Prince of Quacks

This is a biography of the controversial and flamboyant nineteenth century doctor Francis Tumblety. The doctor’s exploits include arrests for complicity in the Lincoln assassination, selling abortion drugs, killing patients, indecent assault, and scrutiny as a possible suspect in the “Jack the Ripper” murders. Tumblety’s sheen of respectability appeared crafted to cover his homosexuality and his provocative fields of practice.

Timothy B. Riordan is chief archaeologist at historic St. Mary’s City, an outdoor museum of archaeology and history in Maryland. He has written numerous professional articles and monographs on such topics as Maryland and the English Civil War.

Timothy B. Riordan
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 250
Bibliographic Info: 11 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2009
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4433-5
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5511-9
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
Introduction      1

1. Early Life (1830–1856)      7
2. Practicing in Toronto (1856–1857)      21
3. Montreal Troubles (1857–1858)      33
4. Back in Toronto (1858–1859)      47
5. Manslaughter in St. John (1859–1860)      57
6. Travels in the East (1860–1861)      71
7. Civil War Washington (1861–1863)      79
8. A Year in Brooklyn (1863–1864)      95
9. Arrest in St. Louis (1865)      104
10. Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Back to Brooklyn (1866–1869)      118
11. Europe and the West (1869–1873)      131
12. English Interlude (1873–1880)      143
13. New York City Years (1880–1888)      154
14. Whitechapel Murders (1888)      163
15. The Aftermath in New York (1888–1890)      181
16. Retirement (1891–1903)      192
17. Final Act (1903–1910)      202

Chapter Notes      211
Bibliography      225
Index      231

“Definitely a must have”—Ripperologist.