The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-05
"TENNIE, OF TENNESSEE"
From Child wonder to PhiIanthrO-
pist and Grand Dame.
From the New York World.

Tennie c. Clafin, the girl broker, author
and editor-Lady Francis Cook, the rich
widow, philanthropist, grande dame-here
is a pretty model of progressive career.
So violently progressive, indeed, that
it takes ones breath away.
But Tennie Claflin-it is hard to think
OF her with her title-has been in the habit
of checking other peoples respiration for
so long-to approximate, it is nearly half
a century-that she is probably able to
take quite calmly the latest turn of her
own indulgent wheel of fortune.
To be sure. it has bereft her of hus-
band. But Sir Francis Cook, Viscount
Montserra-Tennie Clafiin is a Viscountess
among other things-was intirm and nearly
ninety. And unquestioned as was the at
tachment between them Lady Cook has
doubtless recommended to herself pious
resignation.
Her Social Position.
She is to-day by the terms of her hus-
bands will as just reported by cable
a widow with an income of $4,000 year
She has a social position which almost
any one of the women who formerly re-
viled her would give her right hand to
obtain.
She has the opportunity to indulge to
its furthest limit the schemes for philan-
thropy and reforms which have so long
possessed her.
And-an important item-the Chatelaine
of Doughty House. Richmond, is taken
quite seriously.
The distribution of Sir Francis prop
erty is said to be as follows:
All the estates in Portugal and two
thirds of the other property go to the
oldest son, Francis, by the testator's first
wife, and the remaining third goes to his
son Wyndham.
Lady Cooks Inheritance.
Lady Cook receives f25,OOO Cs125,OOO) and
the income for life from an investment of
f50, 900 $3.50 600. The testator's daughter
and her issue receive f25,OoO and the in
come for life from the investment of f100,-
900 ($500, COO.
The collection of pictures is left in trust
for the eldest son and his heirs, as though
entailed. The pictures are to be kept in
a gallery. There are no charitable be-
quests.
For years Lady Cook has shown much
generosity and excellent judgment in dis
posing of her income. Her establishment
of guilds. schools and homes, both in
England and Portugal, would have made
her famous even had she no other claims
to fame.
Wherefore, the English are now absorb
ed in wonder as to what the widowed
Lady Cook will do with her position and
her fortune.
On the other hand the titled lady's
, own countrymen are asking, as they have
asked for a score of years. how in the
world did Tennie C1afiin ever achieve her
position and her fortune in the first place?
A Strange Life story.
Gifted though she is, how did this fledg-
ling from nest of spiritualists, clairvoy
ants, ''magnetizers''-this target for the
abuse of the anti-radical, anti-suffrage,
i-women-in-public elements of the en-
tire country; this champion of unconven-
tional departures of ALI kinds, with
cloud of unsettled libel suits, even muir
der indictment hanging over her head
how did a woman with such handicaps
ever enter the English aristocracy as
though it were her birthright? How was
she welcomed to a position of dignity and
influence as naturally as though she had
been the daughter of a lord.
To answer this would be to have found
the clue to the mysterious life-history of
the Clatlin sisters. For everybody who
remembers Tennie remembers her who
by the death of her last husband, Mr..
John Riddulph Martin, some few years
ego likewise achieved the position of a
rich English widow.
Indeed, it is a tossup between them for
distinction. For while Victoria-best
known as Victoria C. Woodhull-is the
more married of the two, and was like
wise once candidate for the Presidency of
the United States-her sister has had the
reputation of being beauty-has also
two titles and has now the larger for
tune.
The "ChiId Wonder"
Fifty years ago, more or less, Victoria
and Tennessee Clafltn were children in an
Ohio village Their father was poor, their
mother a spiritualist, and you would not
have believed that there was much
chance for any one of the ten shabby
youngsters that swarmed over the little
home.
But shortly after they had passed the
toddling stage two of them, Victoria and
Tennessee, who was the youngest and
prettiest of the lot. became women of the
world and Independent wage-earners. This
they did by starting overwhelmingly
ant establishment and exploiting Tennes-
see as the Child wonder"
For very many years, dating from this
time, 1t was alleged that Tennessee had
wonderful magnetic power. Perhaps she
had At all events the sisters were sue
cessful and acquired a large clientele.
But they outgrew this stage, being
young women who made their own oppor-
tunities, and came to New York.
To ask tsmely for help? To shrink re-
tiringIy into seclusion?
Not by any means. Victoria and Ten
ME c., as the younger now called her
SELF had refreshing way of going right
to the heart of things, which In this
case happened to be a Wall street brok
er's office. In a month the two sisters
were doing more business than any other
brokers on the street. Their day was
the day of Jay Gould, Jim Fisk and the
famous group of "magnates" that once
reigned In the street. All these men adj
mired the Claflin sisters, metaphorically
patted them on the shoulder, advertised
them in a friendly fashion.
Naturally, Victoria and Tennie grew
rich.
But you must not imagine them to have
been mere money-getters.
"WoodhuII and ClRnin's Weekly.
They had. It is true, not very much TO
say about spiritualism and magnetism at
this period. but great deal 10 say about
equal suffrage morality-of a type some
what advanced sociology, humanith-
rtaptsro ana "A aoore Of things They pub