# Spring heeled jack. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946 "2005-11-20T16:41:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/1 "2005-11-20T16:41:43Z")
During the 1800’s, London was apparently terrified by a “creature” dubbed Spring Heeled Jack. This “creature” was said to have a hideous face, with glowing red eyes and a mouth that spat blue flames. The “creature” was said to have large iron like claws, was tall and thin and dressed in some sort of silver or white skin tight outfit, which was worn under a black cloak. The most remarkable feature that the creature possessed, however, was his ability to jump amazing distances, hence the name. Now, if we assume that the eyewitness reports about the “creature’s” appearance are correct, and we also assume that the creature was actually a practical joker, then how exactly could the joke have been pulled off? How could a Victorian have faked glowing red eyes? What substance could a Victorian have spat out of their mouth which appeared to be a blue flame and which temporarily blinded the victim? I assume the reports about the creature jumping large distances (the least fantastical reports have him jumping away over hedgerows) were some sort of spring contraption and that his iron like claws were really that, iron spikes attached to gloves. Anyone got any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/2 "2005-11-20T18:47:09Z")
IIRC, the whatever-it-was was pretty good about walking up to insurmountable barriers and then continuing on on the other side. Come to think of it, mostly Spring-heeled jack was a phenomenon composed of “his” footprints. Lots of folks noticing the weird footprints, very few reporting having actually seen what made 'em. I believe there were prior threads in which it was advanced that the footprints were made by a type of bird, subsequent to which the snow melted a bit, or something of that sort. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/3 "2005-11-20T18:48:00Z")
Fire eaters routinely breathe flames. Alcohol can make them blue. Glasses with one-way mirror lenses, tinted red, would do the trick for the eyes. Sounds like a deranged circus performer. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/4 "2005-11-20T19:00:58Z")
Most of the reports were media sensationalizations and exaggerations of pranksters. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/5 "2005-11-21T00:03:02Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Come to think of it, mostly Spring-heeled jack was a phenomenon composed of “his” footprints. Lots of folks noticing the weird footprints, very few reporting having actually seen what made 'em. > > I believe there were prior threads in which it was advanced that the footprints were made by a type of bird, subsequent to which the snow melted a bit, or something of that sort. Are your sure you’re not thinking of the Jersey Devil? Re Flames They wouldn’t even have to be actual flames. Crepe or the right kind of fabric could be made to look like flames in the right light. Even if this failed, you just go from people saying ‘He spat blue flames’ to ‘He had a long blue tongue’. For the prankster, it’s a no-lose situation and without the risk of burns involved in actual fire spitting. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/6 "2005-11-21T00:03:57Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Most of the reports were media sensationalizations and exaggerations of pranksters. Like Bigfoot and the Yeti, most of these tall tales lost nothing in the telling ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/7 "2005-11-21T00:12:04Z")
[Here’s a start on the legend FWIW](http://theshadowlands.net/jack.htm) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/8 "2005-11-21T00:36:52Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Are your sure you’re not thinking of the Jersey Devil? Actually, I think he’s confusing Springheel Jack with [the Devonshire Devil](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007FS44/104-1777234-4034364?v=glance&n=284507&%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/9 "2005-11-21T00:37:55Z")
Crap…[Devonshire Devil](http://www.meta-religion.com/Paranormale/Cryptozoology/Humanoid/devils_footprints.htm). I need a self-cleaning clipboard… ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/10 "2005-11-21T01:07:18Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Crap…[Devonshire Devil](http://www.meta-religion.com/Paranormale/Cryptozoology/Humanoid/devils_footprints.htm) I know I’ve also read of mysterious footprints attributed to JD. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/11 "2005-11-21T01:13:28Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I know I’ve also read of mysterious footprints attributed to JD. I’ll bow to your locality (since you’re closer than I’ve ever lived to the area in question) and just note that I was always led to believe that the Jersey Devil legend rested entirely on verbal grounds (oral legend, supposed eyewitness sightings or hearings). ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/12 "2005-11-21T01:30:43Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I’ll bow to your locality (since you’re closer than I’ve ever lived to the area in question) and just note that I was always led to believe that the Jersey Devil legend rested entirely on verbal grounds (oral legend, supposed eyewitness sightings or hearings). A quick search turns up Wikipedia > [@](#): > > # 18th (Monday) — Burlington was covered in strange tracks that seemed to defy logic; some were found on rooftops, others seemed to disappear completely. Several other towns found similar footprints. > > . . . > Two Gloucester hunters tracked the Devil’s seemingly impossible trail for 20 miles. The trail appeared to jump fences and squeeze under eight-inch gaps. Sightings were reported in several other towns. From the Shadowlands > [@](#): > > It all started early Sunday morning, January 16, 1909. Thack Cozzens of Woodbury, NJ, saw a flying creature with glowing eyes flying down the street. In Bristol, PA, John Mcowen heard and saw the strange creature on the banks of the canal. Patrol James Sackville fired at the creature as it flew away screaming. E.W. Minister, Postmaster of Bristol, PA, also saw a bird-like creature with a horses head that had a piercing scream. When daylight came, the residents of Bristol found hoof prints in the snow. Two local trappers said they had never seen tracks like those before. > > On Monday, the Lowdens of Burlington, NJ, found hoof prints in their yard and around their trash, which was half eaten. Almost every yard in Burlington had these strange hoof prints in them. The prints went up trees, went from roof to roof, disappeared in the middle of the road, and stopped in the middle of open fields. The same tracks were also found in Columbus, Hedding, Kinhora and Rancocas. A hunt was organized to follow the tracks but the dogs wouldn’t follow the trail. BTW- My knowledge of the subject comes not from living in Philly. It comes from being very curious about UFOs, ghosts, and cryptozoology as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spring-heeled-jack/331946/13 "2005-11-21T01:38:37Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > BTW- My knowledge of the subject comes not from living in Philly. It comes from being very curious about UFOs, ghosts, and cryptozoology as a kid. I thought that I was (curious as a kid about that kind of thing) as well, but I’ve never read those particular reports. Thank you! Learned something new. 🙂