By Mike Simmons
The November 21, 1907 edition of the Pensacola News Journal published an article entitled, “HE HUGS AND THEN ESCAPES.” The article nicknamed the bandit “Jack the Hugger,” a man who ran up to random women, hugged them and disappeared. The name was a take-off from the infamous “Jack the Ripper” rapist and murderer of London in 1888.
In one instance, a woman who lived in North Hill was walking home and, upon arriving at her upscale residence, was approached by the hugger, who quickly embraced her and ran off.
The report said, “Dozens of such or similar cases are noted in police records of the larger cities. Those offenders who have been captured have either been violently demented, or apparently sane except unable to explain their actions.”
“…it has thrown the community where they occurred into a fright that demoralized the town.” The Pensacola Police were searching for the violator, but could not immediately identify him.
When the story hit the media, many people in town recalled an incident that occurred almost five years earlier. The January 13, 1903, edition of the Pensacola News reported that a U.S. Navy man named Jack Farly, also called Jack the Hugger, caused a scene in downtown Pensacola. The News reported, “Taking his station on Palafox Street between Romana and Intendencia, he made his objectionable presence known by throwing his arms around ladies and chasing children. Officer Benjamin saw him as he thus insulted a prominent lady and ran up to catch him. Dowdy saw him coming and started to run, The officer chased and overtook Dowdy and sent him down on charges of drunk and disorderly.” The Mayor fined him $50 and 20 days in jail. Upon his release, he was turned over to a squad of U.S. Marines.
Back to 1907: “Jack the Hugger” continued on his tirade, placing the entire town in fear. It wasn’t that he had killed, raped, or even harmed anyone. The fear was that he chose women who were alone and vulnerable.
However, the hugger’s reign of terror came to an abrupt end. The January 2, 1908 edition of the Pensacola News Journal contained an article stating that “Sister Nellie,” a well-known nurse, was heading to the bedside of one of her charges when she was accosted by Jack the Hugger. When Jack woke up, he was lying on the sidewalk with Sister Nellie crouched over him, shaking him. When he had reached to hug her, the good sister laid him out with a knockout punch, ending his hugging career.
