Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Good news! Spring-heeled Jack likes to go trick-or-treating on Halloween, too! From the "[Greenwood, South Carolina] Index-Journal," October 24, 1985:

Hearne, Texas (AP) A tall, mysterious creature appears appears to have begun trick-or-treating a week early, say police who have been getting reports about something leaping from rooftop to rooftop and gnawing on front porches. The creature also has reportedly reportedly torn screen windows and scared a dog, police Chief James Bundren said Wednesday.

"It's Halloween time and there might be a lot of creatures out there. Every now and then someone calls and says they they think they heard the creature." One resident told authorities last week that something about six feet tall chewed up his porch, screen and railing, Bundren said. The resident beard a noise at the front door during the night and went to investigate. When be opened the door, Bundren said, he saw the "image of a man, but it had a head that was chewing and slapping at the door."

The resident told police he quickly slammed the door. He looked out the window and saw his frightened dog running down the street. Bundren said the pet still has not returned.

Another resident told police she heard something large land on one side of her roof, walk to the other side and leap off the carport, be said. But police found no tracks around the house.

"It raised all kinds of commotion around here after that happened," he said, adding that calls are still coming in from people saying they have heard the creature. Bundren said police have no suspects, but that the first homeowner may have seen a man holding a large dog in front of him.

I haven't found anything more about this story.