What Would Have Been Required to Extradite Tumblety from America?

[c.d.]

I am still not clear on the requirements for extradition as they existed in 1888. So, a number of questions if you will:

1. Could Tumblety have been extradited from America back to England solely on the charges of gross indecency? Would his jumping bail in England be a factor?

2. Could Tumblety have been extradited if he had been charged with the Ripper murders? Would officials in America have to review those charges or would the mere fact that he had been charged in England suffice?

3. Could he have been extradited on the mere suspicion of murder?

4. What would the police in England need to have done before charging him with murder? Would they have feared a lawsuit for slander and false arrest?

5. Could the official requirements have been bent a little since there was a possibility that this man could be Jack the Ripper or would that be completely impossible?

Any light that you could shed on this would be appreciated.

c.d.

[c.d.]

And here I thought this was going to turn out to be a damn good thread. Just goes to show you that sometimes you don't know jack.

c.d.

[GUT]

I did look into this years ago, and the only thing he had been charged with (Gross indecency) wasn't an extraditable offence.

[mklhawley]

Hi c.d.,

Here's what Inspector Byrnes stated in the New York World, Dec 4, 1888:

Inspector Byrnes was asked what his object in shadowing Twomblety. "I simply wanted to put a tag on him." he replied, "so that we can tell where he is. Of course, he cannot be arrested, for there is no proof in his complicity in the Whitechapel murders, and the crime for which he was under bond in London is not extaditable."

This explains what the New York police believed. It almost infers if there was strong evidence, Byrnes would have allowed extradition. Clearly, if Tumblety's connection to the Ripper murders was made up, Byrnes would not have answered this way.

Mike

[David Orsam]

1. Could Tumblety have been extradited from America back to England solely on the charges of gross indecency? Would his jumping bail in England be a factor? No, it was not an extraditable offence.

2. Could Tumblety have been extradited if he had been charged with the Ripper murders? Would officials in America have to review those charges or would the mere fact that he had been charged in England suffice? Yes, he could have been extradited but it would have required the production of sworn and authenticated depositions containing evidence supporting his guilt plus the production of warrants for his arrest on the murder charge from the Chief Magistrate, properly authenticated by the Home Secretary, and the only way to obtain such warrants would be is if there was evidence of his guilt. All the papers would have been reviewed by a magistrate/judge in the US.

3. Could he have been extradited on the mere suspicion of murder? No.

4. What would the police in England need to have done before charging him with murder? Would they have feared a lawsuit for slander and false arrest? The police needed evidence that he was guilty of the offence sufficient to charge him with murder.

5. Could the official requirements have been bent a little since there was a possibility that this man could be Jack the Ripper or would that be completely impossible? I don't really know what is meant by bending of the requirements but they needed evidence of guilt and there was no getting around that.

[c.d.]

Finally, clear and concise answers to my questions. Thank you, David.

c.d.