Dr Lispenard and Other Quacks

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

The following comes from an 1859 book on scams entitled "Humbug", contained in a chapter devoted to "Advertising, Swindling Quacks". I have edited it down for clarity and also to save How's bandwidth.

Amongst the twenty or so named quacks, you will meet Dr Lispenard of Albany [who also used the name Ezra J. Reynolds] whose real name was Lewis R. Herrick. In 1861 one of his daughters, Helen Estelle Herrick, married J. Moreau Smith who, after working for his father-in-law's quack medicine operation for eight years, went on to become President of the Rochester Trust and Safe Deposit Company.

Where there's muck there's money. Herrick retired, a rich man, around 1867 and died a most respectable New York death in 1877. He specialized in Sugar Coated Life Pills and Kid Strengthening Plasters [no, they're not meant for children]. Here's one of his advertisements from the Oneida Chief Courier circa 1860—

5487

Strangely there is no mention of Francis Tumblety in "Humbug" but, as the unnamed author points out, "Private quack advertisers had more false names than the Hydra had heads".

Also you'll notice that Albany, New York, appears to have been the epicentre of quackery.

Humbug—

"We have neither space nor disposition to describe the various ways these scheming rascals adopt to entrap the unwary ; but those who have been so unfortunate as to pass through their hands know full well the tender mercies of these unrelenting "blood suckers."

"Just beware of them. They not only swindle you of those $25 fees, but they fill every fibre of your body with consuming poison. Beware of them; in whatever city they may be, beware of them,—these advertising, swindling quacks. Their medicines, "entirely vegetable," are composed of such dangerous drugs as mercury, copaiva, camphor, phosphorus, spirits turpentine, tincture of iron, corrosive sublimate &c, &c.

"These " unhung villains," we repeat, almost invariably advertise and skulk under fictitious names; having sense enough, for a wonder, to be ashamed of their disreputable business, and to entertain a wholesome fear of the police.

"As you care for health and money, shun them.

"And in particular, at this time, would we warn you of the Albany quacks.

"The police, you remember, made a descent upon them last summer, and "showed up " some of the slimy rascals. But, young man! the police did not exterminate them.

New-York and New-England country papers stare with their lying, catchpenny advertisements; and the silly, trashy books advertised consist of home-made certificates of "wonderful cures," and puffs of every description of quack stuff,—" Elixirs," "Miraculous pills," " Great Discoveries," " Secrets," "Galvanies," &c., &c. If you have seen one of these " Startling Disclosure" books, you know the contents of all, for the reading matter is nearly always the same; and the cheap wood-cuts of the one are the cheap wood-cuts of the others. So keep your quarters, and know that it is a positive disgrace to be in correspondence with an Albany, or other, quack.

"Dr. Lispenard" of Albany was a man by the name of Herrick. The authorities interfered with his swindling operations also; and he concluded to retire from "active life," with his ill-gotten gains; so he disposed of his honorable business to "J. Teller," who said that T. P. Barnum puffs his nostrum to make bosoms grow!

[Note: this doesn't quite tally with Herrick not retiring until 1867].

Sergeant Berney, of the New-York police, broke up the swindling business of the individuals named below; and letters that came to their address were forwarded to the Dead Letter Office. It is probable that the scamps are still plucking the verdants, under other assumed names.

A man by name of Dr. H. Warner [whose British operation started in 1886 with the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Crawford and Sir Charles Edward Howard Vincent on the board of directors] personated the following " Doctors:"—"Dr. H. Monell & Co.," New York; "Dr. Wallace Mortuor," New York; "Dr. Tracy de Lorme " (the "Great Curer of Consumption"), New York; "Lebnur & Dayton," New York. A man by name of Duval was "Dr. Bovici," Albany ; "Dr. Brevot," Albany; "Dr. Rees," Albany; "Dr. Mozart," Albany; and "Dr. Tawiski," Albany. Dr. Lackrow is "Dr. La Croix," Albany ; "Dr. Hen- Blow," Albany, and " Dr. Hurndon," Albany. Dr. Herrick was "Dr. Lispenard," Albany. Dr. J. Henry Warren is " Old Dr. James, Retired Physician," Jersey City. Weston is "Professor Kondout," the "How to Win A Lover" man.

"Mary E. Dewitt," Boston, the dear creature who had recovered from a distressing nervous debility, and wanted to sell the stuff "what did the cure," was nobody but a lazy lout of a man!

Dr. Samuel Henderson is " Dr. Bland," New York ; "Dr. Hankinson," New York; and " Dr. Hawkinson & Co.," New York.

Of the following names, some are real, others not. At all events, the swindlers that made use of them were abated by Sergeant Berney.

Dr. Mellville, New York; Dr. Spencer, New York; Dr. Rusk, New York; Dr. Duval, New York ; Dr. Bryant, New York; Dr. Burnett, New York ; Dr. S. Rusk, New York ; Dr. E. Andrews, Albany, New York; Dr. M. Mozart, Castleton, New York; Dr. M. Reyno, Troy, New York ; Dr. La Salle, New York ; Henry G. Burkley, New York; H. C. Garold, New York; Henry ft. Smith, New York; James D. Pentley, New York; Henry" S. Lane, New York; and many others. All of whom would have been made wealthy by the verdant ones in due time, had not the authorities interfered.

It does seem as if some persons were born for the express purpose of being the dupes of every shallow-pated cheat who possesses gumption enough to get up a circular advertising his worthless trash.

The more ridiculous the humbug, the more readily it seems to take among this class of addle-heads. Who, but a regular born dunce, would think of buying powders, "magic rings," &c., and think of "winning lovers" by their use! To spend time cautioning this class of the public, which supports the quack doctors and the other quack swindlers, would be so much time foolishly spent.

If they will give the preceding pages several careful perusals, however, and keep clear of the various humbugs therein specified, we will warrant them more money in pocket at the end of the year, and a better opinion of themselves, than they have heretofore possessed."

Regards,

Simon

[How Brown]

Dear Simon:

With a sales pitch like "Neglect them and DIE !!!!"... I might be tempted to try a box o' life pills too !!:kiss:

Seriously...those charlatans had few scruples. Thanks very much for this interesting thread.

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Although the press took the high moral ground when it came to quack medicine it reaped fortunes in advertising revenue, charging four or five times the normal rates when it came to purveyors of patent nostrums. But the market could bear it. Profit margins on quack medicines were colossal and there was no shortage of credulous customers.

Schuyler Van Rensselaer of Albany, operating under the names of Drs. Duvall, Rees, Farenski, Mozart, Brevoit and Bovier, ran a business selling love powders, charms, weird rings, a variety of medicines and obscene books. He was receiving between 50 and 300 orders per day, and between 1855 and 1858 amassed $60,000.

Spearheading an 1858 campaign against quack medicine, fake lotteries and sellers of obscene literature was New York Mayor, Daniel F. Tiemann who despatched Sergeant Berney first to New England and thence to Albany, New York, armed with the following letter—

"May 29th 1858. The bearer of this letter, Sergeant Alfred Berney, is attached to the Police Squad in my office, and he visits your State for the purpose of taking the necessary measures to break up several bogus lottery and gift concerns located there. I have received a number of letters in regard to them from parties in different sections of the country, most of them complaining of having been swindled out of various sums of money by them. I should be pleased if you would afford to Sergeant Berney the aid of your official position in his efforts to secure their suppression. You will find him an intelligent and faithful officer. I remain, with great respect, your sincere friend, Daniel F. Tiemann."

New York Times, 8th June 1858—



And on the same day the Albany Evening Journal wrote—

"We have had and still have some of these operators in our own staid city. Several of them who, four or five years ago, were terribly "down at heel" in character and purse, are now quoted as men of wealth. The processes by which this wealth has been accumulated places by contrast petty larceny, highway robbery and prostitution among the higher virtues.

"Albanians are certainly indebted to Mayor Tiemann and Sergeant Berney for their agency in ferreting out some of these swindlers—a work, however, which has been done so quietly that we are indebted to the New York papers for our information."

Schuyler Van Rensselaer of Albany was not arrested, "there being no one to complain against him". Dr. Ava Moriarty left town, thus avoiding arrest, but Sergeant Berney did arrest Dr. Lackrow aka "La Croix", "Henslow" and "Hurndon".

Remember Dr. Herrick [aka Lispenard and Reynolds] who employed Tumblety around 1851-52?

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 17th December 1858—

"AN OFFER DECLINED—Dr. Herrick, the great sugar coated pill man, has declined Gov. Morgan's offer of the office of Surgeon General of the New York State Militia. Dr. Cornelius V. Agnew of New York City, has been appointed to the office in question. The offer to Dr. Herrick will be a capital advertisement to his pills."

Tumblety appropriated many events from other people's lives, so this could be the genesis of his claim that, on the formation of the Army of the Potomac in 1861 by General B. McClelland, he offered his services as surgeon.

Tumblety was in Rochester, New York, in March 1858 but had returned to Canada by the time of Mayor Tiemann's fraud-busting initiative, so did not come under the purview of Sergeant Berney. But it remains incredible how in this million dollar industry which skirted the fringes of the law he managed to avoid attention save for that which he generated himself.

Regards,

Simon
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/NYT20820JUN20185820QUACKS.jpg

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Dr Herrick [aka Lispenard and Reynolds] retired from his sugar coated life pill business in 1870.

Gazetteer and Business Directory for Albany and Schenectady County 1870—


http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/GAZETTEER20AND20BUSINESS20DIRECTORY.jpg
Twelve years after being arrested in Albany by Sergeant Berney as part of New York Mayor Tiemann's 1858 fraud-busting initiative, Dr. La Croix [real name Dr. Lackrow] aka "Henslow" and "Hurndon" was attending to business.

Here's his full page advertisement from the same directory—
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/LA20CROIX20AD.jpg


Regards,

Simon

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Francis Tumblety shared at least two personality traits with the Albany quacks: a thick veneer of respectability and a sense of righteous indignation when anyone dared to impugn his professional character.

On 15th April 1857 a long diatribe titled "Canadian Advertisement" appeared in the New York Herald defending Tumblety against accusations of medical misconduct in Toronto. The bulk of it purports to be an op-ed piece from the Toronto Globe, but it is grandiose in style and completely lacking objectivity, suggesting that it was written by Tumblety and placed in the Canadian newspaper at his own expense.

Likewise, Dr Lackrow took an indignant tone as he quickly distanced himself from his own arrest in Albany by Sergeant Berney. Using one of his aliases—La Croix—he wrote a letter to the New York Times which appeared 19th June 1858—

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/LA20CROIX20NYT201920JUN201858.jpg

After this it was business as usual.

We do not know what possessed New York State Governor Edwin D. Morgan to offer the post of Surgeon General to Dr. Lewis R. Herrick aka Lispenard. Perhaps Herrick was well-connected within Albany society.

But there had been rumours, most probably about his quackery. A quack as Surgeon General? It was an untenable proposition, and Herrick knew where to draw the line. Again we have the indignant tone and professional umbrage as he humbly declines the honour for the greater good.

New York Times, 17th December 1858—

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/HERRICK20DECLINATION.jpg

Dr. Lispenard/Lewis R. Herrick died, aged 62, in September 1877, leaving a widow, two daughters, one son and six grandchildren. The business continued after his death. It was called Dr. Herrick's Family Medicines, based at 69 Murray Street, New York City.

Regards,

Simon

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

We can now pinpoint with a fair degree of accuracy the location of Dr Herrick/Lispenard's premises in Rochester where Tumblety was first employed.

In an advertisement in the Auburn Weekly Journal, 9th August 1858, Lispenard gave his address for people wanting a copy of his "Pocket Companion" as "his old Established Hospital, No. 14 Exchange Place, in the rear of the Post Office, Rochester".

Further on in the advertisement his address was "No. 14 Exchange Place, in the rear of the Arcade, Rochester, NY, three doors east of Corinthian Hall".

Here is Exchange Place, Rochester. Left to right is the side of Corinthian Hall, the Post Office, and the rear of the Arcade which was built in 1832—

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/REYNOLDS20ARCADE20REAR.jpg

Here is a floor plan of the Arcade—


http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/REYNOLDS20ARCADE20FLOOR20PLAN.jpg

And here is an 1877 photograph of the interior—


http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/REYNOLDS20ARCADE20INTERIOR201877.jpg

Putting all the address information together, it appears to me that his business was situated in Unit 14 of the Arcade.

This solves another matter.

Here is a picture of the front of the building on East Main Street, Rochester—

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/REYNOLDS20ARCADE20ROCHESTER.jpg

The arcade was designed by Abelard Reynolds and known as the Reynolds Arcade.

Ezra J. Reynolds was another alias of Dr. Lewis R. Herrick.

Regards,

Simon

[Tim Riordan]

Hi Simon,

Interesting research on quack medicine. One little point however, Ezra J. Reynolds and Lewis Herrick were not the same person. Reynolds and Herrick are both listed in the 1850 census of Albany. Reynolds is listed as 21 and Herrick as 33. While Reynolds shows up in Rochester by 1851, your references (and others) show that Herrick was still in Albany as late as 1861. In 1856, Ezra J. Reynolds filed a Rev. War pension application for his mother Lavinia, widow of his father Ezra.

Best,

Tim

[Simon Wood]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for that. Yes, I only recently tripped over this bit of confusion. I'm presently unearthing some information which links Drs. Lispenard, Reynolds, La Croix, Herrick and Teller, and will return when I've got my quacking ducks in a row.

Regards,

Simon

[Nemo]

Great posts again Simon

They link with some of the photos I posted on the other Lispenard thread
which shows the post office

Your interior plan confirms that Lispenards surgery was right next door to the Rochester museum at number 16

Regards

Nemo

[Nemo]

Did you notice how "staged" the interior photo looks?

People seem to have has a lot of time to get in the picture so I imagine they had plenty of "warning" that the picture was to be taken

Indeed, there are some people on the upper floors dangerously venturing onto a ledge to get in the picture

Do you think each arcade unit stretched to three or four floors?

[Simon Wood]

Hi Nemo,

Thanks for the kind words.

As far as I understand it, Reynolds Arcade was on four levels. A basement, a single-storey ground floor [1st floor US], and an upper level with units occupying two floors.

A couple of things still bother me.

1. Why didn't Lispenard use the address "14 Reynolds Arcade"?

2. Brooklyn Daily Eagle 10th May 1865—

"(Tumblety) originally started in his career, we believe, in Rochester, N.Y., where, when quite a boy, he was employed at first as servant or errand boy in the office of Dr. Lispenard, on Exchange place, a celebrated special practitioner. He afterwards studied medicine with Lispenard, and graduated in a short time, and it is stated left Rochester unceremoniously."

According to the 1850 Albany Census, Ezra J. Reynolds [Lispenard] was 21 years old, about the same age as Tumblety.

How, by this tender age, could Reynolds have been a "celebrated special practitioner"?

Regards,

Simon

[Nemo]

Hi Simon

The location seems strange

East Main St is at right angles to Exchange St - not parallel

And this picture is labelled as 13-15 Exchange St

5544

I've got a feeling that 14 Exchange St is not the same building as 14 Reynolds Arcade

I'll check it out...

[Nemo]

Oops - just noticed it is Exchange Place - not Street

[Nemo]

Have you got a contemporary map for Rochester Simon?

I can find this which mentions Mill St near Exchange place in 1866

5545

On a modern map, Mill St is to the North of East Main St while Exhange Boulevard and Exchange St are well to the South

[Nemo]

..and this advert previously posted by Nina states the corner of Mill St and Market St

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/186720directory.jpg

Whereas on the other Lispenard thread, and in Evans and Gainey's book , the address is variously 14 Exchange St under the museum and also 19 Exchange St

Is it Street or Place?

I'm getting confused now - lol

They seem to be in totally different places

[Tim Riordan]

Reynolds was at Exchange Place. To begin with the Lispenard office was listed as 14 Exchange Place while Reynolds office was listed as 14 1/2 Exchange Place. Later both offices were listed as 19 Exchange Place. He was not located at the Arcade.

Rudolph J. Lyons had his office at “23 & 25 Reynolds Arcade over Mr. Appleby’s Daguerrian Room.” (The Reynolds in this case being a different person.)


Best,

Tim

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Here's an 1888 map that clears up Lispenard's crummy directions.


http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/MILL20STREET.jpg


14 Exchange Place was opposite the Post Office, not behind it, so Tim is right. Lispenard was not in the Arcade. And Lispenard/Reynolds' other address at the junction of Mill and Market Streets was just a block away. The building marked "Academy of Music" was Corinthian Hall.

Progress.

Regards,

Simon

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Mention has been made of Reynolds/Lispenard's premises being under a museum. This was not the case. He worked at 14 Exchange Place behind the Arcade, and Bishop's Museum was at 16 Exchange Street, roughly half a mile south east.

Reminiscences of Early Rochester, by Rev. Augustus H. Strong, D.D.

"It seems a very minor educational influence, but, to be perfectly veracious, I must mention Bishop's Museum. It was situated on Exchange Street, upstairs, near the present quarters of the Genesee Valley Trust Company. It was the precursor of our modern Moving Pictures, Art Galleries, and Cabinets of Geology and Mineralogy. The Eden Musee and Madame Tussaud never made such an impression on me afterwards as did that so-called oyster-shell three feet in diameter, and those wax-work figures of Othello, not smothering, but stabbing Desdemona. There bloodthirsty Indians were always scalping helpless settlers, Bluebeard gloated over his victims, and Queen Elizabeth glared pitilessly upon Lady Jane Grey. Jenny Marsh Parker has written eloquently of the learned pig that was exhibited there, "the famous pig that could pick out any playing card called for and could even spell and add. For twenty-five cents one could behold not only some small remains of the mastodon found in Perinton, but wax figures whose glittering eyes, and genuine daggers, and redundant hair, made little children scream with terror." One may smile at such a collection, but I can truly say that what I saw in that dusty museum gave me a desire to know something of science and of history. "The thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts," and "the child is father of the man."

Regards,

Simon

[Nemo]

Nice

I can't see the PO on the map

Doesn't that say Reynolds at the bottom of the map?

(It also looks like J Menges written around that large G or C -lol)

[Simon Wood]

Honestly Nemo,

Some people are never bleedin' satisfied. The map is from 1888, thirty years after the event, so maybe the Post Office had moved. You'll just have to use your imagination.

BTW. It says J. Minges around the bottom of that C, and M F Reynolds across the Arcade.

Regards,

Simon

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

The quacks keep getting quackier. Check out this guy. I especially liked the poor being liberally considered.

Syracuse Courier, various dates 1858—

"A NEW AND IMPORTANT ARRANGEMENT AT THE GLOBE HOTEL, SYRACUSE,
The well known and justly celebrated THROAT, LUNGS AND BLOOD DOCTOR, RUDOLPH J. LYONS, from South America, whose skill and success is well known at Rochester, where he has resided and practiced his profession for the last six years, would respectfully inform the citizens of Syracuse and vicinity that he can be consulted at the GLOBE HOTEL on the 28th, 29th and 30th of each and every month during 1858-9.

"Let all who are suffering with diseases of the Throat, Lungs, Heart, Liver and Stomach, or any other complicated chronic complaints, not despair of a permanent cure until they have given Dr. Lyon's medicines a full and faithfull trial. The doctor's treatment is wholly Herb and Vegetable matter, the only true and safe practice approved by Nature and sanctioned by Nature's God.

"Consultation free.

"The poor shall be liberally considered.

"Recommendation of Dr Lyons by a number of well known and prominent citizens of Rochester. To all whom it may concern:

"We, the undersigned, citizens of Rochester, having learned that our much esteemed townsman, Dr. R J Lyons, is visiting Syracuse, feel desirous to recommend him to the notice of the afflicted, as being worthy of their confidence and patronage.

"We would further state that Dr. L. has been practicing in this city for the last six years, during which time he has proved himself to be worthy of the name of a gentleman and a physician. Repeatedly within our knowledge obstinate diseases of years' standing have yielded under the influence of his medicines and skillful treatment, after having baffled the endeavors of some of our best physicians.

"Rev. B. Benchamen [?]; W A Reinolds; C B Woodsworth; J Narramore, Dentist, Arcade Hall; R B Appleby; Alfred Oakly, South St Paul Street,; J Henderson, Merchant Tailor, Arcade Hall; Robert Walker, 37 Spencer Street; B D McAlpine, Arcade Hall; J Wagman, 29½ Clinton Street; J J Chappell, 79 Monroe Street; John Goodenough, No. 1 West Jay Street."

In 1864 Dr Rudolph J. Lyons wrote a 16-page pamphlet which sounds remarkably like Francis Tumblety's particular brand of patronizing bullshit.

It was entitled "A Very Brief Sketch of the Life, Study, and Extensive Travels of Prof. R. J. Lyons; containing, also, the Theory of the Professor's Reformed Indian Practice; which is Respectfully Dedicated to an Intelligent and Discerning Public, But More Particularly to the Sick and Afflicted Everywhere."

Printed by Nevins' Book and Job Printing House, Cleveland, Ohio, the only copy I can track down is with the Ohio Historical Society.

Tim Riordan wrote that "Rudolph J. Lyons had his office at 23 & 25 Reynolds Arcade over Mr. Appleby’s Daguerrian Room. (The Reynolds in this case being a different person.)"

A daguerreotype website has Richard B. Appleby advertising as a dealer in daguerreian stock in 1853-1854 "on the first floor of Reynolds Arcade, directly over the Post Office where he occupied two floors and seven rooms. From 1855 to 1858, he was listed at 28 and 30 Reynolds Arcade. In 1859 he was listed at 28 and 30 East Gallery, Reynold's Arcade."

There maybe some confusion here between "ground floor [UK] equating with first floor [US]. There were only two public levels so Lyons couldn't have been above Appleby. I'd therefore appreciate clarification of Lyons' address.

The following is for Nemo—

The brick-built Arcade originally fronted 99 feet on Main Street, was 56 feet deep and had 86 rooms and 14 cellars.

In an article entitled "From Books to Multimedia", Joseph and Robert Barnes wrote a description of the building:

The Reynolds Arcade featured an ingenious design like that of a twentieth century enclosed shopping mall. The arcade proper was a lofty sky-lighted corridor of generous proportions which divided the building through the middle. Shops and offices opened onto the corridor at ground level and at a second balconied gallery level.

"Near the entrance to the Arcade stood grand murals of the Niagara Falls. A massive clock hung on the south wall surrounded by the busts of Abelard Reynolds and his sons William and Mortimer, who each operated the Arcade for a time. A large fountain sat in the center of the ground floor. Buckets were suspended on the walls ready to be used in case of fire. As soon as the Arcade was finished tenants flocked in. Additions were built in 1838, 1842 and 1862."

Keep it coming, guys. This thread is far more interesting than Jack the Ripper.

Regards,

Simon

[Nemo]

Thanks Simon :thumb:

As for the Daguerrotypes, I've seen reference within Reynold's Arcade to the Arcade Studio, the Emporium Studio and to the studio within the museum (No. 16)

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

This is the earliest reference I have yet found to Lispenard/Reynolds working from No. 19 Exchange Place, Rochester.

On 15th September 1858 an advertisement appeared in the Lyons Wayne Democratic Press—

"CARD TO THE PUBLIC

A stringent regulation lately put in force by the Post Master General, giving orders to have all letters addressed to persons under assumed names forwarded to him at Washington, renders the publication of this notice both necessary and proper.

It is well known to many that the subscriber has for the past fifteen years, been engaged in the practice of his profession in this city, under the assumed name of Dr. W C Lispenard, where it has been his good fortune to successfully treat thousands of his fellow men for all kinds of Venereal diseases.

The name of Dr W C Lispenard has become as familiar as "Household Words". In the future, in all of his publications as well as practice, my own name will be substituted for that of his.

However unpleasant the change may be to myself, the sick and afflicted will rejoice that the change is only in name, for the same skillful practice so long maintained, and the enviable reputation so fully established by Dr Lispenard, were all achieved by the undersigned, by a course of honest dealing with patients and scientific practice through a long series of years.

The undersigned wishes it distinctly understood that hereafter all correspondence of every nature, designed for Dr W C Lispenard, must be addressed to Dr E J Reynolds, 19 Exchange Place, Rochester, NY."

This change of name and address appears to be a response to the anti-quack, lottery and gift swindles initiated in May 1858 by New York Mayor Daniel Tiemann and executed by Sergeant Alfred Berney.

Quack profits were under threat.

Fayetteville [NC] Observer, 27th May 1858—

5554

But this wasn't the end of the name Lispenard. In 1852, 1853, 1855, 1856 and 1857 he was advertising his services at No. 5 Beaver Street, Albany NY, and after outing himself as Reynolds in 1858 continued to do so. But by 1861 Reynolds appeared to think the public had forgotten that he and Lispenard were one and the same, for in the Lyons Wayne Democratic Press, April 1861, he was advertising his "Old Established Hospital for the Treatment of Private Diseases on the French System" on the corner of Mill and Market Streets, Rochester, with W.C. Lispenard as his Consulting Physician and Surgeon. They were still at this address in 1868.

And what of the Lispenard operation at Albany? In the same edition of the Lyons Wayne Democratic Press was an advertisement for an "Old Established Hospital on the French System" run by Dr. J Teller at No. 5 Beaver Street, Albany, NY.

Regards,

Simon

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

The three "Doctors" associated with Tumblety's early career in Rochester NY were W.C. Lispenard, Ezra J. Reynolds and Rudolph J. Lyons. It later transpired that Lispenard was an alias used by Reynolds.

All the advertising for Lispenard/Reynolds' Rochester and Albany operations was in local newspapers—Lyons, Auburn, Syracuse, Oneida, Rome and Utica—towns in an almost straight east-west line between Albany and Rochester, but in the 1850s he/they carefully avoided advertising in Rochester or Albany newspapers.

Diagnosis was free if you presented yourself at Lispenard/Reynold's "Old Established Hospital", but could be done by mail if you enclosed a dollar together with your symptoms. This was good marketing. Travel to either Rochester or Albany from any of the interim towns cost far more in time and inconvenience than a dollar plus postage. And because the "Doctors" specialized in cures for venereal diseases or remedies for periodic disorders anonymity [the customer could also use an assumed name or PO Box] was assured.

Tim Riordan found a 21-year-old Ezra J. Reynolds in the 1850 Albany census. How could someone so young have been Tumblety's surgical mentor? And I have found an "Ezra J. Reynolds alias Lispenard" being fined $750 in 1873 for "depositing in the mails at Rochester certain circulars, books, articles and things of an obscene character and for immoral uses."

Are they one and the same person? Possibly. Who knows?

One thing occurs to me about the two/three doctors associated with Tumblety. Each had names with New York State connotations.

W C Lispenard—Lispenard Meadows, New York City.

E J Reynolds—Reynolds Arcade, Rochester.

R J Lyons—Lyons, Wayne County, NY.

In your disbelief, please bear in mind that we are dealing with the ultimate cartload of monkeys.

Regards,

Simon

[Archaic]

Hi, Simon; these are terrific articles you've found.

I especially like the quack medicine advert in which their cure-all is solemnly proclaimed to be 'Sanctioned by God'.

Beats the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

I hope the quack medicines were at least harmless, but who knows what was in them?
Best regards, Archaic

[How Brown]

In 1864 Dr Rudolph J. Lyons wrote a 16-page pamphlet which sounds remarkably like Francis Tumblety's particular brand of patronizing bullshit.

It was entitled "A Very Brief Sketch of the Life, Study, and Extensive Travels of Prof. R. J. Lyons; containing, also, the Theory of the Professor's Reformed Indian Practice; which is Respectfully Dedicated to an Intelligent and Discerning Public, But More Particularly to the Sick and Afflicted Everywhere."

Fer Chrissakes,Simon...thats virtually a clone of the Tumblety pamphlet,isn't it?!?!

Nice finds sir.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Howard,

Yup, it's pure Tumblety. I wouldn't mind betting that he and Lyons were one and the same, which is why I am eagerly awaiting Tim Riordan's book on Dr. T. Tim knows a lot more than he's letting on.

Hi Archaic,

Go here for some analyses of quack medicines—

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pzurh2Vft_AC&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=%22No+matter+what+the+symptoms+may+be

Hi All,

These are the fine upstanding citizens of Rochester I have so far managed to trace who in 1858 allegedly endorsed Dr Rudolph J. Lyons' advertisements in the Syracuse Courier.

Reverend Sandford Van Benschoten
Pastor at the Methodist Episcopal Churches of Rochester and Elmira.

W. A. Reynolds
Alderman, Rochester [Ward 3] 1859.

Chauncey B. Woodworth
Trustee, Mechanics Savings Bank 1867; Director of the Rochester Trust and Safe Deposit company in 1888 [together with J. Moreau Smith, son-in-law of Dr Lewis R. Herrick].

Byron D. McAlpine
Director, Traders' National Bank of Rochester; Director of the Rochester Trust and Safe Deposit company in 1888 [together with J. Moreau Smith, son-in-law of Dr Lewis R. Herrick].

J. L. Chappell
Property owner. Owned the office premises rented by John D. Fay, Canal Commissioner, at $50 per three months.

Alfred Oakley
Newspaper publisher of Rochester "Daily Sun" 1840.

Richard B. Appleby
Daguerreotype photographer, Reynolds Arcade.

Regards,

Simon