The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-30
He FIGURES IN FICTION.
The Original OF Dickens Inspeo.or
" Huckott Sill Alive, ------ :

'uChctt Stili alive.
James Tuckett, formerly inspector of the
detective department of Scotland Yard,
london, has been making a long visit to
,Irienus In Sausalito, Cal. The ex-inspcctor,
VINO Is now eighty-two years of age, rose
from the ranks rs IN ordinary constable to
the position which no afterward held. His
work was 50 good that he was repeatedly
promoted, and he became ono of the fa-
nous low street runners before the
special department. Of detective police was
established Mt Scotland Yard.
Mr.. Tuckett was one of the characters
IN Dickens famous story BLEAK House."
where he figures as Inspector Bucket.
In n pleasant chat with San Francisco
Chronicle reporter he said: MY happiest
"reminiscences are connected with my asso-
citation with the famous novelist, who at
the time l first made his acquaintance
was writing his Sketches by Boz The
first time l saw him he was prowlino
around Golden square, Soho, in a sus,
picious manner, and I followed him and
asked his business. He said he was in search
OF material for newspaper stories, and
he Thought no witlor or more prolific field
could be found than In the great metropo-
lis. lie was quiet, unassuming young
man then, but he Interested me very much
by his flashes Of wit and the evident ac-
quaintance which he had with the sub
strata of London life
For years after our first meeting. and
until became inspector at Scotland Yard.
he regularly met me at the station OF left
word where could meet him, and together
we have visited every quarter of London
from Connaught square to the slums of
Limehousc hole and Radcliffe highway,
and every den and hole on the river side
thieves and evil characters of all kinds
and the early morning dawn would find us
ut my post TO report with scarcely word
said between us; butall the time, furtively
glancing Mt his faceM could see how pro
ioundly he was impressed by all that we
both saw and heard, and knew instinct
lively that he was quietly gathering ma
tcrial and storing 1t away for future use in
those wonderful novels of his which have
made his undying fame
To most men he was silent, but with
me, after tramp of eight or ten miles
when was released from duty he, accom-
panying me to my home in the old Kent
road. would make my flesh creep with his
vivid cpitome of what we had seen. Our
friendship grew very strong as the years
rolled on, and when fame and fortune
came to him and had ceased active duty
and was u welcome guest at Cabs Hill,
we-would together revisit the old haunts
and recall earlier days
The last time we were together on a
tour of this kind was when he was writ
ing the unfinished story OF Edwin Drood,'
and then he confined himself entirely to
the Thames shore, on the north and
south sides. below Waterloo bridge. On
Wednesdays was always relieved from
duty early in tho evening, and it was a
custom for my good wife to have 'tripe
and trotters for supper, of which dish
Dickens was particularly fond. He in
variably dropped in just us the meal was
ready and sat at the table with us. His pet
was my little daughter Emily. now mar
ried and living in Australia"