How Brown
01-25-2010, 05:06 PM
The Forums thanks Mr. Riordan for taking the time and making the effort to answer the following series of questions, all related to Francis Tumblety and Tim's dynamite Tumblety book, Prince Of Quacks.
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1. Throughout your research into Francis Tumblety, is there any good reason to suspect that he ever demonstrated signs of being anything other than a homosexual man ?
There is no doubt that Tumblety was a homosexual. From the beginning he had young men around him, he had long standing relationships with several men, he “cruised” places where male prostitutes were known to ply their trade and he was arrested a number of times for such offenses as gross indecency and indecent assault. That being said, there are several times in his early life where he is said to have impressed the ladies and one rumor that he almost married an heiress in Brooklyn. These could suggest that he was bisexual or they could be a smoke screen to hide his real preference. There is no way to tell at this point. However, it is important to note that as he got older and, perhaps cared less what people thought, these rumors drop out entirely.
2. How did Tumblety become as well educated as he comes across ?
I do not think Tumblety was well educated but that he was a keen observer and a master showman. The question of his literacy always comes up. I think he could read and write but that he was not comfortable with it. Many of the letters identified as his were written by other people for him. However, I have seen letters, which were identified in court as his handwriting, which were more than adequate in writing style and spelling. In fact, his handwriting is better than mine. Early on, Tumblety adopted the persona of the cultured Victorian gentleman and did everything to have himself perceived that way. This meant having the right clothes, the right accessories and the right friends, even if you had to invent or lie about them. One could argue that this persona was part of being a doctor, a 19th century profession that depended inordinately on respectability. Still, I think it appealed to Tumblety himself to strive to be this type of person. It is sad that everything else he did tended to destroy this fragile image.
3. Is there one incident in his life based on your research that would indicate an ability to commit violence towards women or even men ?
Overall, I think Tumblety was not a violent person. Although he had a string of arrests for “assault,” these were not violent. I only recall two incidents where he is reported to have used violence against anyone. The first was the incident with Fenton Scully in Brooklyn in 1864. He was accused of kicking him twice in the ribs and knocking down the stairs. Although charged with the assault, the judge believed the other witnesses and the charges were dismissed. The second was the incident with George Davis in 1889. Tumblety is reported to have struck hum with his cane and cut his cheek “open to the bone.” As this was in the course of a robbery or blackmail attempt against Tumblety, it was more likely self defense. In my study of his life, there was nothing that would suggest an underlying rage that could blossom into serial murder.
4. Besides himself, is there one specific person in Tumblety's life that stands out as being the most important to him or for him at any point in time....or is Tumblety the type whose immediate partner is the most important until the next one materializes ?
The person I believe to have been have been most important to Tumblety was Mark A. Blackburn. Once they first met, Tumblety seemed most attached to him. They were together in Brooklyn in 1863-64 and moved together to St. Louis in 1865. After Tumblety’s arrest and release, Tumblety found Blackburn in Cincinnati. Blackburn’s unfortunate marriage to Olivia Young sent Tumblety traveling to Europe and San Francisco. After Blackburn’s divorce, the two joined up again in Brooklyn. Blackburn’s second marriage in the early 1870s sent Tumblety back to England. The two remained close even after this with Blackburn naming his first son after Tumblety and the Doctor leaving $5000 to Blackburn in his will.***********************
5. For the benefit of those who have yet to purchase your book, how long did it take from the first moment you became interested in Tumblety ( which you stated started when you read the book by Stewart Evans & Paul Gainey) until the book was completed ?
I became interested in and began doing serious research on Tumblety in 2000. By 2006, the manuscript was essentially complete and I began searching for a publisher. I have a seriously large stack of rejection letters. In 2008, McFarland agreed to publish it and the book came out in October 2009.
6. Can you recall anyone from the period of time who attracted as much attention to himself without being a political leader, military figure, inventor, or social cause advocate, as he did ?
The person that comes to mind immediately in response to your question is P. T. Barnum. Like Tumblety, Barnum was a showman who used advertising to its best advantage. He took things that simply existed and made them exotic and unusual or simply made things up to draw attention to himself and his enterprises. The old saying is that sometimes it “takes one to know one,” and it is amusing that Tumblety used Barnum in one of his books as an example of how to manipulate public opinion through advertising. It would be fascinating to know if the two ever met.
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1. Throughout your research into Francis Tumblety, is there any good reason to suspect that he ever demonstrated signs of being anything other than a homosexual man ?
There is no doubt that Tumblety was a homosexual. From the beginning he had young men around him, he had long standing relationships with several men, he “cruised” places where male prostitutes were known to ply their trade and he was arrested a number of times for such offenses as gross indecency and indecent assault. That being said, there are several times in his early life where he is said to have impressed the ladies and one rumor that he almost married an heiress in Brooklyn. These could suggest that he was bisexual or they could be a smoke screen to hide his real preference. There is no way to tell at this point. However, it is important to note that as he got older and, perhaps cared less what people thought, these rumors drop out entirely.
2. How did Tumblety become as well educated as he comes across ?
I do not think Tumblety was well educated but that he was a keen observer and a master showman. The question of his literacy always comes up. I think he could read and write but that he was not comfortable with it. Many of the letters identified as his were written by other people for him. However, I have seen letters, which were identified in court as his handwriting, which were more than adequate in writing style and spelling. In fact, his handwriting is better than mine. Early on, Tumblety adopted the persona of the cultured Victorian gentleman and did everything to have himself perceived that way. This meant having the right clothes, the right accessories and the right friends, even if you had to invent or lie about them. One could argue that this persona was part of being a doctor, a 19th century profession that depended inordinately on respectability. Still, I think it appealed to Tumblety himself to strive to be this type of person. It is sad that everything else he did tended to destroy this fragile image.
3. Is there one incident in his life based on your research that would indicate an ability to commit violence towards women or even men ?
Overall, I think Tumblety was not a violent person. Although he had a string of arrests for “assault,” these were not violent. I only recall two incidents where he is reported to have used violence against anyone. The first was the incident with Fenton Scully in Brooklyn in 1864. He was accused of kicking him twice in the ribs and knocking down the stairs. Although charged with the assault, the judge believed the other witnesses and the charges were dismissed. The second was the incident with George Davis in 1889. Tumblety is reported to have struck hum with his cane and cut his cheek “open to the bone.” As this was in the course of a robbery or blackmail attempt against Tumblety, it was more likely self defense. In my study of his life, there was nothing that would suggest an underlying rage that could blossom into serial murder.
4. Besides himself, is there one specific person in Tumblety's life that stands out as being the most important to him or for him at any point in time....or is Tumblety the type whose immediate partner is the most important until the next one materializes ?
The person I believe to have been have been most important to Tumblety was Mark A. Blackburn. Once they first met, Tumblety seemed most attached to him. They were together in Brooklyn in 1863-64 and moved together to St. Louis in 1865. After Tumblety’s arrest and release, Tumblety found Blackburn in Cincinnati. Blackburn’s unfortunate marriage to Olivia Young sent Tumblety traveling to Europe and San Francisco. After Blackburn’s divorce, the two joined up again in Brooklyn. Blackburn’s second marriage in the early 1870s sent Tumblety back to England. The two remained close even after this with Blackburn naming his first son after Tumblety and the Doctor leaving $5000 to Blackburn in his will.***********************
5. For the benefit of those who have yet to purchase your book, how long did it take from the first moment you became interested in Tumblety ( which you stated started when you read the book by Stewart Evans & Paul Gainey) until the book was completed ?
I became interested in and began doing serious research on Tumblety in 2000. By 2006, the manuscript was essentially complete and I began searching for a publisher. I have a seriously large stack of rejection letters. In 2008, McFarland agreed to publish it and the book came out in October 2009.
6. Can you recall anyone from the period of time who attracted as much attention to himself without being a political leader, military figure, inventor, or social cause advocate, as he did ?
The person that comes to mind immediately in response to your question is P. T. Barnum. Like Tumblety, Barnum was a showman who used advertising to its best advantage. He took things that simply existed and made them exotic and unusual or simply made things up to draw attention to himself and his enterprises. The old saying is that sometimes it “takes one to know one,” and it is amusing that Tumblety used Barnum in one of his books as an example of how to manipulate public opinion through advertising. It would be fascinating to know if the two ever met.