Ripperologist 116

[Tom_Wescott]

I haven't had time yet to read through the whole issue, but I very much enjoyed the 'main course' offering by Mike Hawley regarding the herb doctor informant and the possibility that Tumblety was after the 'Elixir of Life'. It's good to see that while everyone else is following Andrews across the Atlantic, Hawley is grounded in London, looking up and down the dark little alleys found in these often overlooked press snippets. However, the one point that didn't get sorted out for me is that the police went to the herb doctor (possibly Tumblety, according to Hawley) to ask if anyone bought herbs from him that might be found in such an occult elixir. At no point (that I recall) was the herb doctor himself, or ANY herb doctor, suggested to have been killing women and obtaining herbs for occult practices. Therefore, even if Tumblety was the herb doctor in question, he was displayed in the press piece as an informant, not a suspect. Any other thoughts on this or the article?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[mklhawley]

I haven't had time yet to read through the whole issue, but I very much enjoyed the 'main course' offering by Mike Hawley regarding the herb doctor informant and the possibility that Tumblety was after the 'Elixir of Life'. It's good to see that while everyone else is following Andrews across the Atlantic, Hawley is grounded in London, looking up and down the dark little alleys found in these often overlooked press snippets. However, the one point that didn't get sorted out for me is that the police went to the herb doctor (possibly Tumblety, according to Hawley) to ask if anyone bought herbs from him that might be found in such an occult elixir. At no point (that I recall) was the herb doctor himself, or ANY herb doctor, suggested to have been killing women and obtaining herbs for occult practices. Therefore, even if Tumblety was the herb doctor in question, he was displayed in the press piece as an informant, not a suspect. Any other thoughts on this or the article?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

Thank you Tom for replying about my article. It was so enjoyable to research and write. Excellent point about informant v. suspect. Coincidentally, there has been a discussion this past week on the Ripper Writers web site in regards to the Elixer of Life article in the Ripperologist journal. Here is something that was brought up during the discussion:

The elixir of life news report was also printed on Page 10 of the October 7, 1888 St. Louis Post Dispatch. One of the headline teasers on page 10 was "An Herb Doctor Under Suspicion."

On October 6, 1888 The New York World interviewed Colonel Hughes-Hallett. And the next day, we read in bold print in the St. Louis Post Dispatch the words "An Herb Doctor Under Suspicion."

The New York World and the St. Louis Post Dispatch were owned by the same man, Joseph Pulitzer.

The herb doctor from New York may not have been looked upon with kind eyes by the London authorities.


Again, thanks Tom.

Sincerely,

Mike

[mklhawley]

It is clear that Scotland Yard investigated a JTR 'Elixir of Life' motive in early October 1888 and there is strong evidence Francis Tumblety was involved. If indeed Francis Tumblety was a serious suspect in the eyes of Scotland Yard (Roger's part three comes out soon!), then it is clear they suppressed it from press. It also logically follows that they suppressed this particular theory, as evidence by it finally making it to Ripperology.

[corey123]

Hello Mike,

Again, congrats on your front page article. I look foward to reading it.

[mklhawley]

Thanks Corey. ...and it fits quite nicely with much of your narcissist theory!