The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-16
CLAFLIN AND WOODRUFF.
Facts About Two Famous American Women
who Married Wealthy Englishmen.

Facts About Two Famous American women
Who Married Wealthy Enelishmen.
New York World.
Among the passengers on the Aursnia last
Monday was Lady Cook, Viscountess of Mont
serrat. formerly Tennie G. Clafiin. sister
of Victoria Woodruff. and now wife
of a wealthy European nobleman. About four
teen years have elapsed since Victoria G..
Woodruff arrived in London with her
sister Tennie. They were at that time
the United States. The Beecher Tilton contro-
versy had brought them into peculiar promi-
nence. and the weekly publication in which they
heralded the scandal to the world before the
daily press of the city had summoned courage to
more than distantly hint at the charges, had for
a time enormous circulation. But even
greater than the Beecher story was the ferment
they caused when they openly threw down the
gauntlet. as It we're, to aristocrasie vice
in New York, and declared that
and their paper sort Of Geheniea for wealthy
profigates. One of the first gentlemen whom
they assaulted was wel-known business man
and capitalist The charges they published
against him were of the most startling charac-
ter. He promptly met them by a suit for dam
ages. Victoria held out undauntedly and in the
trial before Judge Sutherland he evidently
leaned toward the side of the women and they
we're not convicted They had learned lesson,
however. and became much less aggressive in
dealing with glded vice.
Victoria and Tennie. however, were not con-
tent with being free lances in the publishing
line. Tennie aspired to military honors, and
actually procured her own election Co,onel
of colored militia regiment, and appeared
Union. She also led her regiment in several
parades through the city. 1t included
some hne-looking. colored soldiers, and they
were enthusiastic in their admiration
of their fair commander. They averred
that their object in electng her
to the post Of honor and of danger was to attract
recruits and promote the prosperity of the COM
mand. Col. Tennis G. ClaAn was for a time
one of the most prominent. If not one of the
most popular, military officers in the city. Vic
toria was more ambitious than her sister. She
had decided liking for the advice and assoei-
alton of financial men and was frequent visitor
to brokers' Offices in Wall street. She was act
i've also in woman suffrage circles and for
long time recognized leader in
that agitation. AT length the Iber
atty of her professions certain
B. Anthony Mrs Stanton and other ladies' en-
tertaiDed and expressed the most conservative
ideas. led to division. and to the ultimate re-
pudiaton of Mrs. Woodruff by the other wing
of the suffrage party. Nevertheless Mrs. Wood
hull procured her own nomination for President
at a meeting held in the Cooper Union. Victoria
and TenDie went to London together. There
they again entered into tie publishing business,
and for time carried on weekly paper: The
latter tone of this paper indicated that Victoria
was changing her extremely liberal views,
and at length she repudiated in
print having ever entertained or advocated free
love doctrines. Her marriage to Mr.. Biddulph
MARITIME one of the leading bankers of London,
created q decided sensation in that city. He
was gentleman advanced in years, with grown
MP children, president of the Statistical Society.
and one of the foremost business men Of the
most populous metropolis in the world. In the
autumn of 1885 Tennie was married to Frederick
Cook, rich merchant holding from the
King ofPortugal the title of Viscount of Mont
serrat Though man of wealth, Mr..
Cook is not known like Mr.. MARITIME of
the great men OF London. It is understood that
the Viscountess of Montserrat will be joined
shortly in this country by her sister, and that q
mausoleum will be erected in Greenwood to re-
ceive the remains of the late father of the tw o
sisters. Their husbands have, it is said cheer
fully consented to bear the expense of this ilial
tribute and at the Same time have q look at the
country in which their wives had spent
many eventful years.