Francis Tukey

Francis Tukey (1814 - November 27, 1867) was the City Marshal of Boston, Massachusetts, from 1846 to 1852 and a member of the California State Assembly.

Francis Tukey is described as "5 feet, 9 inches tall, hair black as a raven, eyes large, dark and piercing with a pale face and an infectious smile.

Entering the law enforcement profession would be Tukey's calling and he would become appointed as the City Marshal of Boston by Mayor Josiah Quincy Jr.

Francis Tukey was the successor to an office held by Benjamin Pollard, Daniel Parkman, Erza Weston, James Blake and Ira Gibbs.

The early years of Tukey's era as marshal was relatively quiet compared to what he would encounter close to the end of the decade.

The increased visibility of officers gave rise to local notoriety to certain constables, such as Derastus Clapp and Samuel Fuller.

[2] During the 1848 public excavation on Boston Common, Tukey and his people discovered stolen money in front of an eager crowd.

The first collection brought 76 pickpockets, burglars, thieves and more that were forced to "run a gauntlet of crowing citizens who tore their clothing and marked their backs with chalk."

Benjamin Seaver, the mayor, removed Francis Tukey and most of the Boston Police force and replaced him with Gilbert Nourse Esq (1852–1854).

Tukey, in having failed to pay the taxes, forced the property to be sold and left a loan of $4000.00 to Mill's debt.

According to Tukey, "there were 227 houses of prostitution known in Boston, along with 26 gambling dens operating and 1500 shops selling liquor, of which 900 were run by Irishmen.

[5]" He was appointed by the Boston Brahmins to control the growing population of immigrants, especially the Irish who were typically used as scapegoats of the time.

The police force was so well trained, that it could be brought into "service on any emergency, at short notice, with all the uniformity and efficiency of a disciplined army.

Francis Tukey "styled himself as Boston's own Eugène François Vidocq, in regards to the vigilant detection of offenders[7]" by forcing criminals to parade in public and arresting groups of people during police raids.