The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-11-27
THE wOODHULL NATTER.
The Suits Against Woodruff and
Clahin-BiacEm Emaiiing-1he Prose
cutOr or the Woodruff Party
Author eft Libelous Article.

A"o Suits against woodruff and
Clahin-BiacHm he Prose-
cutOr or the Woodruff Party
Author efthe Libeious Article.
"Burleigh," the New York cores
pondent of the Boston Journal, writes /:
Strenuous efforts have been made to get
Victoria Woodruff and Tennie C. Claf.
lin out OF Ludlow street Jail, but 80 far
without success. 1t will take from
$4,000 to $4,000 to bail the women.
Besides the suit on which they are ar
rested there are seven or eight suits
already to be served if these parties get
bail in the present case. There are
lible suits; suits for blackmail; suits in
the States Courts, as we'll as in the
United States Court, and the result of
bail, if it could be obtained would not
tree the women from durance vile.
While Mr.. Beecher's friends have no.
thing to do with the arrest OF Mrs.
Woodruff and her sister, there are out
side parties who are determined to have
this matter probed to the bottom. Over
thirty gentlemen have received letters
demar ding money on the threat OF at
tack in the public prints Some have paid
money to avoid an unwelcome publici-
ty. Others have said, "Go ahead" while
one gentleman who was visited in his
office by a woman, arose from his seat,
took her by the collar, led her TO the
head Of the stairs, and told her if she
ever darkened his doors again he would
fling her down stairs if he broke every
bone in her body. Challis is determined
to carry this matter through the courts,
both on the civil and criminal side OF
the bench.
BLACKMAILING AS AN ART.
The extent OF this business in New
York is perfectly marvellous. 1t is
carried on mainly by women, with a
man in the background A shrewd
LAWYER is retained, and the business is
often carried on under legal advice
The most adroit arts are resorted to,
and respectable men are often taken in
and finding themselves in bad muss
pay money to escape. A gentleman
wss starting from the street not long
since tor his home in upper New York,
As he was opening his carriage wo-
man approached him, well dressed and
modest in appearance, and apparently
in distress. She was stranger-had
come to town to meet a triend-be had
not come--would the gentleman 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-wring>
ing her hands in agony. The gentleman
offered her seat in his carriage. and
left her at the desired point. The next
dav, in the rush of business, a lad came
in and said lady wished to speak to
the gentleman, in her carriage. On 60
ing out he discovered the identical wo-
man whom he had aided the day before.
She wanted $1,000, and if she did not
receive it down town she should call Tor
it at his house some evening. The re-
mort is that the merchant was bled to
the tune OF $4,000, when he thought 1t
was time to hand the case over TO the
authorities, and the whole affair will
have an airing in due time.
ANTHONY CoMsToCK.
Mr.. Comstock is a young New York
merchant who is destined to lave his
name somewhat widely known. He
has been engaged for over year in
seizing bad literature and bringing men
engaged in the trade to trial, and often
to the penitentiary. He has been doing
this work at his own cost, and for time
without much sympathy. He was the
complainant on whose affidavit the
Woodruff party were arrested, and are
still held in Jail. He proposes to have
this whole matter thoroughly slited.
He has letters and proofs of system OF
blackmailing that are perfectly astonnd-
ing, which shows to what an alarming
extent this work is carried. 1t is known
that for over a year Mr.. Beecher has
been in receipt of blackmaling letters,
to when, OF course, liz pa'u ho "''N
ton. | am told by gentleman who
has means of knowing, that the vile
article in the Woodruff paper was sent
TO Mr.. Beecher before it was published
WHO WROTE THE LIBEL?
Mrs. Woodruff, her sister Claflin, and
Blood. each swore before the Court that
neither of them wrote the article. 1t
was attributed to distinguished Free
Love philosopher. But be denies all
knowledge OF the affair, and he would
be believed anywhere. The authorship
has been traced to source that would
hardly be expected. A gentleman told
me today that he had positive proof IN
his possession as to the writer OF the
libel. and that it will be brought out IN
due time. He had something to do with
the arrest OF the parties, and while
watching Mrs. Woodhull's office, wait
ing for the Sheriff, he saw the person to
whom the article is attributed sitting on
the sofa with the two women, aud he
left the room only few minutes before
the arrest took place. OF course neither
OF the parties supposed that any legal
proceedings were to take place.