Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-27
MORE ABOUT.DR. TwOMBLETY.
His Career I'm Canada and I'm Various
Cities I'm the Country.

MORE ABOUT.DR. TwOMBLETY.
His Career I'm CAnada and in Various
Cities I'm the Country.
From the New York World
The mysterious DR.. Twomblety, the Ameri-
can arrested in London November Is, suspected
of having had some connection with the White
chapel murders, seems to have figured extern
sively in Boston, where he il very well known.
The same veil Of mystery enveloped his pri-
vate life in that city - everywhere else.
The first appearance Of Twomblety was in
John, N. B. He claimed to be IN electric ply
stefan Of international reputation He put mn
at the leading hotel Of the city, and by his pre-
tentious airs convinced the people that he was
all he represented himseh 70 be. He adopted
the same system OF personal advertisement he
has followed up ever since, only in those early
days he was given to extremes in cress. He
would dash through the streets mounted on
q superb white horse, followed by troop Of
thoroughbred hounds, and arrayed in the most
charged whatever fee he pleased and made
Presently il began to be whispered about
that the "doctor" was pretentious humbug
and vulgar charlatan. The more respectable
portion Of the community dropped him. just
very peculiar circumstances. The mans name
was Portmore, and as he was well known and
had many friends, his death created sensa-
ton. request was made by the family for
an autopsy, and when IL was held it was found
that Potmore's death was entirely due to the
doctors" astrocious treatment. So gross was
the malpractice that the case was at once
given to the coroner, and jury was empan-
elled to more fully investigate.
There is great deal Of red tape about coro-
ners juries in that part Of the country, and by
the time the Jury had thoroughly sifted all the
evidence and proved that the doctor" was
guilty Of granddaughter, he had fed to Boston:
For some unknown reason he was never pur-
sued, and he was soon a. conspicuous in Bos-
ton as he had been in st. John. There was the
same white horse, the same collection Of dogs,
the same gorgeous dressing.
His st. John experience made him careful
about the general practice Of medicine, and he
appeared in Boston as the inventor Of sure
cure for pimples. He devoted his time en-
tirely to ladies and did rushing business. His
opened branch Office in this city, and after
ward he worked Jersey City and Pittsburg
and many western cities, going as far as San
Francisco.
He also made himself conspicuous in Canada,
and his big FORM set OF by striking attire, is as
familiar to Toronto and Montreal as it is to New
York. In Canada he was very fond Of exhibit
ing to newly-made acquaintances medal which
purported to be the gift Of his admirers when
he lett Canada to begin what he termed his
Crusade against the pimples which disfgured
the faces Of American women" In his wan
behring's he did not forget the fashionable
watering places, and at even SO exclusive and
aristocratic a spot as White Sulphur springs he
paraded himself, with all his offensive vulgarity
Of attire, to the great horror of the staid old
Virginia aristocracy.
By some it is said that Twomblety is not the
mans real name at all, but that he was known
as Sullivan and lived in Nova Scotia up to
1864. There is evidently either a confusion of
names or dates about this statement as there
is conclusive proof that the doctor" was
fore 1862, and as Twomblety was quite well
known in New York and Boston in 1884 and for
many years afterward. There appears to be no
doubt that Twomblety in his myriad Of NOV
ings did at one time live in Nova Scotia, where
IL Is said he behaved in such scandalous man.
ner as to bring himself into great odium.
In various cities the doctor" has been
Swallowed by the police. Detectives have fol-
lowed him, watched his Office, logged his foot
steps, noted his companions, and tried in every
way to find out the secret Of his private life,
, which he 20 jealousy guarded, and not one Of
is his nationality? Where il his home, his
family? Who are his friends his associates?
None Of these questions has ever been
lnnumeraDlo stories are told OF the doctor"
which are all more or less apocryphal. It il
said that once, when he lived at Pittsburg. he
was thrown from his horse while riding through
the street and was carried home for dead. He
lay in a trance for three days. Everyone con-
sidered him dead, and preparations were made
for his funeral. At last the undertaken came
with the coffin, and everything being ready the
doctor was put into it. But, alas, the coffin
was too short. When the doctor" was safely
slowed away out popped his feet, and when
his feet were carefully tucked in, up bobbed
his head. Here was q pretty middle! The
coffin could not be sent back, there was no
time for that, and besides it was the longest
one available. At last the undertaken deter
mined that it was all obstinacy on the part Of
the corpse, and if the coffin did not ft him he
was to blame, not the coffin, and should be
made to fit it. Thus reasoning he provided
himself with saw and prepared to remove the
doctors" legs, but they were the pride of the
"doctor" in life and he was not going to desert
them in death. So he sat bolt upright in the
coffin and vigorously protested. The UNDER
taker became a raving maniac and the doctor
saved his legs.
A few years ago the pimple-banishing enter
prise was moved to London, where the doctor
for time is said to have made money. It was
his queer method Of spending his money which
first attracted the Scotland Yard detectives to
him, and after a slight investigation he was ar
rested, the idea being that If he were not the
Whitechapel 6end, he Is q dangerous character,
and is not entitled to his liberty.