Penny Dreadfuls, 1867 · page 53 of 300
Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 53: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Victorian Penny Dreadful Page Analysis This is an **illustration with accompanying running prose** from a serialized Victorian penny dreadful titled "Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter." The engraved image depicts a violent confrontation: a man in dark clothing attacks another figure against a wall with a truncheon, while blood spatters and the words "MURDERED BY WILD" appear overhead in red. The prose describes Jonathan Wild brutally attacking a youth named Sheppard, crushing him against a wall and striking him repeatedly—until a dashing gallant in a silk coat intervenes, pressing a pistol to Wild's head. The text emphasizes Wild's savage appearance and evil nature before his sudden paralysis at this interruption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
i; ———— i —— —_ < TS oe s ~ Ae ww ww ~ RAE SN SINAN S85 OSS ‘ = SS “_~ SS SSA SSNS Sk UME THE WRITING ON THE WALUL.—SeExE No; 10: But, nimble as he was, Jonathan Wild appeared | too wary for him; he parried the thrust with his iron arm, and, after a brief struggle, once more crushed the writhing youth in his grip of steel, and flung him with all his force against the wall. The evil passions in the villain’s heart seemed now to be roused to their intensest pitch. His grey eyes glinted with greenish light like those of a hyena, his teeth clenched, and his wide mouth looked as hard asa prison grating, while a red flush, like the reflection of the fires of Tophet, glowed on his fiendish face. He uttered a foul and savage execration, and, springing backwards once more, brought the trun- cheon down upon his victim’s head with terrible force, No. 9. : IT AT ONCE.—All ba reprinted. Po Dare) . eee Sheppard staggered and sank backwards against the wall, half insensible. In another instant Wild would have beaten his brains out, but was stopped as he made a rush upon him by the cold, gleaming steel barrel of a pistol which was upon the instant clapped to his head. He recoiled. ‘ Before him, and supporting the victim of this murderous attack, stood a dashing gallant dressed in a sky-blue silk coat, richly brocaded waistcoat, laced hat, and high boots. The thief-taker seemed struck motionless ; his left hand was tightly clenched, and his right up- raised to strike, He stood like a “ painted devil.” Do you take in the “ BOY SOLDIER; or, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPT AIM Tt books.co