ALLEGED "PHOSPHORUS JACK."

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13815, 31 July 1905, Page 10

ALLEGED "PHOSPHORUS JACK."

•A- VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH, v. For the -last 'week stories hay© been afloat in Christchurch regarding thoap-. pearance of what is described as a “phosphorus Jack.” The tales were originally rather vague, although the matter was reported to tho police, but several'persons now report having seen tho masquerader, who appears to bo acting in a 1 manner by which ho runs little chance of detection or capture. Tho most reliable account >s that cf a resident of Woolston. H was company in the house, and oaring Ijhc evening a bump was heard outside the back door. A young girl went to investigate, and bar story is that, on opening the door, she ‘ saw a masked face- round the corner of a projecting / chimney. As she stood momentarily the man advanced, when it was seen that his coat was streaked with phosphorus. The girl fled and reported the matter to the other occupants o! the house, who could find nothing, however, when they went outside to investigate. Another very clear account -is that of a young lady who was returning home at night in Sydennam. A man approached, and, opening his coat, displayed a design'in phosphorus, with the words, “ Are you prepared to die.” The girl fainted, and, on recovering consciousness, found a man standing by her side. Ho -escorted her home, but at the gat© he opened bis coat again, displaying the,same startling legend. The girl again fainted, ..and by the time she recovered the'man had disappeared. Another story comes from Wcolston. A young man was going home when he saw along the street a man with what ho took to be a design iii electric light on his coat front. There were two young ladies in the vicinity, and it had evidently been the object of tho miscreant to alarm them. Chase was given, but tho man escaped. •He has been seen at St Albans, and in other parts of the. city, but appears . -bo-avoid" male company, preferring to startle unprotected women. The police state that the stories current are the- product of imaginative brains, ■