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Greetings all,
So, why did Chief Inspector Littlechild consider Francis Tumblety a Ripper suspect? Was it because, as he stated, “[Tumbety’s] feelings toward women were remarkable and bitter in the extreme, a fact on record”, i.e., a woman hater, or was it because Tumblety was a “Sycopathia Sexualis” with “contrary sexual instincts”, i.e., he was gay?
The answer is neither.
Chief Inspector Littlechild considered Francis Tumblety “amongst the suspects”, because his boss, Assistant Commissioner Anderson, and the results of the ongoing investigation identified him as a suspect,
Brooklyn Citizen, November 23, 1888, “Is He The Ripper?”
A Brooklynite Charged With the Whitechapel Murders Superintendent Campbell Asked by the London Police to Hunt Up the Record of Francis Tumblety Police Superintendent Campbell received a cable dispatch yesterday from Mr. Anderson, the deputy chief of the London Police, asking him to make some inquiries about Francis Tumblety, who is under arrest in England on the charge of indecent assault. Tumblety is referred to in the dispatch in the following manner: “He says he is known to you, Chief, as Brooklyn’s Beauty.”
Brooklyn Standard-Union, November 23, 1888 …the London Police are evidently doing their level best to fasten the Whitechapel murders upon Dr. F. T. Tumblety.
Today Police Superintendent Campbell received a telegram from Assistant Police Commissioner Anderson, acting Chief since the resignation of Police Commissioner Warren, in reference to Tumblety. Mr. Anderson wants some information as to his life in Brooklyn, and says he is accused of indecent assault in London, where some say he was known as “Brooklyn’s Beauty.”
Littlechild was not in charge of the Ripper investigation; Anderson was. Littlechild –as the immediate subordinate of Anderson in charge of Special Branch- would only have been privy to Tumblety’s suspect status AFTER he was suspected. It is quite understandable why Littlechild would have known about Tumblety (especially his large dossier), because of Tumblety’s apparent connections with the Irish Nationalists. Primary sources are clear; they were looking for anything on him in order to incarcerate him, and Littlechild’s office would have been a great place to find something.
The problem is, for too long people believed that when Littlechild stated, “amongst the suspects”, he only meant a minor suspect who was merely pulled into the station on suspicion like hundreds of others. This conclusion ignores the reality that Anderson got personally involved with the Tumblety case in November 1888 (how many minor suspects did he personally name during the peak of the murders?).
Also, to say that Littlechild’s comments are untrustworthy because he believed Tumblety committed suicide shortly after ignores the fact that he was correct about Tumblety being a suspect and about everything that happened in the Tumblety investigation in November 1888. Actually, notice what littlechild really stated in the Simms letter, “It was believed he committed suicide but certain it is that…” He never stated that Tumblety committed suicide. This conforms perfectly to a Special Branch Chief Inspector who was temporarily involved in the Tumblety case, because of Tumblety’s recorded connections in the Irish nationalist issue, but was then not involved in the process of incarcerating Tumblety. Why would he have been? His part was done.
Since Littlechild’s “amongst the suspects” comment meant significant suspects, then we can see why his opinion that Tumblety was “a very likely suspect” is not really of critical importance. He was comparing Tumblety to a small list of suspects generated by Scotland Yard CID. In view of this, his opinion of those with “contrary sexual instincts” is irrelevant.
Littlechild considered Tumblety a significant Ripper suspect because Anderson and company considered Tumblety a significant suspect just after the Kelly murder. This why the Littlechild letter is so important.
Sincerely,
Mike
So, why did Chief Inspector Littlechild consider Francis Tumblety a Ripper suspect? Was it because, as he stated, “[Tumbety’s] feelings toward women were remarkable and bitter in the extreme, a fact on record”, i.e., a woman hater, or was it because Tumblety was a “Sycopathia Sexualis” with “contrary sexual instincts”, i.e., he was gay?
The answer is neither.
Chief Inspector Littlechild considered Francis Tumblety “amongst the suspects”, because his boss, Assistant Commissioner Anderson, and the results of the ongoing investigation identified him as a suspect,
Brooklyn Citizen, November 23, 1888, “Is He The Ripper?”
A Brooklynite Charged With the Whitechapel Murders Superintendent Campbell Asked by the London Police to Hunt Up the Record of Francis Tumblety Police Superintendent Campbell received a cable dispatch yesterday from Mr. Anderson, the deputy chief of the London Police, asking him to make some inquiries about Francis Tumblety, who is under arrest in England on the charge of indecent assault. Tumblety is referred to in the dispatch in the following manner: “He says he is known to you, Chief, as Brooklyn’s Beauty.”
Brooklyn Standard-Union, November 23, 1888 …the London Police are evidently doing their level best to fasten the Whitechapel murders upon Dr. F. T. Tumblety.
Today Police Superintendent Campbell received a telegram from Assistant Police Commissioner Anderson, acting Chief since the resignation of Police Commissioner Warren, in reference to Tumblety. Mr. Anderson wants some information as to his life in Brooklyn, and says he is accused of indecent assault in London, where some say he was known as “Brooklyn’s Beauty.”
Littlechild was not in charge of the Ripper investigation; Anderson was. Littlechild –as the immediate subordinate of Anderson in charge of Special Branch- would only have been privy to Tumblety’s suspect status AFTER he was suspected. It is quite understandable why Littlechild would have known about Tumblety (especially his large dossier), because of Tumblety’s apparent connections with the Irish Nationalists. Primary sources are clear; they were looking for anything on him in order to incarcerate him, and Littlechild’s office would have been a great place to find something.
The problem is, for too long people believed that when Littlechild stated, “amongst the suspects”, he only meant a minor suspect who was merely pulled into the station on suspicion like hundreds of others. This conclusion ignores the reality that Anderson got personally involved with the Tumblety case in November 1888 (how many minor suspects did he personally name during the peak of the murders?).
Also, to say that Littlechild’s comments are untrustworthy because he believed Tumblety committed suicide shortly after ignores the fact that he was correct about Tumblety being a suspect and about everything that happened in the Tumblety investigation in November 1888. Actually, notice what littlechild really stated in the Simms letter, “It was believed he committed suicide but certain it is that…” He never stated that Tumblety committed suicide. This conforms perfectly to a Special Branch Chief Inspector who was temporarily involved in the Tumblety case, because of Tumblety’s recorded connections in the Irish nationalist issue, but was then not involved in the process of incarcerating Tumblety. Why would he have been? His part was done.
Since Littlechild’s “amongst the suspects” comment meant significant suspects, then we can see why his opinion that Tumblety was “a very likely suspect” is not really of critical importance. He was comparing Tumblety to a small list of suspects generated by Scotland Yard CID. In view of this, his opinion of those with “contrary sexual instincts” is irrelevant.
Littlechild considered Tumblety a significant Ripper suspect because Anderson and company considered Tumblety a significant suspect just after the Kelly murder. This why the Littlechild letter is so important.
Sincerely,
Mike
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