The last days of Francis Tumblety

[Simon Wood]

Great work as always, Roy. Thank you.

[Roy Corduroy]

Predated Photo



This photo of the Missouri Medical College with St John's Hospital pictured predates the location at 23rd and Locust. Site (click)

"St. John's Mercy Medical Center had its origin from an infirmary conducted by the Sisters of Mercy at Tenth and Morgan Streets. When the infirmary moved to a larger building at the southeast corner of 22nd and Morgan Streets in 1871, it became a general hospital named St. John's. Addition wings were added and by 1882, it had a capacity of 150 patients. Its medical service was provided by the nearby Missouri Medical College at 22nd and Lucas. (pictured) Outgrowing its quarters, the hospital relocated in 1890 at 23rd and Locust Streets, where it remained until 1912. (Where Tumblety died, not pictured) In that year it moved to a much larger building at 307 South Euclid Avenue. It is now located at Ballas and Conway Roads in St. Louis County." Site (click) Midtown/Institutions

Locations also confirmed in In her place: a guide to St. Louis women's history By Katharine T. Corbett p 143-44 (google books) and a 1910 trade directory.

Roy

[ChrisGeorge]

Great photographs, Roy. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Chris

[Roy Corduroy]

Union Station

Dr T arrived in St Louis at Union Station just a couple blocks away.

[Roy Corduroy]

I hear music

Doctor Tumblety insisted upon going about whenever his condition would allow. Monday last he requested to be dressed, saying that he wished to take a walk. An attendant was assigned to assist him, but the doctor wished to be left alone.
After walking about the street for some time he returned to the hospital and sat on the steps of the building. While sitting there he went to sleep and fell forward on his face, breaking his nose and sustaining a shock from which he never recovered.

IN 1903, St John's hospital was located at 23rd & Locust. That building is demolished, but one building on the corner then still stands. The Beethoven Conservatory of Music (pictured below) was built in 1892. This was the Lucas Place neighborhood of posh old mansions.

[Dr. John Watson]

I believe "Mrs Barrett" was Tumblelty's niece, and the two Catholic priests mentioned in his were reported to be Fenian supporters.

[Bailey]

$5000 to a "Mrs Barrett" - links to Stephen Knight and Walter Sickert!

B.

[Archaic]

Hi Mike.

In the Catholic Church confessions are considered inviolate between the priest and the penitent and are always kept secret.

I understand your point that maybe Tumblety felt some extra pangs of guilt and so sought reassurance before confessing.

What comes first to my mind is that perhaps Tumblety wanted to confess that he had made a living swindling sick people with worthless 'remedies'
and that he had led a "less-than-chaste" lifestyle.

Maybe he wanted to be sure his heirs and the general public would never find out the truth about the great Indian Herb Doctor...

After all, Dr. T was always concerned with keeping up a good front.

Best regards,
Archaic

[mklhawley]

Promise of secrecy at Tumblety's bedside

"..., and the Catholic priest whom he called to administer to his spiritual welfare, a promise of secrecy."

So, Francis Tumblety gave money to the Church and then demanded from a Catholic priest a promise of secrecy, which was possibly during his last confession. Obviously, he wanted to take some secrets to the grave. I wonder what they could have been?

Sincerely,

Mike

[Chris Scott]

Hi Archaic
Indeed - and still does:-)
The main item in this which was certainly new to me was this bizarre accident - his falling asleep and breaking his nose! - which this account implies shortened his life by the shock

[Archaic]

Thanks for posting this, Chris.

I guess it goes to show that Snake Oil sells.

Best regards,
Archaic

[Chris Scott]

St Louis Republic
29 May 1903

REVEALED HIS IDENTITY ON HIS DEATHBED
Doctor Francis Tumblety, 82, Died at St John's Hospital, Leaving $100,000.
ASSUMED NAME OF TOWNSEND.
Physician Chose to Die Away From Relatives - Legacies to Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop Ireland.

Leaving an estate estimated to exceed $100,000, Doctor Francis Tumblety, 82 years old, died at St John's Hospital yesterday afternoon without a relative or intimate friend at his bedside.
Legacies of $10,000 each to Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop Ireland for charitable purposes were among his bequests.
Coming to St Louis under an assumed name, Doctor Tumblety, as he expressed it to the attendants of the hospital, "selected St John's as a convenient place to die."
For some time he had been suffering from valvular disease of the heart, and after a stay at Hot Springs, Ark., he decided to come to St Louis and prepare for the end.
having amassed a large fortune as an advertising physician, forty or fifty years ago, when that life of medical practice was rare, Doctor Tumblety has in later years travelled about the world. He was unmarried, and as he aged he developed a reticence about himself and his affairs that almost amounted to a mania.
Introducing himself as "Mr. Townsend," he engaged a room at St John's Hospital on April 26. Gradually the malady from which he was suffering developed to a serious stage and calling for a lawyer, Doctor Tumblety made known his identity.
Even within the shadow of death he exacted from the lawyer, and the Catholic priest whom he called to administer to his spiritual welfare, a promise of secrecy. Of his past life he would not speak except in a general way and it was only through his will that his wealth was made known to those who cared for him.
Although he realized that the end was near, Doctor Tumblety insisted upon going about whenever his condition would allow. Monday last he requested to be dressed, saying that he wished to take a walk. An attendant was assigned to assist him, but the doctor wished to be left alone.
After walking about the street for some time he returned to the hospital and sat on the steps of the building. While sitting there he went to sleep and fell forward on his face, breaking his nose and sustaining a shock from which he never recovered.

LAWYER WAS SURPRISED.
Much to the surprise of the lawyer who was called, Doctor Tumblety dictated a will bequeathing $65,000, and then hesitated concerning the remainder of his estate, which he intimated amounted to more than the amount disposed of in the will.
It appeared to be his intention a few hours before his death to leave the estate unaccounted for in his original will to the Catholic Church, but this purpose was not fulfilled.
During his illness he insisted that none of his friends and relatives should be informed of his condition, saying that he wanted to die in peace.
He was known to all the attendants about the hospital as "Mr. Townsend."
The bulk of his estate is believed to be in cash on deposit with the banking firm of Henry Clews & Co., of New York.
In his will he leaves $10,000 to Mrs. Thos. Brady, a niece, of Liverpool, England; to Mrs. Jane Hayes, a niece, he also leaves $10,000; the sum of $5,000 each is left to Mrs. Barrett and Miss Jane Moore, nieces, of Rochester, N.Y., while a legacy of $5,000 is bequeathed to a former coachman, Mark A. Blackburn. In addition to these items are the bequests to Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop Ireland for charitable purposes.
Doctor Tumblety was a pioneer in the field of travelling physicians. He recognized the value of advertising and his success was phenomenal. He is remembered by old citizens of St Louis as a frequent visitor to the city forty or fifty years ago, and it is said that it was his plan to make himself conspicuous by wearing long hair and diamonds.
He claimed to be a native of Ireland, and he is said to have had experience in the Franco German War and the Civil War.
His body was taken in charge by the undertaking establishment of Cullinane Bros., No. 2433 Dickson Street. The relatives were advised of the death, and arrangements for the funeral are to be made today.