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Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

He Had Claws, Red Glowing Eyes, and Breathed Blue Fire | Was Spring Heeled Jack a Rich Man's Prank?

Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

Darren Marlar

History, True Crime, Society & Culture, Documentary

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2026

⏱️ 95 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Victorian London was gripped by terror as a cloaked, fire-breathing monster with glowing red eyes and razor claws stalked the streets — but was Spring Heeled Jack a supernatural demon, or something far more human?

SPRING-HEELED JACK SONG/VIDEO: https://youtu.be/BuPGmWHRQfE?si=COI_WlzdAi9qWhft
SMUTTYNOSE MURDERS SONG/VIDEO: https://youtu.be/HJILqbxd_rM?si=spP4bDc0_ZSpS9wx

*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

Take the Weird Darkness Survey: https://weirddarkness.com/SURVEY

IN THIS EPISODE: Was the legendary Spring Heeled Jack an Irish nobleman? (The Devil in the Dark Cloak: Unmasking Spring Heeled Jack) *** During the early morning hours of August 11, 1887, a terrible train crash occurred near the small town of Chatsworth, Illinois -- and left ghostly legends in its wake. (Hauntings of Illinois’ Worst Train Disaster) *** It was a beautiful old home – a Queen Anne Victorian, with gingerbread-like shingles and trim all the way around, painted beige. One look, and you knew joy-filled years were lived in that home. But you know what they say… don’t judge a book by its cover. (Noises and Unexplained Happenings) *** Seventeen years after he disappeared, has a man’s killer been brought to justice? (The Strange Case of Zebb Quinn’s Disappearance) *** A man shares his belief that he is being stalked – by something paranormal. (The Gray Lady) *** One of our Weirdo family members shares how the strange Elisa Lam case creeped into a terrifying case of sleep paralysis. (Terror From The Elisa Lam Case) *** The Bermuda Triangle is not the only vortex of missing ships, and half a world away, in a whole other ocean, there lies a counterpart in the waters near Japan, which by all accounts is just as strange as its Bermuda cousin. (The Devil’s Sea) *** A man who has had no issues before is suddenly finding the energy in his house is out of whack. (Something Is Messing With The Energy In My House) *** With all the men of the house gone fishing, an axe murder chooses the perfect time to attack and kill the women inside. (The Smuttynose Murders)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding
00:02:02.595 = Show Open
00:04:18.659 = Devil In The Dark Cloak: Unmasking Spring Heeled Jack
00:14:53.152 = Illinois Train Disaster ***
00:29:25.340 = Something Is Missing With The Energy In My House ***
00:42:30.059 = Smuttynose Murders
00:53:42.573 = The Gray Lady
01:03:39.568 = Wack Energy
01:06:30.381 = Terror From The Elisa Lam Case ***
01:09:11.382 = The Devil’s Sea of Japan
01:19:22.926 = The Strange Case of Zeb Quinn’s Disappearance ***
01:25:12.762 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
HELPFUL LINKS & RESOURCES…
https://WeirdDarkness.com/MUSIC = Songs and Videos by our Weird Darkness punk band, #DarkWeirdness
https://WeirdDarkness.com/STORE = Tees, Mugs, Socks, Hoodies, Totes, Hats, Kidswear & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/HOPE = Hope For Depression or Thoughts of Self-Harm
https://WeirdDarkness.com/NEWSLETTER = In-Depth Articles, Memes, Weird DarkNEWS, Videos & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/AUDIOBOOKS = FREE Audiobooks Narrated By Darren Marlar
SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“Hauntings of Illinois’ Worst Train Disaster” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/ryh3m8x
“Noises and Unexplained Happenings”: https://tinyurl.com/txp3haq
“The Devil in the Dark Cloak: Unmasking Spring Heeled Jack”: https://tinyurl.com/wkgr663
“The Strange Case of Zebb Quinn’s Disappearance” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: http://ow.ly/MTpL30lUmaF
“The Devil’s Sea of Japan” by Brent Swancer: https://tinyurl.com/sprcpur
“Terror From the Elisa Lam Case” submitted anonymously to WeirdDarkness.com
“The Gray Lady”: https://tinyurl.com/uymg3y5
“The Smuttynose Murders” by Robert Wilhelm: https://tinyurl.com/a6kue74
“Something Is Messing With The Energy In My House” by Russel James: https://tinyurl.com/r3ygrco=====
(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
= = = = =
"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
= = = = =
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
=====
Originally aired: September 21, 2018
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/SpringHeeledJack
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: #WeirdDarkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.

Transcript

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0:00.0

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1:31.0

In late 1837, a ripple of panic began to spread around Clapham in South London.

1:39.5

Something terrible was lurching out of the fog and attacking local residents.

1:44.5

An elderly lady visiting the cemetery at Clapham was one of the first to see the chilling figure.

1:52.1

Clad in a dark cloak, with a hat pulled over its face, she saw it make an ungodly jump over a high fence and disappear into the darkness.

2:02.9

Around the same time, a young girl, by the name of Mary Stevens, reported an encounter

...

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