Omaha daily bee., 1874-04-16
TENHIE C. CLAFLlH.
She Tarries in Omaha, and allows
a Bee" Reporter to I'm
prove a Shining
Hour.
He Finds out what She is Here
for, and where She is
Going.
Her Ideas of Social Reform.

=. Clafiin, arrived in this city yester-
lay morning from the East, and is
now stopping at the Grand Central
accompanied by her aged
mother. A BEE reporter hearing OF
her arrival sought and obtained an
introduction to her, and improved a
shining hour by interviewing her.
= Tennie c. Claf1in from her asso-
citation with theB eecher-W Woodruff
Blood-Tilton scandal, and her con-
seauent connection with numerous
libel suits, and from the social re-
form movement inaugurated by
herself and partner, Victoria Wood
hull, has gained a national noto-
riety, and is considered somewhat
of a celebrity in her way.
She is a far different looking per-
son from what we expected to meet.
She is OF medium height, and well
built; has dark brown hair, light
blue eyes, and a handsome and at
tractive face. Her age is %, and
she is not ashamed to tell it.
She is a brilliant, rapid and en-
tertaining conversationalist, never
at a loss for the right words in the
right place. She converses on
every subject with q winning ease,
familiarity and freedom, and does
not hesitate to call things by their
right names. With her a leg Isl
leg, and not a limb. She is
possessed of elegant manners, and
is extremely polite. In brief, she
is a woman that at once impresses
one with the fact that she is a
cultured lady, full of life, energy,
and business talents:
Through the medium of the press
she is too well known to the public
for the BEE to refer to her previous
public career, but we will give the
substance of the interview, which
may interest many of our readers.
Our first eonundrum to her, after
the formalities of the introduction,
was:
What brings you out West, Miss
Clafiin?
Tennie CT am going West to
speculate, principally in mines. l
have letters from the first miners
and bankers of the Western coun-
try. ! shall go from here to Salt
Lake, and thence to California,
intending to be absent three
months. In June or July l shall sail
for Europe. I have recently gone
through eieyan days trial on that
libel suit. OF course you know all
about it. 1t was all in our weekly
mime and Vic's, Imean-and also
in the other papers. Judge Fuller
ton said he was going to convict on
the prejudic"s of the people. Our
acquittal .,as entirely unexpected.
This trial almost ruined us financial
ly. Our bail bonds alone amounted
to s2S4,OOO.
We here tried to edge In another
copundrum, but failing to do SO, we
let rennie @. pursue the even tenor
of her way, as follows:
In further answer to your ques-
ton, said she, 1 want to establish
our paper in the West. 1 am going
tG start an agency here and else
where. The Western News Com
pany are trying to suppress our
sheet, but we will not have it that
way.
ReporteF-Are you still in COM
pany with Victoria Woodruff?
Tennie C.-Oh, yes. We are
partners i'm everything, - in the
Weekly. and i'm her lectures, and
my speculations.
Reporter-What no you intend to
DO i'm San Francisco?
Tennie C.-My main business
there is to start a branch Office.
Reporter-By way of parenthesis,
and lift is not an impertinent ques-
lion, may 1 ask how many sum-
mers have passed over your head?
Tennie C.-Why certainly. L
never hesitate to tell my age. lam
20. I suppose you thought ] was
Reporter-Not at all. / took you
FOR %.
Tennie C.-Well, 1t Is q wonder
hat | do not look like a woman of
10, rs | have had so much trouble,
md persecution to contend with.
You can't imagine the pressure
ironght to bear to crush me
Victoria and myself were worth
nearly half a million at one time,
Ill of which was made on the
treet, as brokers; We had an elegant
home, extensively furnished, and
which was frequently called ''the
,eautiful palace" We lived in ease
nd luxury; but, now, we have lost
all.
Reporter.-Wili you be kind
nough to tell me something of
ur social reform movement?
Tennie Give went into this
hing on principle, not only
II the benefit of women but also for
len, who have wrongs as well as the
,fter sex. In the majority of eases,
are married, not mated. They
ct 9 woman, but not a wife. This
a wrong that keeps up prostitu-
Oh.
Reporter-WM you tell me what
the fundamental principles on