The Patter of Tiny Feet

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Syracuse Daily Standard, 18th May 1874—

"Tumblety's Trouble

Tumblety, of Rochester, is in trouble. A lady victim of his machinations came to Syracuse one year ago. In September last she was confined in St Joseph's Hospital, the good Sister kindly giving her the best care and accommodations. When her baby was a few months old, the mother boarded the little one out and went to work herself for two dollars and a half per week. Two dollars a week was paid for the child, and out of the fifty cents left, clothing for the two had to be obtained. It was a hard "row for the poor girl to hoe" all alone, and she resolved to call on the father of the little one for assistance. He had promised to marry her time and time again, she says, but he kept putting it off. Finally the poor girl became heart sick and a short time ago she caused the arrest of Tumblety on a charge of seduction under promise of marriage. The young man's mother came here and gave bail. The girl's case is in good hands in this city and Mr. Tumblety will be forced to do all that the law can compel him."

Regards,

Simon

[Tim Riordan]

Hi Simon,

It would be interesting to know which of Tumblety's relatives was arrested. The Doctor was in England from July 1873 through September 1875.

Best,

Tim

[Simon Wood]

Hi Tim,

Yes, it's a puzzler. Apart from being abroad at the time of this incident, Dr T was 43—44 years old and hardly qualifies as a young man. Also Dr T's mother, Margaret, died 27th May 1873, so she couldn't have posted bail. The best fit seems to be James P. Tumblety, son of Patrick and Mary Tumblety, born 1851.

Regards,

Simon

[Chris G.]

Hi All,

Syracuse Daily Standard, 18th May 1874—

"Tumblety's Trouble

Tumblety, of Rochester, is in trouble. A lady victim of his machinations came to Syracuse one year ago. In September last she was confined in St Joseph's Hospital, the good Sister kindly giving her the best care and accommodations. When her baby was a few months old, the mother boarded the little one out and went to work herself for two dollars and a half per week. Two dollars a week was paid for the child, and out of the fifty cents left, clothing for the two had to be obtained. It was a hard "row for the poor girl to hoe" all alone, and she resolved to call on the father of the little one for assistance. He had promised to marry her time and time again, she says, but he kept putting it off. Finally the poor girl became heart sick and a short time ago she caused the arrest of Tumblety on a charge of seduction under promise of marriage. The young man's mother came here and gave bail. The girl's case is in good hands in this city and Mr. Tumblety will be forced to do all that the law can compel him."

Regards,

Simon

Hello Simon and Tim

Surely that has to be another Tumblety who got the girl in the family way, not our guy, the quack doctor, Francis Tumblety. Seeing as the Syracuse Daily Standard was a New York newspaper, they would have been well aware that Francis Tumblety had a business as a doctor and would designate him as such.

Chris