PHOSPHOROUS JACK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1523, 3 August 1905, Page 2

PHOSPHOROUS JACK.

& Christchurch miscreant.

(Per Psess Assoeiatioa.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Mor.SaW . the last week stories have ■been afloat in Christchurch regarding the appearance of what is described as a f.’PhospJhiortig ’Jocla,”: .The tales were originally rather vague, although tha matter wag reported to th« police, iuit several persona troro; report having seen Ehe snasnirerade®. who apneara to be acting in a inaarne® by which he runs little Chance of detection or capture. The most reliable "account-, according ta H IC Times, is that of a resident of \vo°lst°n. There was company, in /fee# house, and dStrijjig the evening' a bump was head'd ontsidß the back , A Young girl went to inko* sfc°iy is that on opening the door she saw a masked facs round t.fce corner of a oroiecting chunney. As shn stood aT man adv.-meed, when it was seen " that fas coat wgs sfleakod with phosphorus. The girl flod and reported *^Batten, to Che other occupants of whe house, who could find nothmg. however, when, they went outside fco investigate. Another very

r clear account ia that of a youua lady- who was returning home at , rnght fn Sydenham. & man ep, r PBoached. amd, opening his coat, j displayed, a design in phosphorus. r with the words, -.‘Ate you prepared , ifco die ■ Tha gSxi fainted. tSd ou recovering consciousness found a man standing &y her side. He escorted her home, hub ah. the ghte he open-' Bd his coat, • again distplaying ttiu Same startling legend, - The cirE l ' fainted., and by Hie timn W recovered tho man had disappeared. Another story nom.es from Woolstou„ rL s . taaa jWaa goihig home, when N fiawaTong the street a man with What _he took ha he a design -■ ire Biectna fight on Ids coat front. There were two yo&ng ladies En the Vicinity, and it had evidently been) the object of the miscreant to aSarm hnam. Chase waa given, ’bu t . the man osCapcd. He has been seen at Albans Hnd in other parts of tho . City, hug appears to avoid malo company, preferring to startle nnprotectea Women. .The police state ■t hat the stories chrrent are Gie product of imaginative brains, but there are reasons to believe) that they are acting as if they thought there was something more ire the matter than mere imagination.