The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-12-13
WOODHULL-CLAFLIN.
The Blaekmailing Business in New
York.

Strenuous efforts have been
made to get Victoria Woodruff
and Tennie c. Clafiin out of Lud-
low street Jail, but so far without
success. 1t will take from $25, 900
$4,000 to bail the women. Be
sides the suit on which they were
arrested, there are seven or eight
other suits all ready to be served
if these parties get bail in the
present case. There are libel suits;
suits for blackmail; suits in the
State courts, as well as in the
United States court, and the result
of bail, if it could be obtained,
would not free the women from
durance vile. While Mr.. Beech
er's friends have nothing to do
with the arrest of Mrs Woodruff
and her sister, there are outside
parties who are determined to have
this matter prObed TO the bottom.
Over thirty gentlemen have receiv-
ed letters demanding money on
threat of attack in the public
prints. Some have paid money to
avoid an unwelcome publicity.
Others have said, ''Go ahead"
while one gentleman, who was Wis
tied in his office by woman, arose
from his seat, took her by the col
lar, led her to the stairs and told
her if she ever darkened his doors
again he would fling her down
stairs if it broke every bone in her
body. Challis is determined to
carry this matter through both the
civil and criminal courts.
The extent Of this business in
New York is perfectly marvellous.
It is carried on mainly by women
with a man in the back ground.
A shrewd lawyer is often retained,
and it is carried on under legal
advice. The most adroit arts are
often resorted to, and reputable
men are often taken in, and, find
| ing themselves in a bad muss, pay
money to escape. A gentleman
| was starting from the street, not
long since, for his home in upper
New York. As he was entering
his carriage, a woman approached
him, well dressed, modest in APP
pearance, and apparently in dis
tress. She was stranger-had
come down to meet a friend-he
had not come-would the gentle
man be kind enough to tell her the
way to the street named-naming
the one in which the banker lived
was never in New York before
did not know what she would do
Infringing her hands in agony.
The gentleman offered her seat
in his carriage, and left her at the
desired point. The next day, in
the rush of business, lad came in
and said lady wished to speak to
the gentleman, in her carriage
| On going out he discovered the
identical woman whom he had aid
ed the day before. She wanted
81, 900, and if she did not receive
it down town she should call fol
it at his house some evening. The
report is that the banker was bleC
J to the tune of $1,000, when h
thought it was time to hand tn
case over to the authorities, ant
the whole affair will have an air
ing in due time.
Mr.. Comstock is a young New
} York merchant who is destined t,
: have his name somewhat widely
: known. He has been engaged 70
, over a year in selling vile litera
ture and bringing men engaged il
the trade to trial, and often to tn,
penitentiary. He has been doini
: this work at his own cost, and 70
a time without much sympathy
! He was the complainant on who's
} affidavit the Woodruff party wer
: arrested and are still held in jail
: He proposes to have this Who'll
i matter Thoroughly sifted. He ha
letters and proofs of a system Q
} blackmailing that are perfectly as
: founding, which shows to what Al
) alarming extent this work is car
: ried. 1t is known that for over
t year Mr.. Beecher has been in re
: ceipt of blackmailing letters, t,
: which, of course, he paid no atten
ton. I am told by 3 gentleman
) who has the means of knowing
!. that the vile article in the Wood
T hull paper was sent to Mr.. Beech
!, er before it was published.
4 Mrs woodruff, her sister Clafiil
{ and Blood swore before the cour
e that neither of them wrote the al
T ticle. It was attributed to q dis
: tinguished free love philosopher
But he denies all knowledge of tn
: affair, and he would be believe
i anywhere. The authorship ha
q been traced to source that woull
: | hardly be expected. A gent1ema
: told as to-day that he had posi-
: tive pfoofin his possession astoth
], writer of the libel, and that it wi
= be brought out in due time. H
$ hadsomething TO do with the arres
: ofthe parties, and while watchinI
Q Hrs. Woodhu1Ps Office, waiting 70
d the sheriff, he saw the person t
J. whom the article is attributed
e sitting on the sofa with the tw
: women, and he left the room oni
II . few moments before the arres
Il took place. OF course neither {
j the parties supposed that any Il
g gai proceedings we're TO take pIac,
New York Advertiser,