Notorious Victoria

by Mary Gabriel

  12. On June 22, Victoria’s pet . . .: Sachs p. 167.

  13. In August she was sued . . .: Sachs, p. 167.

  14. “I had occasion to go up town . . .”: WCW, Oct. 18, 1873, p. 12.

  15. Ended up being nominated . . .: Foner, p. 215.

  16. Tilton had made something of a . . .: The New York Times, Sept. 14, 1872, p. 11; New York Daily Tribune, Oct. 25, 1872, p. 5; New York Daily Tribune, Oct. 28, 1872, p. 2.

  17. And Henry Ward Beecher . . .: Hibben, pp. 239, 246–47.

  18. He humbly told the organizers . . .: The New York Tribune, Oct.8, 1872.

  19. “I was put in nomination as . . .”: WCW, Nov. 2, 1872.

  20. A Boston paper . . .: Sachs, p. 171.

  21. “In the situation that I must . . .”: WCW, Nov. 2, 1872.

  NEW YORK CITY, NOVEMBER 2, 1872

  Pages 188–98

  1. “I have no doubt that . . .”: WCW, Nov. 2,1872.

  2. Victoria was in Chicago . . .: SIU, JBM notes.

  3. When it hit the newsstands . . .: WCW, Dec. 28, 1872, p. 10.

  4. By nightfall were selling . . .: WCW, Dec. 28, 1872, p. 10.

  5. On Friday, November 1, Victoria . . .: SIU, chronology of events leading up to VCW’s arrest written by JBM; WCW, Dec. 18, 1872, p. 10.

  6. The man behind Victoria’s arrest . . .: Broun and Leech, pp. 40–41.

  7. “The hydra-headed monster . . .”: Broun and Leech, 86.

  8. One of its earlier and most successful . . .: Dodge, p. 17.

  9. Comstock’s committee . . .: Broun and Leech, p. 87; D’Emilio and Freedman, p. 159.

  10. Comstock was a large man . . .: Broun and Leech, pp. 13–14.

  11. “Inveterate in her silence . . .”: Broun and Leech, p. 12.

  12. It contained two words . . .: Rovere, p. 32.

  13. He first applied . . .: Broun and Leech, p. 102.

  14. Two deputy marshals . . .: The New York Times, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 1.

  15. “The brace of officers . . .”: The Sun, Nov. 3, 1871, p. 1; New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1871, p. 6; Chicago Tribune, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 2.

  16. Marshals had found as many as . . .: The New York Times, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 1.

  17. “Grave and severe . . .”: New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 6.

  18. “So great was the excitement . . .”: New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 6.

  19. But Davis argued in favor . . .: New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 6.

  20. Also arrested for printing . . .: Chicago Tribune, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 2.

  21. Blood and Smith were charged . . .: New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 6; The New York Tribune, Nov. 7, 1872, p. 3.

  22. Back on Broad Street . . .: Rourke, p. 207; Chicago Tribune, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 2.

  23. “Upon arriving at Ludlow Street . . .”: New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 6.

  24. Howe and his partner . . .: Rovere, pp. 25–27, 36, 41.

  25. “Engaged in earnest converse . . .”: New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 6.

  26. On Sunday, the sisters received visitors . . .: New York Herald, Nov. 4, 1872, p. 8.

  27. Also visiting the sisters . . .: Broun and Leech, p. 109; The New York Tribune, Nov. 4, 1872, p. 2.

  28. Train was a wealthy eccentric . . .: Barry, p. 178; Train, pp. 314–15; New York Herald, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 6.

  29. He described himself as . . .: Seitz, Uncommon Americans, p. 176.

  30. “In November, ’72 I was . . .”: Train, pp. 323–26.

  31. Anticipated the arrival . . .: The New York Times, Nov. 3, 1872, p. 1; Shaplen, p. 164.

  32. “Scandal” . . .: The Christian Union, Nov. 7, 1872, p. 1.

  33. “Interesting things”: The Golden Age, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 7.

  34. The eyes of the congregation . . .: The Sun, Nov. 4, 1872, p. 2.

  35. “Deacon Hudson . . .”: The Sun, Nov. 4, 1872, p. 2.

  NEW YORK CITY, NOVEMBER 5, 1872

  Pages 199–200

  1. On Monday morning . . .: The Sun, Nov. 5, 1872, p. 1.

  2. “Actuated by a higher power . . .”: The New York Tribune, Nov. 5, 1872, p. 2.

  3. Spectators were kicking and thumping . . .: New York Herald, Nov. 5, 1872, p. 4.

  4. Victoria, with her daughter, Zulu . . .: The Sun, Nov. 5, 1872, p. 1.

  5. Meanwhile, Stephen Pearl Andrews . . .: The New York Tribune, Nov. 5, 1872, p. 2; The World, Nov. 5, 1872, p. 5.

  6. He would admit his role . . .: The New York Times, May 6, 1875, p. 3.

  7. He was working on . . .: Harvey Wish, “Stephen Pearl Andrews; American Pioneer Sociologist,” Social Forces, May 1941, pp. 477–82; Stern, The Pantarch, pp. 122–23.

  8. The court looked kindly . . .: The New York Tribune, Nov. 5, 1872, p. 2.

  9. The ever adaptable Tennessee . . .: The Sun, Nov. 7, 1872, p. 3.

  10. “Mrs. Woodhull’s statements . . .”: The Sun, Nov. 7, 1872, p. 3.

  11. The general consensus . . .: Chicago Tribune, Nov. 4, 1872, p. 4.

  12. “Crush to earth”: Johnson, p. 170.

  NEW YORK CITY, NOVEMBER 20, 1872

  Pages 201–5

  1. People jammed the stairwell . . .: The Sun, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 3; The World, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 5.

  2. Buck Claflin sat directly . . .: New York Daily Tribune, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 9.

  3. Luther Challis took the stand . . .: New York Daily Tribune, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 9; The Sun, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 3.

  4. The defense lawyer William Howe . . .: Rovere, pp. 36–37.

  5. The only physical characteristic . . .: The Sun, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 3.

  6. The newspapers found the details . . .: New York Daily Tribune, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 9; The World, Nov. 9, 1872, p. 5.

  7. The moral crusader . . .: The New York Times, Nov. 10, 1872, p. 3; The New York Tribune, Nov. 11, 1872, p. 2.

  8. An acquaintance of Challis . . .: The New York Tribune, Nov. 11, 1872, p. 2; The New York Times, Nov. 10, 1872, p. 3.

  9. When he did, he said Blood . . .: The New York Tribune, Nov. 19, 1872, p. 2; New York Herald, Nov. 19, 1872, p. 4.

  10. “To the Editors of the Herald . . .”: New York Herald, Nov. 20, 1872, p. 5.

  11. Victoria and Tennessee were finally released . . .: New York Herald, Dec. 4, 1872, p. 5.

  NEW YORK CITY, JANUARY 1873

  Pages 206–11

  1. Prior to her speech . . .: Springfield Daily Republican, Dec. 21, 1872, p. 5; WCW, Dec. 28, 1872, p. 8.

  2. “Fully do I believe that wretched . . .”: Yale University Library, HBS to Henry Ward Beecher.

  3. “Those vile women . . .”: Radcliffe College, HBS to daughters Eliza and Hattie, Dec. 19, 1872.

  4. “I am delighted that Boston has fought . . .”: Huntington Library, HBS to Annie Fields, Christmas evening 1872.

  5. Victoria moved her address to Springfield . . .: Springfield Daily Republican, Dec. 21, 1872, p. 5.

  6. She described how in just over . . .: “Moral Cowardice & Modern Hypocrisy; or Four Weeks in Ludlow-Street Jail. The Suppressed Boston Speech of Victoria C. Woodhull,” WCW, Dec. 18, 1872, pp. 3–7.

  7. His new year’s pledge . . .: Broun and Leech, p. 116.

  8. Under the name James Beardsley . . .: New York Herald, Jan. 11, 1873, p. 8.

  9. He was perhaps motivated to move . . .: New York Herald, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 11.

  10. The morning of the lecture two marshals . . .: New York Herald, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 11.

  11. “When we arrested Blood . . .”: Broun and Leech, p. 117.

  12. The sisters weren’t at the Broad . . . The World, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 4.

  13. Tennie evaded arrest . . .: SIU, Zula Maud Woodhull notes.

  14. There was a strong police presence . . .: The World, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 4.

  15. As eight o’clock drew near . . .: WCW, Feb. 8, 1873, p. 14.

  16. Those sitting in front . . .: The World, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 4.

  17. Victoria surrendered herself “gracefully” . . .: The World, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 4
>
  18. They were placed in cell no. 12 together . . .: The New York Times, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 5.

  19. “With soiled hands”: New York Herald, Jan. 11, 1873, p. 8.

  20. By January 14, Tennessee finally . . .: New York Herald, Jan. 14, 1873, p. 8.

  21. Victoria was described as “pale” . . .: New York Herald, Jan. 14, 1873, p. 8.

  22. Blood as “seedy” . . .: New York Herald, Jan. 10, 1873, p. 11.

  23. “Did not seem to be in the slightest . . .”: New York Herald, Jan. 14, 1873, p. 8.

  24. Finally bail was set . . .: The Sun, Jan. 14, 1873, p. 3.

  25. “About half past four yesterday afternoon . . .”: The Sun, Jan. 22, 1873, p. 2; The New York Times, Jan. 22, 1873, p. 8.

  26. “Outrage”: The Sun, Jan. 22, 1873, p. 2.

  27. The Tombs, officially called . . .: Sante, p. 244.

  28. “Enchanter’s palace . . .”: Dickens, p. 75.

  29. It had an inner and an outer . . .: Sante, p. 244; Dickens, p. 77.

  30. Victoria and Tennessee did make bail . . .: The New York Tribune, Jan. 23, 1873, p. 3; The New York Times, Jan. 23, 1873, p. 8.

  NEW YORK CITY, JUNE 1873

  Pages 212–16

  1. Elizabeth Cady Stanton said . . .: WCW, Feb. 15, 1873, p. 9.

  2. And Amelia Bloomer, the famous fashion . . .: WCW, Feb. 15, 1873, p. 9.

  3. Challis had vowed to spend $100,000 . . .: WCW, Feb. 8, 1873, p. 11.

  4. A Plymouth Church member . . .: WCW, Feb. 8, 1873, p. 11.

  5. “It must not be forgotten . . .”: WCW, Feb. 15, 1873, p. 3.

  6. “Husbands forbade their wives . . .”: Sachs, p. 225.

  7. A published card for the event . . .: WCW, March 1, 1873, p. 13.

  8. Treat, like Andrews . . .: Stoehr, pp. 344–45.

  9. He wore a white linen suit . . .: Sachs, p. 207.

  10. Train had been elected president . . .: Train, p. 324; Broun and Leech, p. 111.

  11. “Of unsound mind, though harmless” . . .: WCW, April 5, 1873, p. 12.

  12. Train was finally tried in May . . . Broun and Leech, pp. 112–14.

  13. In May, under Treat . . .: WCW, May 17, 1873.

  14. On June 2, Victoria, Tennessee . . .: New York Herald, June 3, 1873, p. 4; The New York Tribune, June 3, 1873, p. 2; The World, June 3, 1873, p. 2.

  15. On June 4, they appeared before . . .: New York Herald, June 5, 1873, p. 4; The World, June 5, 1873, p. 3.

  16. “Trifling with liberty”: New York Herald, June 5, 1873, p. 4.

  17. On Friday, June 6, Victoria visited several . . .: Darwin n.p.; The Sun, June 7, 1873, p. 1.

  18. Riding home in a stage . . .: The Sun, June 7, 1873, p. 1.

  19. “Reported Death . . .”: Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1873, p. 2; The Sun, June 7, 1873, p. 1.

  20. “Shortly after 7 o’clock . . .”: The Sun, June 7, 1873, p. 1.

  21. “A dodge to create sympathy for her”: Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1873, p. 2.

  NEW YORK CITY, JUNE 23, 1873

  Pages 217–21

  1. “The Great Battle . . .”: WCW, June 14, 1873, p. 1.

  2. Finally, on June 23, 1873 . . .: New York Herald, June 24, 1873, p. 5; The New York Tribune, June 24, 1873, p. 2.

  3. On the night of June 24 . . .: Chicago Daily Tribune, June 29, 1873, p. 1; WCW, July 12, 1873, pp. 9–10.

  4. On June 26, jury selection . . .: New York Herald, June 27, 1873, p. 8; The Sun, June 27, 1873, p. 3; The New York Tribune, June 27, 1873, p. 8.

  5. The following day the courtroom . . .: The New York Tribune, June 28, 1873, p. 5.

  6. After removing her hat: The Sun, June 28, 1873, p. 3.

  7. To clarify a point . . .: The Sun, June 28, 1873, p. 3.

  8. Rubbing the left side of . . .: The Sun, June 28, 1873, p. 3.

  9. Mr. Jordan, a defense . . .: The Sun, June 28, 1873, p. 3.

  10. Judge Blatchford listened . . .: The Sun, June 28, 1873, p. 3;.

  11. “There was some kissing . . .”: New York Herald, June 28, 1873, p. 8.

  12. Victoria’s sister Utica . . .: The New York Times, July 1, 1873, p. 8.

  13. “A Charming Family”: The New York Times, July 1, 1873, p. 5.

  14. The coroner and his deputy . . .: New York Herald, July 11, 1873, p. 8; The New York Tribune, July 11, 1873, p. 2.

  15. Tennie and Victoria paid . . .: SIU, VCW autobiographical notes.

  CHICAGO, SEPTEMBER 1873

  Pages 222–27

  1. “A Witches’ Sabbath”: New York Herald, Aug. 10, 1873, p. 7.

  2. “Little hot hells . . .”: “The Scarecrows of Social Freedom,” reprinted in WCW, Sept. 27, 1873.

  3. Crowd of long-haired men . . .: New York Herald, Aug. 10, 1873, p. 7.

  4. “Stick to their haunted . . .”: Carter, p. 106.

  5. By September, a large faction . . .: Carter, p. 105; The Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 19, 1873, p. 5.

  6. “The Woodhull, as soon as . . .”: Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 19, 1873, p. 5.

  7. “Divulge the whole thing . . .”: WCW, Oct.25, 1873, p. 5.

  8. Had described her air . . .: Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 17, 1873, p. 5.

  9. “Mr. Cotton has been . . .”: WCW, Oct.25, 1873, pp. 6–7.

  10. The national spiritualist movement . . .: Moore, pp. 67, 84.

  NEW YORK CITY, LATE SEPTEMBER 1873

  Pages 228–33

  1. “The Financial Crash . . .”: The Sun, Sept. 18, 1873, p. 1.

  2. On Thursday, Sept. 17 . . .: Rugoff, America’s Gilded Age, p. 51; The Sun, Sept. 18, 1873, p. 1; The New York Tribune, Sept. 19, 1873, p. 1.

  3. Cooke’s overdrafts . . .: Foner, p. 217.

  4. Thirty New York City banks . . .: The New York Tribune, Sept. 20, 1873, p. 1.

  5. Five thousand businesses . . .: Johnson, pp. 186–87.

  6. “The bursting of the American . . .”: Johnson, p. 187.

  7. Up to 105,000 workers . . .: Foner, p. 218; Sutherland, p. 95; Sante, p. 354.

  8. On Oct. 17, while a Woman’s Congress . . .: The World, Oct. 18, 1873, p. 1.

  9. Four thousand people crammed . . .: New York Herald, Oct. 18, 1873, p. 3; The Sun, Oct. 18, 1873, p. 3.

  10. “Wet your whistle . . .”: New York Herald, Oct. 18, 1873, p. 3.

  11. “For the people . . .”: “Reformation or Revolution, Which? or Behind the Political Scenes,” speech delivered by Victoria Woodhull, Oct. 17, 1873, reprinted in Stern, The Victoria Woodhull Reader.

  12. “Pranced up and down . . .”: New York Herald, Oct. 1873, p. 3.

  13. “I charge upon this . . .”: “Reformation or Revolution, Which? or Behind the Political Scenes,” speech delivered by Victoria Woodhull, Oct. 17, 1873, reprinted in Stern, The Victoria Woodhull Reader.

  14. The applause that greeted . . .: The Sun, Oct. 18, 1873, p. 3.

  15. Press once again began . . .: Gompers, pp. 31–32.

  16. Mayor Moffat refused . . .: WCW, Nov. 26, 1873, p. 9.

  17. “Would [have been] charming” . . .: Detroit Union article reprinted in WCW, Nov. 26, 1873, p. 9.

  18. Permanently relocated . . .: WCW, Nov. 15, 1873, p. 6.

  19. Twelve-year-old Zulu would open . . .: WCW, Jan. 31, 1874, p. 11; WCW, Feb. 21, 1874, p. 11.

  20. “Of all the horrid brutalities . . .”: “Tried As By Fire, or The True and The False, Socially,” speech delivered by Victoria Woodhull, 1874, reprinted in Stern, The Victoria Woodhull Reader.

  NEW YORK CITY, MARCH 1874

  Pages 234–39

  1. On March 4, 1874 . . .: The Sun, March 5, 1874, p. 3.

  2. Having just returned . . .: WCW, March 7, 1874, p. 8.

  3. Only to be apprised . . .: The Sun, March 5, 1874, p. 3; WCW, March 21, 1874, p. 10.

  4. They were incarcerated . . .: WCW, March 21, 1874, p. 10.

  5. “Indicative of palpable . . .”: The Sun, March 5, 1874, p. 3.

  6. On the second day of the case . . .: The New York Tribune, Ma
rch 6, 1874, p. 2.

  7. On the third day of the trial . . .: New York Herald, March 7, 1874, p. 1; The New York Tribune, March 7, 1874, p. 2; The Sun, March 7, 1874, p. 3.

  8. On Saturday, March 7 . . .: New York Herald, March 8, 1874, p. 7; WCW, March 21, 1874, p. 10; The Sun, March 9, 1874, p. 1.

  9. When court resumed on Monday . . .: The New York Tribune, March 10, 1874, p. 2.

  10. By the sixth day of the trial . . .: The Sun, March 11, 1874, p. 3.

  11. Day seven included closing . . .: The New York Tribune, March 12, 1874, p. 2.

  12. Day eight began with instructions . . .: New York Herald, March 14, 1874, p. 8; The New York Tribune, March 14, 1874, p. 5.

  13. When court resumed at 11:00 . . .: New York Herald, March 15, 1874, p. 7.

  14. For all his military reserve . . .: New York Times article reprinted in WCW, March 28, 1874, p. 10.

  15. “The jury wish to express . . .”: The World, March 15, 1874, p. 5; WCW, March 28, 1874, p. 9.

  16. The judge told the jurors . . .: Evening Telegram article reprinted in WCW, March 28, 1874, p. 10.

  17. The defendants were then discharged . . .: The World, March 15, 1874, p. 5.

  18. In August, the Weekly announced . . .: WCW, Aug. 22, 1874, p. 3.

  19. Just before the steamer was to set sail . . .: New York Herald, Dec. 6, 1874, p. 13.

  20. It was rumored that . . .: WCW, Aug. 22, 1874, p. 10; WCW, Sept. 5, 1874, p. 9.

  21. Beecher handpicked the committee . . .: Hibben, p. 266.

  22. “Proprietors and editor of the Weekly”. . .: WCW, Aug. 22, 1874, p. 3.

  NEW YORK CITY, AUGUST 1874

  Pages 240–45

  1. By a vote of 201 to 13 . . .: Shaplen, p. 180; The Beecher-Tilton Scandal, p. 34.

  2. The following April, a Congregational . . .: WCW, July 11, 1874, p. 13; The Beecher-Tilton Scandal, p. 36.

  3. A “knave” and a “dog” . . .: Shaplen, p. 184.

  4. In June 1874, Tilton published . . .: WCW, July 11, 1874, pp. 12–13; The Beecher-Tilton Scandal, pp. 17–18.