?
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Dan Norder
Chief Inspector
Username: Dannorder
Post Number: 508
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2005 - 9:47 pm: |
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Yes, I am saying that I believe Springheeled Jack is a myth that likely has no real background in actual events.
Many people who don't understand how folklore and hysteria spread start off on the assumption that stories like this have to be based upon something real that happened, when it's usually not the case. There are lots of outbreaks in history like this where people thought they were chasing a real character only to find absolutely nothing real when they followed up the leads. (There's the Halifax Slasher for one that sounded like it was more grounded in reality, but when investigators followed up on it the early "victims" confessed to making it all up out of nothing.) Someone originally makes up a story, or vastly misinterprets something going on, and suddenly there's an epidemic of similar stories.
I've looked into Springheeled Jack, examined a very large number of other examples of hysteria and what started them when it's possible to trace it back, and I'm firmly convinced that there was nothing real in this case either. Or, if there was some real event that sparked it, it was so completely different from the stories that there's no point in even comparing them. It could simply be a regular robbery attempt on someone highly fantasy prone who dreamed up all sorts of odd details. No breathing fire, no strange clothes, no vertical leaps, and no follow up attacks except in imagination and fiction.
Folklore and mythology have always been my passion and my educational background is in psychology. My experience with both tells me that the alleged real life attacks never happened and that they were chasing a phantom of the mind. I think it's especially telling that early reports had such strong parallels to old beliefs about supernatural boogeymen in that area. Odd leaps, strange fire, weird clothes and so forth points to the idea that those then and more recently who tried to track down a real attacker were just being pixie-led.
Dan Norder, Editor
Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
Profile Email Dissertations Website
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Leanne Perry
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Leanne
Post Number: 1643
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2005 - 11:02 pm: |
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G'day,
I wrote a story titled 'Spring Heeled Jack, Fiction Based on Fact' for 'Ripperoo' Issue 13.
Here it is here: http://casebook.org/dissertations/ripperoo-spring.html
LEANNE |
Monty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Monty
Post Number: 1539
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 3:27 am: |
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Hi Dan,
Obviously I wasnt clear enough, sorry.
I agree that Spring heeled Jack is a myth, a fantasy figure created out of hysteria and maybe fear.
I disagree with your views that '...there was nothing real in this case either. Or, if there was some real event that sparked it, it was so completely different from the stories that there's no point in even comparing them.'.
Id like to know why
a) you believe theses attacks were never real? do you mean in the sense that they never happend or that they never happend the the fantastic way legend indicates?
b) and Why do you feel theres no point in even comparing them? How do you come to this conclusion?
Experience is a wonderful asset but cant replace cold hard facts.
Respectfully
Monty
I'm funny how, I mean funny, like I'm a clown? I amuse you. I make you laugh? I'm here to f**kin' amuse you? Whattya you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny?
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Christopher T George
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 1290
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 8:54 am: |
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Hi all
I have no evidence that there was nothing "real" about Spring-heeled Jack or on whether the phenomenon was just mass hysteria or a type of folk lore. To address S. Ryan's original query, I do agree with Dan Norder that Spring-heeled Jack has nothing to do with the real-life killer known as "Jack the Ripper" who operated in the East End in 1888 and I see no basis to include Spring-heeled Jack as a bona fide suspect in the case.
Best regards
Chris
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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Monty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Monty
Post Number: 1542
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 9:27 am: |
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Chris,
......Spring-heeled Jack has nothing to do with the real-life killer known as "Jack the Ripper" who operated in the East End in 1888 and I see no basis to include Spring-heeled Jack as a bona fide suspect in the case.
I think Im safe in saying that we are in agreement with that.
Monty
I'm funny how, I mean funny, like I'm a clown? I amuse you. I make you laugh? I'm here to f**kin' amuse you? Whattya you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny?
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Dan Norder
Chief Inspector
Username: Dannorder
Post Number: 509
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 9:56 am: |
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Hi Monty,
You were plenty clear, I just disagree with you.
You wrote:
"do you mean in the sense that they never happend"
I believe people told stories of being attacked. I don't believe most of the reported attacks happened, and I suspect that nobody who reported Springheeled Jack attacks was actually attacked in any way, shape or form, ever, by anyone or anything.
"or that they never happend the the fantastic way legend indicates?"
Absolutely not in the fantastic way the stories are told, and very likely any "attack" that happened had no similarity to the resulting story at all. No breathing fire, no leaping into the air, no glowing clothes, etc.
"Why do you feel theres no point in even comparing them? How do you come to this conclusion?"
Because on the face of it the reports are so outrageously absurd that they could not have happened as described. While some people believe they could have happened somewhat similar to as described, that's still pretty fantastic and not a reasonable conclusion, based upon comparisons of other outlandish stories that were investigated and traced to their mundane origins.
If you are willing to believe that there were attacks but that the victims got the facts of the attack wrong, why then do you have a problem with believing that anyone who could get things that wrong could have imagined or invented the whole thing?
"Experience is a wonderful asset but cant replace cold hard facts."
I would agree with this. But the cold, hard facts you seem to think exist don't exist. People reported attacks. Authorities thought the attacks were real. Those are subjective opinions. Meanwhile, cold, hard facts show plenty of cases where outlandish stories had completely imaginary origins, even ones authorities thought were real at the time. It makes sense then to assume that that's what happened in this case, especially since the alternative is believing something patently absurd.
Dan Norder, Editor
Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
Profile Email Dissertations Website
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Christopher T George
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 1291
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 10:13 am: |
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Hi Dan
You seem to put Spring-heeled Jack in the same category as modern sightings of UFO's, am I right? In other words, you think the reports were either illusions or the work of attention seekers. Right?
All my best
Chris
Christopher T. George
North American Editor
Ripperologist
http://www.ripperologist.info
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Monty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Monty
Post Number: 1543
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 10:32 am: |
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Hi Dan
I believe people told stories of being attacked. I don't believe most of the reported attacks happened, and I suspect that nobody who reported Springheeled Jack attacks was actually attacked in any way, shape or form, ever, by anyone or anything.
You believe? Right, So thats not fact? Just belief and suspicion.
Absolutely not in the fantastic way the stories are told, and very likely any "attack" that happened had no similarity to the resulting story at all. No breathing fire, no leaping into the air, no glowing clothes, etc.
Agreed. Ive never disagreed.
If you are willing to believe that there were attacks but that the victims got the facts of the attack wrong, why then do you have a problem with believing that anyone who could get things that wrong could have imagined or invented the whole thing?
I do not believe the victims got it wrong, but again thats my belief. I believed they were attacked and that the Press reports were sensationalised.
....But the cold, hard facts you seem to think exist don't exist. People reported attacks. Authorities thought the attacks were real. Those are subjective opinions. Meanwhile, cold, hard facts show plenty of cases where outlandish stories had completely imaginary origins, even ones authorities thought were real at the time. It makes sense then to assume that that's what happened in this case, especially since the alternative is believing something patently absurd.
Subjective opinions.....and your opinions/beliefs are??
You cannot simply sweep aside such events because of your experience and beliefs. If I was to dismiss a case in my job just because of belief then I will guilty of prejudice, I would be pre judging without ascertaining the facts. Each case/story should be looked at and judged on its own merits and not on experienced gained via other cases. Things like this should not swept aside because of belief.
I'm funny how, I mean funny, like I'm a clown? I amuse you. I make you laugh? I'm here to f**kin' amuse you? Whattya you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny?
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Monty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Monty
Post Number: 1544
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 10:35 am: |
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Chris,
UFOs?...you mean like the sighting of Sleath Bombers which, in the early days, were reported as UFO sightings ?
Monty...tongue in cheek...still labouring his point !
I'm funny how, I mean funny, like I'm a clown? I amuse you. I make you laugh? I'm here to f**kin' amuse you? Whattya you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny?
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Jennifer D. Pegg
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Jdpegg
Post Number: 1760
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 10:41 am: |
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i think the word you are looking for is exaggeration
Cheers
Jenni
"What d'you think about that? Now you know how I feel"
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George Hutchinson
Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 307
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 7:28 pm: |
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Folks (and Jen would know this, being one of the only Casebook contributors who was there), I organised the seminar A DAY WITH JACK : THE PARANORMAL ASPECTS OF THE JACK THE RIPPER CASE in London in November and our first speaker was the Chairman of The Ghost Club, Alan Murdie who is a barrister specialising his research in criminal cases involving - or purporting to involve - the paranormal. His talk was about none other than Springheeled Jack.
We noted a great deal of similiarities with JTR. Firstly, few people realise he mostly operated in 1838 - 50 years before JTR. He has been subject to myth ever since, he was never formally identified, he attacked strangers at night, he struck terror into the local populace...
Springheeled Jack is not a myth. The STORIES attributed to Springheeled Jack are. I am a professional paranormal investigator and I personally do not believe the tales of red eyes, breathing fire or jumping over walls with a single bound.
However, besides all these accounts we have the sworn tale of several army officers at the Cavalry Barracks in Aldershot (only 4 miles from where I grew up!), where a soldier was reduced to a gibbering wreck on the sight of him and this collection of officers all saw a man pass the window - at First Floor level (Second Floor for the US!).
He existed.
I'm not too sure about this Jack The Ripper guy though. Didn't he make pies from barbers in a Galloway cave and slept in a coffin in Whitby Abbey? 
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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Sir Robert Anderson
Inspector
Username: Sirrobert
Post Number: 217
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 11:50 pm: |
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"I am a professional paranormal investigator"
I don't want to hijack this thread so if you want to email me or shift it to Pub Talk, that's fine. But I can't help but ask: What cases have you looked at that had a paranormal aspect to them? I can't imagine I'm the only one curious...Skeptical, but curious...
Sir Robert
"I only thought I knew"
SirRobertAnderson@gmail.com
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Dan Norder
Chief Inspector
Username: Dannorder
Post Number: 511
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 12:41 am: |
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Monty,
Yes, it's my opinion that Springheeled Jack was completely bogus with no reality whatsoever. You are the one who starting talking about facts, but the problem is you don't have any that would support your conclusion.
As far as stealth fighters being reported as UFOs, for every one case of a stealth fighter being reported as a UFO, there are hundreds that were nothing but weather balloons, Venus shining brightly on the horizon, regular aircraft, light shining on clouds and outright liars and delusional people. And the Springheeled Jack stories are on a whole different level of absurdity than people just reporting lights in the skies.
You claim that we can't use knowledge about other cases to make decisions about this one -- I'm sorry, but that's absolutely ridiculous. Before you can come to a reasoned conclusion about any case, you NEED to study the others. Now that's not to say that you can ignore the facts of this one, but the facts of this one firmly plant it in the field of mass hysteria and nothing more.
Hi Philip,
No offense, but a report of people scared senseless is more a support of mass hysteria than it is evidence of something of actual note having happened. The same exact kind of situation can be used to try to support vampires in Malawi, demonic possession of entire schools in Zimbabwe, a robotic flying monkey man in India, and so forth. Springheeled Jack was just a myth, just like Big Foot, Nessie, the Abominable Snowman, the Halifax Slasher, Muhnochwa the Face Snatcher, Mothman and all the rest. I've studied these cases quite extensively, and the conclusion is obvious, at least to me.
Obviously a number of people disagree with me on that, but that's fine by me. Posters here don't have to agree on everything and never do anyway. But then we still get our opinions in.
Dan Norder, Editor
Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
Profile Email Dissertations Website
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George Hutchinson
Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 311
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 7:18 am: |
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Sir Robert A - send me an e-mail with what you want to know and I'll tell you what you're interested in (I could start a thread in Pub Talk, but it would all be 'me me me' and in all honesty I had had enough of people telling me they woke up to see a woman at the end of their bed about 3 years ago, so I don't encourage it!).
Dan - That's fair enough. At least you point out that there are differences of opinion. It's a shame you totally dismiss it without coming to the common ground that the attacks happened but were given a fictional twist by the press. Had you taken a day trip from the States to last year's seminar (joking!) and been there for the lecture on Springheeled Jack from a man who is very grounded, then maybe you too would have had your opinion changed. Maybe Emma the cat (Diddles protege) on your shoulder wouldn't let you go. A bit like Kaa in The Jungle Book. Except not.
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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AIP
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2005 - 12:43 pm: |
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Let's get the facts right. The Suburban Ghost attacks were 1837-1838, the early rather than mid 1800s. |
S.Ryan
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2005 - 2:52 am: |
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Hi Dan,
S.Ryan here again.When reading about him I thought it was a Robin Hood fairytale until I realised these reports were genuine.I am a sceptic too on such things.Hysteria aside,the authorities not only had police and detectives after him , they thought it important enough to use actual English Army envolvement to track him down.This indicates to me that the authorities thought him to be for real.It is fact that women were actually raped by him, so his crimes were real too.Maybe the hysteria was justified in this case.
One more thing that was bizzare about this character.He left the seen at hugh speed , going hugh distances in a short time and thus could not be tracked.Jack the Ripper proved to be just as ellusive in this department.I have read a thousand times that Jack the Ripper was uncanny in that there was no sightings of him at all after the crimes. |
Monty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Monty
Post Number: 1547
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 07, 2005 - 4:39 am: |
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Dan,
Yes, it's my opinion that Springheeled Jack was completely bogus with no reality whatsoever. You are the one who starting talking about facts, but the problem is you don't have any that would support your conclusion.
It is also my opinion that actual attacker known as Springheeled Jack was completely bogus with no reality whatsoever. I think that I have mentioned that numerous times. The difference is you obviously feel the whole episode was based on hysteria whereas I feel there is some factual element to it in regards to attacks.
You claim that we can't use knowledge about other cases to make decisions about this one -- I'm sorry, but that's absolutely ridiculous. Before you can come to a reasoned conclusion about any case, you NEED to study the others. Now that's not to say that you can ignore the facts of this one, but the facts of this one firmly plant it in the field of mass hysteria and nothing more.
No, I did not say you cannot use knowledge or experience to assist you in drawing a conclusion. What I said was that you cannot come to a fair conclusion just using those two elements without checking the third and most important, the facts (even if to ascertain that they exist). Statements such as "Folklore and mythology have always been my passion and my educational background is in psychology. My experience with both tells me that the alleged real life attacks never happened and that they were chasing a phantom of the mind" indicate that you solely base your conclusions on your experience and knowledge with out actually checking to see if the facts do indeed exist or are factual.
Now that’s how you get to a reasoned conclusion.
Monty
I'm funny how, I mean funny, like I'm a clown? I amuse you. I make you laugh? I'm here to f**kin' amuse you? Whattya you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny?
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Jennifer D. Pegg
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Jdpegg
Post Number: 1807
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 07, 2005 - 10:56 am: |
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Hi guys!!
yes just noticed your comments about the talk Philip. Very enjoyable (think i've said that before somewhere!). anyway, i would sure agree that it would appear it was based on some facts which then got totally overblown beyond all doubt (jumping over hedges wtfs that all about).
and this is all i have to say on that right now!
Jenni |
Dan Norder
Chief Inspector
Username: Dannorder
Post Number: 515
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2005 - 1:42 pm: |
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Hi all,
Monty may have gotten the impression that I hadn't checked the facts of this case and that I solely made my decision on other cases, but that isn't true. But then I've already said that several different times, and he still claims otherwise, so continuing to go around on that point won't get us anywhere.
Philip talks about coming to common ground. The problem with that it says nothing about what really did or did not happen. For example, some people here have taken the attitude that we should take a common ground that Cornwell may have proven Sickert wrote some Ripper letters but that doesn't prove he killed anyone. But then she hasn't proven anything of the sort, and deciding to accept that she has just to find agreement on some points with her and her supporters does the truth a disservice. Compromise for the sake of compromise doesn't tell us what really happened.
Of course the problem here is that to a large part I think you both are saying mostly what I am, but get stuck on just how much got overblown and invented. I think there could have been an attack or two (possibly none at all, though who knows) that had little to no resemblance of the reports that reached us, with other attacks that were sheer hysteria and fiction. You and Monty say there were attacks that got hyped and distorted.
What exactly is the main difference there that you two object to so strongly? You think that there were lots of attacks that really happened? You think that some of the details (fire-breathing, odd clothes, amazing jumping ability) were true and enhanced in stories?
When I hear people claim that it really happened the often try to say that somebody really was jumping, or spitting flames, but they had technology devices or parlour tricks to pull it I know people here in the past have tried to argue for actual spring-loaded boots, which isn't something we can really pull off with today's technology. off. All of that seems to me to be just making odd rationalizations to try to explain what is a lot more likely to be fictitious details and not needing any explanation.
As far as the police having actually investigated it, yes, they did, but then that alone doesn't mean it was really real. Again, the Halifax Slasher and so forth are cases where officials thought attacks were going on and investigated thoroughly but absolutely nothing at all really happened other than shared delusions and attention-seekers. The Springheeled Jack case has all the same signs.
Dan Norder, Editor
Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
Profile Email Dissertations Website
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Monty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Monty
Post Number: 1555
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - 8:29 am: |
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Dan,
Monty may have gotten the impression that I hadn't checked the facts of this case and that I solely made my decision on other cases, but that isn't true. But then I've already said that several different times, and he still claims otherwise, so continuing to go around on that point won't get us anywhere.
Aaaaaargh !!! No Dan. You claimed that your experience in folklore and mythology tells you that these attacks never happened and that they (whoever they are) were chasing a phantom of the mind and not that you came to this conclusion via studying the actual attacks themselves, just the folklore and myths surrounding them.
Of course the problem here is that to a large part I think you both are saying mostly what I am, but get stuck on just how much got overblown and invented. I think there could have been an attack or two (possibly none at all, though who knows) that had little to no resemblance of the reports that reached us, with other attacks that were sheer hysteria and fiction. You and Monty say there were attacks that got hyped and distorted.
Hallelujah.
What exactly is the main difference there that you two object to so strongly? You think that there were lots of attacks that really happened?
Cant talk for Phil but yes and no. Not lots of attacks but attacks did happen.
You think that some of the details (fire-breathing, odd clothes, amazing jumping ability) were true and enhanced in stories?
Have you not read any of my above posts?
When I hear people claim that it really happened the often try to say that somebody really was jumping, or spitting flames, but they had technology devices or parlour tricks to pull it I know people here in the past have tried to argue for actual spring-loaded boots, which isn't something we can really pull off with today's technology. off. All of that seems to me to be just making odd rationalizations to try to explain what is a lot more likely to be fictitious details and not needing any explanation.
As far as the police having actually investigated it, yes, they did, but then that alone doesn't mean it was really real. Again, the Halifax Slasher and so forth are cases where officials thought attacks were going on and investigated thoroughly but absolutely nothing at all really happened other than shared delusions and attention-seekers. The Springheeled Jack case has all the same signs.
Granted….but each case should be judged on its own merits and not on prejudice.
Dan, I do see your point and I will agree to disagree. That said, I do appreciate your post and your explanations for your views.
As always, with you, a pleasure.
Monty
I'm funny how, I mean funny, like I'm a clown? I amuse you. I make you laugh? I'm here to f**kin' amuse you? Whattya you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny?
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George Hutchinson
Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 341
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 4:35 pm: |
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Monty and Dan - Nothing I can add that Monty hasn't said for me in the above posting!
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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Natalie Severn
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Severn
Post Number: 1583
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 5:31 pm: |
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I have been following this with interest.
Although I dont have a definite view over "Spring Heeled Jack" and whether he existed or not I can
accept Dan"s view on the matter in the light of other hostorical cases that were found to be based on group or mass hysteria and which had no basis in fact although they resulted in people being wrongly accused of witchcraft.The late Arthur Miller,who died today,wrote "The Crucible"
based on a true story that demonstrated the power of mass hysteria and wrongful and incriminating evidence that was given by a number of teenage girls in the 17th century village of Salem.
Dan makes a very valid arguement in this respact.However although I know myself to be hedging my bets here, what Monty and Phillip say also sounds reasonable.There could well have been an oddball getting himself up to terrify people an
on whom the exaggerated accounts are based-or even who gave rise to the opportunity for the type of hysteria that can take place.The difference then would be that as far as I understand the Salem Witch trials which actually took place were based on nothing but such Hysteria and had no basis in fact whatsoever though at least two innocent people were accused
and were either hanged or otherwise persecuted because of the false accusations.
Natalie |
The Artful Dodger
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 12:12 pm: |
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Monty, Dan
I am certain from the information sourses I have looked at that the reports of this thing were infact genuine.Some have described his personal features exactly - you cant give an exact description unless you see close up, it's impossible.Hundreds, not a few, saw his springs and him use them to jump.This is no fallacy.What was exagerated is the human imagination which he has triggered.I think many assualts on women happened , but they deleriously blamed on SHJ .
The springs are a mystery, as there is no doubt people saw him use them.A brilliant inventor may have invented them. AS he was seen in them over a period of 80 years, I would say he has passed his sacred invention down to a protege.Interesting JtR should be mentioned.Had he been privy to the technology, it would have helped him escape great distances in a short time.SHJ toyed with authorities as they tried to track him, much the same as our ripper.
* No, you have it all wrong- it's just the way you tell the story thats funny, thats all! |
The Artful Dodger
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 12:15 pm: |
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Monty, Dan
I am certain from the information sourses I have looked at that the reports of this thing were infact genuine.Some have described his personal features exactly - you cant give an exact description unless you see close up, it's impossible.Hundreds, not a few, saw his springs and him use them to jump.This is no fallacy.What was exagerated is the human imagination which he has triggered.I think many assualts on women happened , but they deleriously blamed on SHJ .
The springs are a mystery, as there is no doubt people saw him use them.A brilliant inventor may have invented them. AS he was seen in them over a period of 80 years, I would say he has passed his sacred invention down to a protege.Interesting JtR should be mentioned.Had he been privy to the technology, it would have helped him escape great distances in a short time.SHJ toyed with authorities as they tried to track him, much the same as our ripper.
* No, you have it all wrong- it's just the way you tell the story thats funny, thats all! |
Darren Lehman
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 2:46 pm: |
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I read in an old non fiction mystery book, dated 1966, something about SHJ in relation to JTR. Apparently there had been hundreds of sightings of SHJ all over the country , using these springs, for 50 odd years.On the night of the double event, an elderly man told iether police or a reporter what he had seen in the early hours, around 2.00am. He had seen SHJ when up north with a group of 20 people and knew exactly what he looked like, and the spring movement.He saw exactly the same man leap over a row of walls in exactly the same way as SHJ, and looked exactly like the man he saw up north.This would be a big coincidence at the same time and area as JtR was.I would asume that nobody took his story seriously. |
Marcus Stables
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 1:16 pm: |
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I'd just like to chip in here.I'm pretty sure that Spring-heeled Jack WAS a real person, who did rape women. Jumping from rooftops may seem to be a strange way of escaping a scene, but if you think about it, its better than running along the streets, where the police patrol, right?
Surley the idea that someone had the idea of hiding and jumping from rooftops isn't THAT difficult to believe. |
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