Brooklyn Daily Eagle
New York, USA
19 June 1865

Kirkwood House, Washington, June 17

To the Editor of the Brooklyn Eagle:

Allow me to ask as a great personal favor, that you give the enclosed card publicity, in order that those of your city who know me may see that I am again at liberty, having been entirely exonerated from the foul charges brought against me in some of the Northern journals. Respectfully, T. Tumblety, M.D.

To the Editor of the Star:

After three weeks' imprisonment in the Old Capitol Prison, in this city, I have been unconditionally and honorably released from confinement by direction of the Secretary of War, there being no evidence whatever to connect me with the yellow fever, or assassination plot, with which some of the Northern journals have charged me of having some knowledge. My arrest appears to have grown out of a statement made in a low, licentious sheet published in New York, to the effect that Dr. Blackburn, who has figured so unenviably in the hellish yellow fever plot, was no other person than myself. In reply to this statement I would most respectfully say to an ever-generous public that I do not know this fiend in human form named Dr. Blackburn, nor have I ever seen him in my life. For the truth of this assertion I can bring hundreds of distinguished persons throughout the United States to vouch for my veracity, and, if necessary can produce certificates from an innumerable number of gentlemen in high official positions.

While in imprisonment I noticed in some of the New York and other northern papers, a paragraph setting forth that the villain Harold, who now stands charged with being one of the conspirators in the attrocious assassination plot, was at one time in my employ. This, too, is false in every particular, and I am at loss to see how it originated, or to trace it to its origin. For the past five years I have had but one man in my employment, and he is yet with me, his character being beyond reproach. I never saw Harold to my knowledge, and I have no desire to see him.

Another paper has gone so far as to inform the public that I was an intimate acquaintance of Booth's; but this, too, is news to me, as I never spoke to him in my life, or any of his family.

I do hope that the papers which so industriously circulated these reports connecting me with these damnable deeds, to the very great injury of my name and reputation, will do me the justice to publish my release, and the fact of my having been entirely exonerated by the authorities here, who, after a diligent investigation, could obtain no evidence that would in the least tarnish my fair reputation.

I feel it but due to the authorities here to state that, while in the Old Capitol, I was treated with the utmost kindness and consideration; and was placed in the same quarters assigned to Governor Vance, Governor Brown, Hon. Mr. Lamar, and others of note.

With these few remarks in justice to myself, I will close by submitting them to the public.

Respectfully, Dr. F. Tumblety.

[We give the above card from Mr. Tumblety that he may have the full benefit of his statements where this is known. When the Doctor was in Brooklyn the young man who was with him, and who was since identified with Harold, gave his name indifferently as Farrell and Blackburn, and the Doctor used the latter name at one time in his business. However, as the Doctor has been discharged it is fair to suppose that he is innocent of any offence against the government.]